Waiheke

Waiheke Island is located in Hauraki Bay , about 18 km from the New Zealand city of Auckland . The island covers 92 km², making it the second largest (after the Great Barrier ) island of the bay. Length - 26 km, width - 19 km. ^[one]

The surface of Waiheke is hilly. The highest point, Mount Maunganui , reaches 231 m and is located in the southern part of the island. The coast is mostly steep, with high cliffs. On the northern coast of Waiheke, there are several long sandy beaches and steep cliffs. The south coast is heavily indented by bays, with extensive watts and swamps . ^[2]

From the point of view of geology, the main rocks underlying the island are hardened greywacke - sandstone and mudstones of the Permian - Triassic period . ^[2] Waiheke himself, presumably, was formed at the beginning of the Miocene . ^[3]

The flora and fauna of the island are diverse. In the southern part of Waiheke, there is the Fakanefa Regional Park, known for its coastal forests in which taraira, kohekokhe and kanuka grow. Numerous birds are found in vast wetlands, including bitterns , striped shepherdesses , and Maori zooikas . ^[four]

In the southeastern part of Waiheke, the Te-Matuku Marine Reserve is located, which includes the bay of the same name, as well as part of the Waiheke Strait. The reserve's value lies in a wide variety of habitats: marine wetlands, coastal areas, low-lying islands, shallows and deep-sea areas in the Waiheke Strait. ^[five]

The indigenous inhabitants of the island are the representatives of the New Zealand Maori people, namely the Te-Uri-Karaka tribe ( Maori Te Uri Karaka ), who initially led a semi-nomadic image, engaged in fishing , but gradually moved to a settled way of life and to the development of agriculture . ^[6] Numerous archaeological finds, including fortifications, or pa , indicate that the settlement of the island of te-uri-karaka occurred about 1000 years ago. ^[7] Soon after this event, a canoe of the Polynesian traveler Toya moored at Waiheke, whose assistants were killed by te-uri-karaka during a solemn feast in their honor. For this event, Toi took revenge on the locals, taking control of the island. Around the same time, the island began to be called Te Motu-arai-roa for the first time ( Eng. Te Motu-arai-roa ; translated from the Maori language as “long island of refuge” ). ^[6]

Around the 14th century, Waiheke was captured by the Ngati Huarere tribe from the Coromandel Peninsula. In the XVIII century, representatives of the Ngati-Paoa tribe settled on it, which became the dominant Ivy on the island. Already by the 19th century, the population of Waheke was about 1,000 people. ^[7] However, in 1821, due to a threat from the leader of the Ngapuhi tribe, most of the island's population fled, returning only after the conflict was resolved. By 1830, the population was about 500 people. ^[7]

The first Europeans entered the island in 1801 when the crew of the Royal Admiral compiled a map of the northern coast. Around the same time, the island became known as Waiheke , which is translated from the Maori language as "cascading waters . " ^[7] At the beginning of the 19th century , the first European colonizers began to appear on it, primarily engaged in cutting down valuable tree species that were present on the island (mainly kauri ). Nevertheless, by the middle of the century, deforestation was stopped due to the almost complete destruction of the forest cover. ^[6] In 1838, Thomas Maxwell purchased the eastern part of Waiheke, and by 1845 the European population had reached 45. In subsequent years, most of the population settled on the east coast, which became a popular holiday destination for residents of Thames and Auckland . In the western part, mainly Māori, as well as European farmers, settled. ^[1] At the end of the 19th century, manganese ore was also developed on the island. ^[eight]

During World War II, Waiheke was part of the coastal defense system of Auckland. Concrete artillery trenches were built, as well as a labyrinth system in the eastern part of the island, called the Stony Batter . ^{[1] [9]}

By the end of the war, the population of Waiheke was only 835 people. By that time, the only local government bodies remained the Highways Directorates, established back in 1921 . In 1947, the Auckland City Council took the initiative to include the island in the city, but local residents then opposed it. ^[6] Nevertheless, the development of infrastructure in Waiheke, despite its isolation, continued: in 1947, the first bank and local newspaper appeared, in 1948 - ferry service to Auckland, in 1949 - telephone service. By 1955, the population of the island reached 2144 people, and in 1970 the Waiheke County Council appeared, which provided residents in the full sense of the word with local government. ^[6] However, in 1989, the council was merged with the Auckland City Council, which to some extent increased the island's popularity among residents of New Zealand's largest city and led to a significant increase in population. At the same time, a strong impetus was given to the development of local tourism , as well as winemaking (the first vineyard in Waiheke appeared in 1977 ). ^[6]

Currently, the island is a major resort and a favorite vacation spot for residents of Auckland. ^[eight]

With a population of 7,689 ^[10] , according to the 2006 census , Waiheke is the most populated island in Hauraki Bay and the third most populated island in New Zealand after the North and South islands . ^[7] The majority of the population, or 82%, are Europeans ; Maori share - 12.3%. ^[11] The largest settlement is Oneroa.

• Waihekepedia (Island Wiki Community)