Mrs Barrett recognised where the bach was which she stayed in all those years ago.
She also found the spot where she would have popped out of the gorse after climbing the mountain on her hands and knees.
"It's unbelievable. It's unbelievable, the change. From just a mass of little baches to all the high rises, the port and all the activity.
"I just love it. Not only was it a beautiful day but I thank the Lord I was able to get up here."
Mrs Barrett said the real highlight of the excursion was being able to spot the pod of orcas which had made its way into the Tauranga Harbour for the morning (see story on pages 2 and 3).
On her first trip to the Bay, the then 24-year-old nurse had ventured down from Auckland with three girlfriends and hired a bach.
"We looked up at the Mount but we couldn't see any track so we just went up ... Straight up the side, on our hands and knees.
"It wasn't until we almost got to the top we saw the track. There were all sorts of gorse prickles and blackberries, it was so rough."
Mrs Barrett was to find a permanent home in Tauranga after going back to Auckland.
Mauao's history
According to legend the mountain once lay inland. Spurned by the beautiful mountain Puwhenua, it begged the fairy-like creatures of the forest to drag it into the ocean. As they neared the water's edge, dawn broke, and the fairies fled, leaving the mountain caught forever in the light of day. Thereafter it was known as Mauao (Mau - "caught", ao - "light of day").
Later it was renamed Maunganui in memory of a similar mountain in Hawaiki, the Polynesian homeland of the Maori.
