Motuihe Island

A special little island in a very convenient location in the harbour, Motuihe has been useful for a variety of purposes over the years, quarantine being one of them.

Beginning with Ngati Maru, then Te Arawa and Te Paoa, occupation here stretches back to the 14th Century. An early quarantine station was set up here in 1872, for the purposes of managing smallpox which had arrrived with sailors. The station was re-opened again in 1917 as a kind of prison for Germans resident in New Zealand and Samoa, very loosely managed by a local commander, but essentially run by the German upper classes and military brass who were occupants. The camp run in a relaxed manner, with the prisoners allowed to swim, fish, picnic and generally enjoy themselves. It is reported they were even taken shopping in Queen Street at times.

The escapades of the popular "The Gentleman Pirate" Felix von Luckner began here, when he stretched the generous rules a little too far and took off in the camp's launch, doing the runner all the way to Red Mercury, then the Kermadecs, and when he was caught doing his remaining time at the less attractive Ripapa.

During the 1918 influenza epidemic, quarantine was again the main service here, then the island was farmed until the Royal New Zealand Navy decided to create a training base called HMNZS Tamaki during World War Two. It remained here until 1963, and was then moved to Devonport.

Motuihe then reverted to farmland, until 2000 when it turned, like many offshore islands, to a conservation project, but in this case in a happy balance with the human activities of picnincing and fishing, which it is very good at. Several groves of heritage trees enhance the environment, including handsome Moreton Bay figs, and Olive trees, most dating back to the quarrantine days. The Aleppo (Gallipoli) pine outside Auckland War Memorial Museum hails from seed taken from Motuihe Island. Because the island is not a volcano, the soils are good and the remaining 20% original bush is on the increase.

The birds which have returned to this locale since it became predator free in 2005 are kiwi, saddlebacks, kakariki, bell birds and whiteheads and there are geckos and skinks too.

The transport is from Queens Wharf via the Devonport and Rangitoto ferry services, but don't try to take your pet.

For a sneak peek at the birdlife regenerating on Motuihe, take a look here.

Image Credit: Aerial view of Motuihe Island, taken from New Zealand Herald- Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection