Mōtītī Island

Mōtītī Island is an island in the Bay of Plenty, off the coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) north-east of Papamoa Beach on the mainland and 22 kilometres (14 mi) north-east of Tauranga. There were 18 homes occupied by 27 people on the island in the 2006 census.[1]

Mōtītī Island
Aerial view of Mōtītī Island
Mōtītī Island is located in New Zealand
Mōtītī Island
Mōtītī Island
Geography
LocationBay of Plenty
Coordinates37.6257°S 176.4221°E / -37.6257; 176.4221
Total islands1
Major islands1
Area10 km2 (3.9 sq mi)
Highest elevation57 m (187 ft)
Administration
Demographics
Population27[1] (2006)
Pop. density2.7/km2 (7/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsMāori

Geography

A relatively flat island covering some 10 km2 (3.9 sq mi), Mōtītī Island is composed mainly of Miocene andesitic basalt volcanic rocks, overlaid with more recent sediments in the south.[2] The principal activity on the island is agriculture, with a developing avocado plantation.[3] Most residents and visitors travel to the island by air.

There is no public infrastructure (e.g. no public wharf) and the whole island is in private ownership. Access is difficult and expensive.[4] Bay of Plenty Regional Council has regional council responsibility for Mōtītī Island.[5] No territorial authority council is responsible for it – therefore residents pay no rates and there are no council services. Day-to-day administration is by the Department of Internal Affairs.[4]

History and culture

Pre-colonial history

On 2 November 1769, during his first voyage, Captain Cook sailed close inshore to Mōtītī Island, where he reported the most extensive complex of fortified villages he had yet seen. In his journal he refers to it as the "Flat Island".[2]

Recent history

On 5 October 2011 the container ship MV Rena ran aground on Astrolabe Reef, seven kilometers north of Mōtītī Island. Oil from the resulting spill, as well as shipping containers and their contents, reached the shore of the island.[6] In October 2013, Mōtītī Island residents rejected an offer by the MV Rena's owners to start a development project for the island, in return for being able to leave the Rena wreckage where it lay.[7] The plan included:

  • Building a landing point for barges
  • Creating a one-lane, all-weather road to the airstrip
  • Installing a new cellphone tower to improve communications
  • Running an underground cable from the mainland to improve power supply
  • Putting a permanent beacon on Astrolabe Reef
  • Building a Rena memorial from the ship's anchor

On 9 October 2011, the 45-foot launch M/V Excalibur ran aground on Mōtītī Island in bad weather. The crew of six was rescued, but the boat was considered a total loss.[8]

Marae

The island has two marae, belonging to the Ngāti Awa hapū of Te Patuwai and Ngati Maumoana: Te Hinga o te Ra or Te Karioi Marae and Te Hinga o te Ra meeting house; and Te Rua Kopiha Marae and Tamatea ki te Huatahi meeting house.[9][10]

In October 2020, the Government committed $4,871,246 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade a group of 12 marae, including Te Rua Kopiha Marae. The funding was expected to create 23 jobs.[11]

Aerodrome

Island Air Charters operates to Motiti Island from Tauranga and back with 1 Cessna 206 and 2 Cessna 172 aircraft.

Also Sunair operates to Motiti Island from Tauranga and back with 3 Cessna 172 aircraft.

Also Tauranga aero club operates to Motiti Island from Tauranga and back with 2 Cessna 172 aircraft.

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Motiti Island.

References
  1. QuickStats About Motiti Island, 2006 Census, Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  2. Grant-Taylor, Thomas Ludovic; Foster, Bernard John (1966). "Motiti Island". In McLintock, A. H. (ed.). An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 21 August 2021 – via Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
  3. "Motiti Island: Population 40, just how they like it". The New Zealand Herald. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  4. Vance, Andrea (25 November 2018). "Motiti". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  5. "Administration of Motiti Island". Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  6. "Containers, oil to spill from 'dying' Rena". New Zealand: Stuff.co.nz. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  7. "Motiti Island residents reject development plan". 3 News. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  8. "Daily Vessel Casualty, Piracy & News Report: 2011". Cargolaw.com. The Law Offices of Countryman & McDaniel. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  9. "Ngāti Awa". Te Kāhui Māngai (Directory of Iwi and Māori Organisations). Te Puni Kōkiri. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  10. "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
  11. "Marae Announcements" (Excel). growregions.govt.nz. Provincial Growth Fund. 9 October 2020.

37.6257°S 176.4221°E / -37.6257; 176.4221

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