36°50′S 175°35′E / 36.833°S 175.583°E / -36.833; 175.583
31-889: The Aldermen Islands are a small group of rocky islets to the southeast of Mercury Bay in the North Island of New Zealand . They are located off the coast of the Coromandel Peninsula , 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the mouth of the Tairua River . The islands were named 'the Court of Aldermen' by Captain Cook and his crew on 3 November 1769 after previously naming Mayor Island. The Aldermen group consists of four main islands: Hongiora , Middle , Ruamahuanui , and Ruamahuaiti . The smaller islands include Big Hump , Little Hump , Nga Horo Island , Half Island and The Spire . Their combined area
62-402: A freshwater spring. The discussion incorporates evidence related to stonework, pits, shell middens, and vegetation on the islands. The proximity to Mayor Is., a significant source of obsidian, raises the possibility of the islands being used for temporary shelter or visitation by coastal-traveling parties. Moreover, historical accounts suggest frequent visits by mutton-birding parties, underscoring
93-625: A ship of the British Royal Navy that stopped at Coromandel Harbour in 1820 to buy kauri spars. The ship was named for the Coromandel Coast of India. The peninsula is steep and hilly and largely covered in bush . The Coromandel Range forms the spine for most of the peninsula, with the Moehau Range at the northern end providing the highest point at nearly 900 metres (3,000 ft). The large Great Barrier Island , which lies beyond
124-526: A variety of historical accounts and field observations reported by different authors. During the initial exploration of the Aldermen Islands, early observers such as Sladden and Falla, and Cochrane failed to identify visible signs of previous Maori habitation. However, the investigations conducted by Bell et al. during the years 1951-58 unveiled intriguing indications on both Ruamahuanui and Middle Island. Captain Cook's historical report from 1769 attested to
155-531: Is 133.5 ha (330 acres). The islands are a forested nature reserve hosting rare species including the tuatara . Access is by permit only. The Aldermen Islands are the remains of eroded Pliocene or Early Pleistocene lava domes that form part of the Whitianga Group. Approximately 18,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum when sea levels were over 100 metres lower than present day levels,
186-627: Is in the southern part of the bay. Named locations along Mercury Bay include Buffalo Beach, Wharekaho, Ferry Landing, Shakespeare Cliff, Lonely Bay, Flaxmill Bay, Cooks Beach, Purangi Estuary , Cathedral Cove and Hahei . Mercury Bay is a good location for game fishing , with the Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club being one of the largest in New Zealand. The bay is also widely known for its yachting . The Mercury Bay Boating Club in Whitianga
217-488: Is ten kilometres across, and its coastline extends some 20 km. On the shore of the bay is the resort town of Whitianga , and a natural harbour is formed by an arm of the bay which extends inland a further six kilometres southward. Several small islets are located at the southern and northern extremities of the bay, and the Mercury Islands are 10 km to the north. The Whanganui A Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve
248-521: The Miocene and Pliocene periods. Volcanic activity has since primarily shifted southeast to the Taupo Volcanic Zone , although Mayor Island some 25 km to the east was recently active. Geothermal activity is still present on the peninsula, with hot springs in several places, notably at Hot Water Beach (in the central east coast between Whitianga and Tairua ) and near Te Aroha . Owing to
279-663: The North Island of New Zealand extends 85 kilometres (53 mi) north from the western end of the Bay of Plenty , forming a natural barrier protecting the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames in the west from the Pacific Ocean to the east. It is 40 kilometres (25 mi) wide at its broadest point. Almost its entire population lives on the narrow coastal strips fronting the Hauraki Gulf and
310-495: The counterculture back-to-the-land movement . As of 2010 , increasing numbers of affluent Aucklanders have started moving to the Coromandel. Population density decreases with both distance from the coast and distance north. Of the main population centres, only Coromandel, Colville, Matarangi and Whitianga lie in the north of the peninsula, and much of the inland parts remain virtually uninhabited. Prior to contact with Europeans,
