the earliest european pioneers in wellington knew the area that became hataitai as "jenkins estate". the name "hataitai" originated with the syndicate which sub-divided it for building in 1901, and derives from , the ancient maori name for present-day miramar. the ridge of the hill was thought to represent the petrified remains of the great taniwha (sea monster) whataitai, one of the two creatures who helped form the harbour of te whanganui-a-tara (wellington harbour). when one taniwha broke through the rock that separated the then lake from cook strait (the story goes), the waters rushed out, leaving whātaitai stranded on rocks. an earthquake later lifted the monster's body into the hills below tangi te keo (mount victoria).