Welcome to Rangitoto Island, Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand

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.

There are some 10 or so short and long walks around the island and from the summit there are magnificent views of the Hauraki Gulf, the Waitemata Harbour and Auckland city.

Rangitoto Islands' unique geological and natural attributes are of international interest. What is less known is that the three Bach Settlements of Rangitoto Wharf, Islington Bay and Beacon End are also of national importance.

The bach communities on Rangitoto Island were built in the 1920's and 30's and consist of private holiday dwellings and boatsheds as well as communal facilities such as paths, swimming pool, community hall and tennis courts. Built by families, using the scarce resources of the Depression era, the buildings demonstrate the 'kiwi' do-it-yourself, jack-of-all-trades attitudes of the times.

As a result of a prohibition order on further buildings in 1937, the remnants of the communities reflect this specific time in Auckland's development and as a result they are part of local history involving typical New Zealanders in a unique environment.

Because other bach communities, which were prevalent throughout the country, have virtually disappeared, the Rangitoto bach settlements are irreplaceable artefacts of New Zealand's architectural, and social history and therefore are important beyond their locality.

StatCounter - Free Web Tracker and Counter

Latest Additions

Rangitoto Ramblings

The latest newsletter is available here>>

Gareth Cooke Photos

Gareth has taken a series of photos of the Rangitoto Baches and wrecks view his online gallery here>>

From the TVNZ Archives

Photos of Rangitoto Island submitted by the public on Flickr are here>>

Rangitoto Island Biosecurity Standards. Find out what you need to know here>>

The Environmental Care Code and Water Care Code can be found here>>

New photos have been added to the galleries here>>

Charitable Trust

The Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust is Charities Commission registered - our number is CC28141 - so all donations over $5 are tax deductible. View certificate here>>
More information on societies and trusts here>>

Motutapu and Rangitoto pest eradication

Operational planning for the eradication of the last seven mammalian pests from Motutapu and Rangitoto may have taken more than a year to complete, but it has paid dividends. Implementation of the first two phases of the pest eradication have gone like clockwork and the project is now well ahead of schedule. more>>

Major financial sponsor
AMP Financial Services Limited

Weather for Rangitoto today
Check out what the weather is doing over the Auckland area.

Tide reports -
Check out the high and low tide
for Auckland area

Key facts about Rangitoto Island

Maori name: Rangitoto, derived from the phrase 'Te Rangi i totongia a Tamatekapua - the day the blood of Tamatekapua was shed'.

Location: Auckland City, map reference NZMS 260: R11/762888

Height: 260 m

Age: Formed about 600 years ago
(ca 1400 AD)

Volume lava: about 2,300 million cubic metres (equivalent to 468,000 Olympic sized swimming pools)

Volume tuff/ash/pyroclastics: about 19 million cubic metres (equivalent to 3,800 Olympic sized swimming pools)

Bach Tours with Cream Tea

‘A Taste of Kiwiana’
The 1½ hr walking tour visits baches and associated facilities built in 1920s,
presents an insight into the activities of holiday communities of the day

Bookings one week prior essential

Groups of 15 to 20, half day tours either morning or afternoon
$32 pp including ferry fare.

Wednesdays and Sundays from 18 January till Easter.

Fullers ferry from Auckland City or Devonport.

For further information:
Email: info@rangitoto.org
09 445 1894

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Saddleback nesting

The annual bird count has just been completed on Rangitoto Island and it is all good news. Researchers report seeing Saddleback and hearing Kaka and Kakariki. 15 Tieke were sighted, with 7 pairs, a single male bird has visited the Blue House on Motutapu. Also a female is using a nesting box and three other have made natural nests.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A summer place

Take a look at this documentary from 1995 in the TVNZ archive - it features many Rangitoto baches.

Synopsis: This beautifully-shot documentary is a social and architectural history of the great NZ bach (or crib for those south of the Waitaki). Maggie Barry tracks their evolution from workers’ cottages to a fully fledged icon in danger of extinction: as the blind eye turned by councils that made them possible becomes a thing of the past, and the coastline becomes too valuable to allow ‘just anyone’ to erect a shack on it. The Kiwi spirit that created the building is celebrated; and bach enthusiasts interviewed include Sam Hunt, Keri Hulme, Karl Stead and Rawiri Paratene.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Release of Takahe and Saddleback

Motutapu and Rangitoto islands were today (27 August 2011) officially declared pest-free wildlife sanctuaries following a successful eradication programme that first started 20 years ago.

They will now become home to takahe, with aims to have them house the largest population of takahe outside of Fiordland.

DOC has removed nine animal species from the islands. Possums and wallabies were eradicated in the 1990s. Ship rats, Norway rats, stoats, mice, feral cats, hedgehogs and rabbits have now been removed with the completion of a major eradication operation that began in June 2009.

To mark the occasion Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson made the first release of threatened native wildlife on Motutapu Island - including two breeding pairs of takahë and 20 saddleback.

Rangitoto Ramblings

The latest newsletter is online and also available as a downloadbale pdf. Click to read the latest issue.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Life's a bach

Donna Massey has a created a series of paintings depicting the Rangitoto Baches. View the article in The Aucklander. Rangitoto Bach Series is at Parnell Gallery from July 14-24. Check it out

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

More creativity

Gareth Cooke, photographer, has taken a series of photos of Rangitoto, including the baches and shipwrecks. Take a look at his online gallery here

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

DOC hunting rat found on Rangitoto

Rat tracks seen in rodent detecting tunnels have sparked a major search and trapping operation by the Department of Conservation (DOC) on Rangitoto Island in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

DOC are using rodent detecting dogs and have set 175 traps to catch the rat after the tracks were seen in a routine check of the rodent detecting tunnels that ring Rangitoto and neighbouring Motutapu Island. The tunnels are one of the biosecurity measures DOC has in place to protect the pest free islands it manages in the marine park.

Read the media release from the Department of Conservation :: PDF 41kb :: DOC 82.5kb ::

Stuff article 10 May 2011

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Latest Rangitoto Photos on Flickr

A group has been setup on Flickr to showcase all your photos of Rangitoto Island. This is a public group and anyone with a Flickr account can add photos. This is another way fans of Rangitoto Island can share their photos and comment on others. Feel free to join in.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Travelling to Rangitoto Island

Please remember when visiting Rangitoto that the island is pest free.

Please check your bags prior to boarding for rodents, insects and other pests.
Footwear must be checked to ensure they are clean and free of seeds.
More information can be found here>>

Biosecurity Standards

Find out about the new standards for Doc managed Islands in the Hauraki Gulf and take a look at the Environmental Care Code and Water Care Code.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Major financial sponsor
AMP Financial Services Limited

Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rangitoto Island on Facebook