341-578: The Auckland University Field Club scientific camp in May 1972. Although these descriptions and accompanying sketch maps are concise due to time constraints and limited equipment, there remains a distinct possibility that additional sites exist on the islands. A singular recorded site (N45/1, refer to the figure in the article) aligns with Blackburn's observation in 1958. This site features a small terrace, approximately 12 m by 6 m, situated 10 m above
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#1732855035771372-574: The Bay of Plenty. In clear weather the peninsula is clearly visible from Auckland , the country's biggest city, which lies on the far shore of the Hauraki Gulf, 55 kilometres (34 mi) to the west. The peninsula is part of the Thames-Coromandel District and the Waikato Region . The Māori name for the peninsula is Te Tara-o-te-Ika-a-Māui , meaning "the barb of Māui's fish". This comes from
403-545: The North Island add significantly to activity in the area, particularly in Whangamatā, Whitianga, Matarangi, Tairua and Pauanui. The peninsula is a popular place to live for people who have chosen an alternative lifestyle , especially those who have left Auckland. The 1970s saw thousands of hippies relocate from large cities around New Zealand to the Coromandel in search of an environmentally friendly lifestyle associated with
434-630: The Tahanga Quarries of Ōpito Bay were an important source of basalt ( karā or pakawera ), which Māori used in the production of stone tools such as adzes (particularly during the Māori Archaic period (1300–1500)). The area was once known largely for its hard-rock gold mining and kauri forestry industries, but is now a popular tourist destination. Most mining ceased around the 1980s. In late 2009, New Zealand's Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee ( National Party ) noted that there
465-494: The beach, reveals concentrations of shell midden. N45/4, the largest and most intriguing site, features stone retaining walls and terraces, suggesting potential use for cultivation. Prominent terracing on this island (N45/5) consists of nine major levels located on the most northern ridge. This site reveals evidence of shell, fish bones, obsidian, and artifacts, indicating possible Archaic Maori occupation. While no specific sites were recorded, two obsidian flakes were collected near
496-422: The beach, with stone walls on two sides. Evidence of shell midden is scattered across the terrace and extends higher up the gully. Three recorded sites include N45/2, positioned on a southward-sloping ridge over 40 m above steep cliffs. Access to this site is possible via a steep gully or a narrow, treacherous ridge. Obsidian, shell, and fish bones were found scattered in the area. N45/3, a small terrace 5–6 m above
527-454: The coast of the Firth of Thames in the southwest. Other small towns on the peninsula include Te Puru , Matarangi , Whangapoua , Whiritoa , Hikuai , Port Jackson, Port Charles, Tairua , Pauanui and Colville . The population of several of these centres is highly seasonal, with many Aucklanders having holiday homes in the Coromandel. During the summer holiday period around Christmas and New Year, visiting families and travellers from around
558-535: The coasts as their numbers began to recover, such as southern right whale , Bryde's whale and humpback whale . The towns are connected by State Highways 25 and 25A , which form a circuit around the peninsula. Not all of the roads on the peninsula are sealed (i.e. are gravel roads ) notably the 309 Road , which connects Coromandel Town and Whitianga. Some hire car companies have contracts that specifically exclude driving on these roads. A passenger ferry runs from Ferry Landing to Whitianga, providing direct access to
589-588: The inland part of the peninsula. Numerous small islands and island groups lie offshore, such as the Motukawao Islands to the northwest, the Aldermen Islands and Slipper Island to the southeast, and the Mercury Islands to the northeast. The peninsula shows considerable signs of past volcanism. It comprises the eroded remnants of the Coromandel Volcanic Zone , which was highly active during
620-505: The islands being inhabited, and Wade's observations in 1842, during a temporary sojourn on Ruamahuaiti, noted remnants of huts and an abundance of wild cabbage near Tuatara Bay. The detailed description of the islands became available following the visit by Sladden and Falla (cit. opt.), and Cochrane's subsequent visit in 1959 concluded that the vegetation appeared to be "culturally unmodified." Nevertheless, earlier reports by Bell et al. and Falla hinted at evidence of firing on at least some of
