 This was land on each side of the stream, which in pre-European times had been called "Tuna-Mau" by the local Māori, meaning 'the trapping of eels'.The stream was one of several which emptied into Freeman Bay, now reclaimed as Victoria Park.In 1873, the City Council decided to call for a new park design, and declared that the sum of ten guineas/pounds (then quite a sum) would be awarded as prize money to the creator of the winning design.