Motukaraka Island

Isolated in the Hauraki Gulf, Motukaraka Island whispers tales of a vanished people. Motukaraka Island, also known as Flat Island, lies just 500 meters from Beachlands, Auckland. It’s a small, uninhabited island, a mere 5.7 hectares. Yet, Motukaraka Island holds a significant place in New Zealand’s history. Imagine, in the late 18th century, this flat, 15-meter-high island was a bustling fortress. Around 100 members of the Ngāti Pāoa tribe called Motukaraka Island home. They built their pā, their fortified village, likely utilizing the island’s steep cliffs for natural defense. But their peaceful existence was shattered by a brutal act of revenge. The Ngāti Rongo, seeking retribution for a past grievance, launched a surprise attack. They felled mighty kauri trees, fashioning makeshift ladders to scale the island’s defenses. At dawn, they stormed the pā, overwhelming the Ngāti Pāoa. The massacre that followed nearly wiped out the entire population, including their chief, Taeiwi. Motukaraka Island has remained uninhabited ever since, a silent testament to this tragic event. The island’s story doesn’t end there. Once, the vibrant red flowers of the kakabeak, or Clianthus puniceus, graced its shores. Recorded in the late 19th century, this critically endangered plant has since vanished from the island. Motukaraka Island also holds the distinction of being New Zealand’s first historic scenic reserve, gazetted in March 1905. Despite its uninhabited status, the island briefly saw agricultural activity in the 1920s. Farmers cultivated karaka trees, bred rabbits, and even grew potatoes, ingeniously using a chute to transport the harvest down to waiting carts. A devastating fire in 1965 swept across Motukaraka Island, burning unchecked for three days. The inferno decimated the island’s flora, sparing only a few resilient pohutukawa trees clinging to the coastline. Today, the island remains a popular spot for fishing and walking. While access to the top can be challenging due to the steep cliffs, the surrounding rocks offer a scenic destination for day trips. Motukaraka Island stands as a poignant reminder of a turbulent past, a place where the echoes of history intertwine with the quiet beauty of nature.