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The Hauraki Gulf
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The Hauraki Gulf

New Zealand’s nautical playground, once home of the America’s cup the sparkling blue waters of the gulf are renowned sailing, cruising and fishing seaway.

Islands of the Hauraki Gulf
Browns Island
Motuihe
Rangitoto Island
Motutapu
Tiritiri Matangi Island
Motu Kaikoura
Kawau Island
Little Barrier Island
Great Barrier Island
Pakatoa Island
Waiheke Island


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The Hauraki Gulf

The Hauraki Gulf – New Zealand’s nautical playground, once home of the America’s cup the sparkling blue waters of the gulf are renowned sailing, cruising and fishing seaway.

Browns Island

A low volcanic hill of 60 hectares at the mouth of the Tamaki River. Named Motukorea (island of the pied oystercatcher bird) by Maori, it was purchased by William Brown who took up residence with Dr John Logan Campbell in 1840 and started a pig farm while waiting for the siting of Auckland, the new capital, where they planned to set up business. Eventually owned by Auckland businessman and benefactor, Sir Ernest Davis, who presented it to the city in 1956. The island is a public recreation reserve managed by the Department of Conservation. Care has to be taken when landing as the coastline is particularly shallow and rocky below half-tide.

There is no regular ferry service, and while camping is not permitted day visitors are welcome to explore the volcanic cones and historic sites. The island can be reached by private boat or hired kayak. The coastal margin particularly on the southern side is a nesting habitat for the endangered NZ dotterel. Please do not disturb these birds.

Motuihe

This small low farmed island of 179 hectares lies between Motutapu and Waiheke Islands some 11 km northeast of Auckland. Purchased by the Crown in 1872, it was a quarantine station for many years. During World War I, Germans living in New Zealand and Samoa were interned along with prisoners of war. Notable among them was 'Sea Wolf', the dashing Lt. Cdr. Count Felix von Luckner, who with his sailing ship "Seeadler" accounted for 86,000 tons of allied shipping before being captured in the Cook Islands. In 1917 von Luckner and his crew made a daring escape from Motuihe, commandeered a vessel and sailed over 900 km north where they were eventually captured at the Kermadec Islands.

The island reverted to a public domain in 1963. With its attractive swimming beaches on either side of the narrow isthmus, that offer sheltered conditions in any winds, it is very popular for day visitors during summer months.

Rangitoto Island

The youngest of the islands in the Hauraki Gulf, Rangitoto emerged from the sea around 700 years ago in a series of volcanic explosions. Rising to a height of 260 metres the circular island presents the same uniform appearance and is visible from most parts of the mainland. Rangitoto's name has been translated to mean the day the blood of Tamatekapua was shed, relating to a major Maori battle at Islington Bay about 1350. Rangitoto is an icon of Auckland city.

Situated about 8 km northeast of Auckland and connected to Motutapu Island by a causeway, Rangitoto is a large island of 2311 hectares with a wonderful volcanic landscape that supports over 200 species of moss, plants and trees including the largest pohutukawa forest in the world. It was purchased by the Crown in 1854, set aside as a recreation reserve in 1890 and for over 30 years the island's volcanic scoria was quarried and shipped to Auckland. Between 1925 and 1936 prison labour built roads on the island and a track to the summit.

Motutapu

This is a large loaf shaped island of rolling grassed hills, attached to Rangitoto Island by a causeway, 2 km across from Motuihe and some 15 km northeast from Auckland. The name translated means sacred island. Now a farmed reserve within the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park, it contains a walkway of 3.5 km that lead from he west side near the causeway to Rangitoto across to Home Bay, a journey of some 3 hours. On the north side in Administration Bay are ex-military barracks of World War II that are now used by the Motutapu Outdoor Education Camp Trust as accommodation for school, family and corporate groups as part of outdoor camps and field trips.

Tiritiri Matangi Island

Lying some 4 km east offshore from the tip of Whangaparaoa Peninsula about 25 km north of Auckland, this bare island is reverting back to its original forest nature under an extensive planting programme. Some 218 hectares in area with steeply rising cliffs and only one good sandy beach, it is home to the oldest lighthouse in the Gulf, erected in 1864 and subsequently upgraded one hundred years later with a beacon fifty times more powerful than the old light, extending its beam for 48 km making it the brightest in the southern hemisphere. Now an open sanctuary, the public are free to visit and venture down the five main walking tracks to enjoy some of New Zealand's more unusual and rare fauna and bird life. The island's name means, wind tossing about. Regular ferry services available from Auckland or Gulf Harbour at Whangaparaoa Peninsula.

Motu Kaikoura

Motu Kaikoura (Kaikoura Island or Selwyn Island ) is situated to the west of Great Barrier Island protecting the entrance to Port Fitzroy Harbour. Typical of the islands in the outer Hauraki Gulf, it is rugged, remote and there are no regular ferry services. 

At its nearest point Motu Kaikoura is as close as 80m to Great Barrier Island, across the 'Man-of-War Passage', and a similar distance from Nelson Island to the west. The Port Fitzroy and Port Abercrombie  Harbours are a favourite with yachtsmen as it provides them with shelter in any weather. Being so close, Motu Kaikoura is often considered as part of Great Barrier and they have similar geology and ecology.

