Te Hauturu-o-Toi

Te Hauturu-o-Toi (Little Barrier Island) is a volcanic cone in the Hauraki Gulf. It has been cleared of all predatory animals such as feral cats and kiore (Pacific rats), since when many native birds have flourished, some after being deliberately established on Hauturu. It is a bird watcher’s and photographer’s paradise. Access is restricted, and permission is required before going there. The underwater scenery around Hauturu makes diving and snorkelling a great experience.

In the days before colonisation from Britain, Maori used Te Maraeroa Flat extensively for cultivation and growing food. Subsequently Pakeha also grew crops here. As the ground has only been tilled by hand (no machinery), the island is of great archaeological interest.


We drove north from Auckland late this afternoon, and from the deck we were greeted by a placid deep blue sea in Kawau Bay, with Hauturu clearly seen behind Tauwharanui, the peninsula which forms the northern boundary of the Bay.