Tiritiri Matangi Island is the longest-established native bird sanctuary in the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, and the wider upper North Island. It's a day trip to visit the island, with a boat ride from Downtown Auckland taking about 1 hour or a short ride from Whangaparāoa Peninsula. There are multiple walking options, mainly through the regenerating native forest. The island attracts over 30,000 visitors annually, which is about the maximum permitted. So, booking in advance is important.
The island is relatively small, at 2.2 sq km, and is managed by the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi. The native bird population is fantastic, with a high likelihood of seeing rare takahē, kōkako and tīeke. If you can stay overnight, you will get a chance to see kiwi. There are also blue penguin breeding boxes, which makes them easy to see.
The first people to settle on the island were the Kawerau iwi, and "Tiritiri Matangi" is Māori for "tossed by the wind." Later, Ngāti Pāoa moved to the island, but Kawerau regained control around 1700. Kawerau iwi retreated to Waikato in 1821 when Hongi Hika attacked from the north during the Musket Wars. Two historical pā are on the island, Tiritiri Matangi Pā and Papakura Pā. In 1841, Ngāti Pāoa sold the land to the government. This led to a dispute with the Kawerau, but in 1867, the Māori Land Court awarded title to the government.
A lighthouse was constructed near the southern end in 1864 and remains in operation. It is among the world's most powerful, with a range of 80 km. There is also a shop/visitor centre and overnight accommodations by the lighthouse, and the grassy surroundings make it perfect for a picnic during your visit. Watch out for the friendly takahē!
The island was cleared of forest and farmed from 1863 to 1971. It returned to government control, and the first plan was to allow it to self-revegetate with native forest. But this proved too slow, and in 1984, a plan for volunteers to plant 250,000 native trees and shrubs over 80% of the island’s pasture and scrub was implemented.
This was also relatively early in the growing public interest in expanding predator-free havens for rare native birds. Eleven native species were introduced as the forest was reestablished, including kākāriki, tīeke, pāteke, pōpokotea, takahē, little spotted kiwi, hihi, kōkako, mātātā, miromiro, and titipounamu. Rare tuatara, gecko and weta punga have also been added.
This laid a pattern for similar projects on Motuihe, Motuora, Motutapu, Rotoroa, Tāwharanui and Shakespear Regional Park, located on the tip of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula. But Tiritiri Matangi is still the best location for avid bird watchers.