651-469: The islands were hilly features surrounded by a vast coastal plain. Sea levels began to rise 7,000 years ago, after which the islands separated from the rest of New Zealand. When sea levels were lower, the Tairua River flowed south of the features, travelling eastwards towards the Pacific Ocean. The scholarly investigation into the evidence of past Maori occupation on the Aldermen Islands is thoroughly documented by Moore. This research integrates insights from
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#1732855035771682-534: The islands' importance as a food source for early Maoris in the region. 36°58′S 176°05′E / 36.967°S 176.083°E / -36.967; 176.083 Mercury Bay Mercury Bay is a large V-shaped bay on the eastern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula on the North Island of New Zealand . It was named by the English navigator Captain James Cook during his exploratory expeditions. It
713-493: The islands. The islands are home to a substantial population of Pterodroma macroptera (grey-faced petrel) and Sphenodon punctatus (tuatara), both known for constructing burrows. The combined impact of intensive burrowing, particularly evident in areas like Hongiora, along with controlled burning, is presumed to have played a pivotal role in effacing traces of an earlier Maori population. A crucial component of this investigation includes archaeological site descriptions compiled during
744-691: The legend of Māui and the Fish , in which the demigod uses his hook to catch a great fish (Te Ika-a-Māui or the North Island) from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. In Hauraki Māori tradition, the fish is likened to a stingray , with the Wellington Region being its head, the Northland Peninsula its tail, and Coromandel Peninsula its barb or spine. The English-language name for the peninsula comes from HMS Coromandel (originally named HMS Malabar ),
775-408: The nature of the land, much of the Coromandel's population clusters in a small number of towns and communities along the southeastern and southwestern coasts. Only five towns have populations of over 1000 ( Coromandel , Whitianga , Thames , Tairua , and Whangamatā ), and of these only Thames, with 7,440 people, and Whitianga, with 6,540 people, have populations of over 5000. Several small towns dot
806-554: The northern tip, can be thought of as an extension of the ranges. The island is separated from Cape Colville on the peninsula's northern coast by the Colville Channel . Although the peninsula is close to large centres of population such as Auckland to the west and Tauranga to the southeast, its rugged nature means that much of it is relatively isolated, and the interior and northern tip are both largely undeveloped and sparsely inhabited. The Coromandel Forest Park covers much of
837-440: The peninsula's east coast. The town of Whangamatā is a popular holiday retreat, and Whitianga on Mercury Bay is renowned for its yachting . The peninsula's waters are also a popular destination for scuba divers . Cathedral Cove , named for its cathedral-like arch through the limestone cliff, is a popular destination, only accessible by boat or on foot. In recent years, dolphins and more coast-loving whales are appearing along
868-427: Was a possibility of new mining in conservation areas, even though he had previously declared that a stocktake of mineral resources in protected areas did not indicate a desire to mine there. A forest park occupies much of the centre of the peninsula, and the coasts are dotted with numerous beaches and scenic views. Evidence of the region's geothermal origins can be found in hot springs , notably at Hot Water Beach on
899-451: Was first named Te-Whanganui-a-Hei , the great bay of Hei, by the Māori . On 9 November 1769 Cook landed on the shores of the bay to observe a Transit of Mercury . In 1919 an area of land around Shakespeare Cliff was set aside, and a small memorial was constructed, based on the erroneous notion that it was the location of Cook's observations. But the actual site of Cook's landing and observation
930-572: Was the challenging club in New Zealand's first challenge for the America's Cup , in 1987. There was an arched rock in Mercury Bay which collapsed. It was illustrated in the 1700s aboard James Cook 's Endeavour . It was depicted with a pā on top of the rock. 36°47′S 175°47′E / 36.78°S 175.78°E / -36.78; 175.78 Coromandel Peninsula The Coromandel Peninsula ( Māori : Te Tara-o-te-Ika-a-Māui ) on
961-489: Was the eastern end of Cook's Beach, near the Purangi estuary . A smaller memorial plinth was established there also. The brig Trial and the schooner Brothers were attacked by Māori on 20 August 1815 in Mercury Bay, when several sailors were killed. The bay was the resting place of HMS Buffalo , a ship that transported passengers and prisoners to Australia that was wrecked in a storm in 1840. The mouth of Mercury Bay