Kawau Island

This bush covered island is a popular marine holiday resort about 8 km offshore from Sandspit, north of Auckland City. It is approximately 8 km long and 5 km wide being almost split into two by the 3 km inlet Bon Accord Harbour. Both native bush and exotic trees cover most of the island with some farming land and a number of holiday homes tucked away in the he many bays of its heavily indented inlets on the west coast.

Originally purchased from Maori in 1837, manganese deposits were mined by a Scottish company until 1842 when it began mining the newly discovered copper deposits. Other miners and speculators arrived and the settlement of Swansea was established in the bay of the same name. For two decades mining was successfully carried out and remains of the smelting house are still intact at the head of the bay. In 1862 Sir George Grey, Governor of New Zealand, purchased the island and enlarged and renovated the mine manager's home to create the gracious Mansion House which is now the name of the bay in which it is situated. He developed the area into a botanical and zoological park, importing all kinds of exotic and subtropical plants and animals, some of which are still evident today. The house, now owned by the Department of Conservation has been fully restored and is open daily for inspection.

Little Barrier Island

This is a mountainous and densely forested island sanctuary situated between Kawau and Great Barrier Islands 85 km northeast of Auckland. Some 2,817 hectares in area and rising steeply to a height of 722 m, it is a flora and fauna reserve, one of a few forest sanctuaries in New Zealand undisturbed by browsing animals. There is an abundance of rare native birds and also some of the lizard-like tuatara, the oldest known living prehistoric animal.

Named by Captain James Cook, the Maori name, Hauturu (resting place of the wind) probably refers to the cap of clouds so often seen over the island. A permit is required before landing and access is either by launch or amphibian aircraft.

Great Barrier Island

This is the largest island in the Gulf as well as being the largest offshore island of the North Island. Lying 90 km northeast of Auckland it stretches north to south for some 40 km, and has an area of 285 square kilometre, more than half the size of the Auckland Metropolitan area. The highest point Mt Hobson is only 621 metres, and the surface of the island is very rugged with narrow ravines, steep cliffs, jagged pinnacles with a deeply indented coastline. Much of the island is covered with second generation native trees with pockets of regenerating native forest and in the north remnants of the kauri forest, most of which was saw-milled at the end of the 19th century. Aside from its many natural wonders Great Barrier Island is also home to the remains of the last operating whaling station in New Zealand and of the famous Kaiarara Kauri Dam.

Mainly farming based, the small population of 1100 is clustered in scattered settlements around the coast, namely Port FitzRoy and Okiwi in the north, Okupu and Tryphena in the southwest and on the east, Claris and Oruawharo (Medlands). Residents have to provide their own power with generators and the island is gaining a reputation as a centre for environmental technology.
A haven of peace and tranquillity, wilderness and rare bird life, the major tourist attractions include the scenic drive over some of the 65 km of metalled roads, walks on good tracks through the Department of Conservation maintained forests and native bush, long white surf beaches, fishing and diving in almost ideal conditions, and for boaties, idyllic and well sheltered anchorages at Port Abercrombie, Port FitzRoy and Whangaparapara.

Pakatoa Island

A small, privately owned resort island situated 3 km off the east coast of Waiheke Island and some 45 km from Auckland, the name means to flow with the tide. Some 24 hectares in size the island does not exceed 60 metres in height. It was purchased in 1964 by Sir Robert Kerridge who developed it into a holiday resort with self-contained chalets, a hotel with all amenities, heated swimming pool, boats for hire and miniature golf course. Pakatoa has recently been sold to new owners who provide holiday and conference facilities.

Waiheke Island

After Great Barrier, this is the largest island (9,324 hectares)within the Hauraki Gulf. It is 26 km long and 19 km across at its widest point, with rolling hills that reach 230 metres at the highest point. Its name translated means cascading waters which refers to the waterfalls now within the Whakanewha Regional Park. It is a unique island settlement close to Auckland with a resident population of about 7,000 spread out around the numerous bays and beaches mainly grouped at the western end.
The island's Maori history follows the classical pattern of one tribe conquering and ousting another such that in the 1820's after frequent raids by Hongi Heke and his warriors there can not have been many inhabitants. In 1837 Waiheke was described as "shores bold and craggy and thickly timbered to the waters edge" but by 1850 the best of her timber had been felled. Waiheke East was the first settled part of the island, being a holiday resort for the then major mining town of Thames and Auckland. The western end was mainly Maori land and the few Europeans were nearly all gentlemen farmers of means.

One such landowner was Fred Alison who in 1901 bought Oneroa (long sandy beach) and Matiatia. He fenced and grassed hundreds of hectares and when he sold Oneroa in 1922 the urban development of Waiheke began. During World War II the army built huge concrete gun emplacements and dug mole-like mazes of tunnels at the eastern end on the hill "Stony Batter". Open to the public they offer both an insight to the extent of defence preparations and wonderful views of the southern end of the Hauraki Gulf.

Now this attractive and growing area which is an island suburb to Auckland, has major communities at Oneroa, Palm Beach, Onetangi (beach of mourning) on the north side with Rocky Bay, Ostend, Surfdale, Kennedy's Bay and Blackpool on the south. Referred to as a magical island paradise, Waiheke offers wonderful clean, safe, sandy swimming beaches, delightful walks with spectacular views of the Hauraki Gulf, visits to established vineyards (22 are established), an exciting display of New Zealand arts and Crafts at Artworks above Oneroa, restaurants, cafes and a variety of accommodation from top class resort to beach lodges to backpackers lodgings and a youth hostel.

 

 

 
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