Click to return home

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.

Become a fan Bookmark and Share
subtop

Latest Additions

Auckland Heritage Festival 2010

Rangitoto Island Bach Tours. For more information go here>>

line break

The latest maintenance and museum reports and Rangitoto Ramblings newsletter are online
Rangitoto Ramblings August 2010
2010 Maintenance Report
2010 Museum and Archive Report
2010 AGM Notice

line break

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

line break

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

line break

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

line break

New photos have been added to the galleries here>>

line break

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>>

line break

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>>

line break

Public concern over wildlife deaths
in the Hauraki gulf
view DOC fact sheet>>

click to view pdf

line break

AMP

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

line break

Archives

Newsletters
Heritage Notes
Restoration / #38 / #114
Membership / How to join
Submit / Stories & Photos
Bach 38 / Open Day Images

line break

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)

Photos of Rangitoto old and new

Photo pages ( 1 l 2 l 3 l 4 l 5 l 6 l 7 l 8 l 9 l 10 l 11 l 12 l 13 l 14 l 15 l 16 l 17 l 18 l 19 )

Submitting a photo or story.

If you would like to submit a photo, story or memory of your time on Rangitoto to be included on these pages, or anything that you think would be of interest to our readers, please email your images or stories to me. I will update these pages on a regular basis.

When emailing photos please try to keep the filesize down - a good size is 150mm wide at 72dpi, colour RGB and saved as a jpg file. Include a short caption explaining the photo and any people featured. If possible include dates or an estimate.

View these images as a slideshow here>>

A Fancy Dress Parade

A fancy dress parade from the old days

Submitted by Elizabeth Andrews

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

Natives in their ceremonial dress

A fancy dress parade at Christmas, 2003.
From left clockwise: Rohanna McCann, Ruth McCann, Brenna McCann,
Kerry Smith, Jan Heyward, Malachi Heyward, Bec Heyward,
Andy Heyward (lovely coconuts) and Maddy Heyward in the middle.

Submitted by Andy Heyward

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

The pool in summer

The Rangitoto Pool in the summer

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

A group on Rangitoto Island in 1914

A group on the island in 1914.

Photo pages ( 1 l 2 l 3 l 4 l 5 l 6 l 7 l 8 l 9 l 10 l 11 l 12 l 13 l 14 l 15 l 16 l 17 l 18 l 19 )