Back from the brink

We’re spoilt for natural beauty in Aotearoa New Zealand, from majestic mountains and broad lakes, to native forests and beautiful beaches. But sometimes, the real jewels are right there under our noses, hiding in plain view. Like Moutohorā Whale Island.

Moutohorā is ever present for visitors and locals alike, its lush greenery seemingly so close you can reach out and touch it, an island idyll offering escape and sanctuary.

And for many years that is probably exactly what Moutohorā was. “According to Ngāti Awa, the first known occupation of Moutohorā was by Te Rongotauroa-ā-tai, grandson of Toroa, commander of the Mataatua waka,” says Patrick O’Sullivan of Moutohorā Island Sanctuary Tours. “Rongo built and occupied a pā on Moutohorā which he called Raetihi Kāwatawata Koangiangi (The Summit of Gentle Breezes) so there was definitely occupation, and the island was probably used as a refuge in times of conflict, but because it has very limited fresh water supplies, we’re not certain about how many people could have been there and for how long.”

There remains evidence of kūmara pits however, and there are also remnants of stone walls to be found at the Raetihi pā site, all of which indicates that Moutohorā was more than just a place for short term stop overs. “This is one of the few pā sites which have stone works,” Patrick says, “and there is some evidence that the stonework uses the same methods as that in the Cook Islands. So it seems like it was a fairly well-used area and people did live there permanently, and the pā would certainly have been a great place for refuge, being on a point with three sides protected by cliffs - but the challenge would have been fresh water, with some having to be brought from the mainland.”

Early European settlers saw the island less as a refuge and more as a resource. “A whaling station was established in the 1830s,” Patrick says, “probably lured by the English name but also Moutohorā can be loosely translated as ‘island’ and the word for whale - possibly a reference to it being the whale that a legendary tohunga used to ride back from Whakaari. The station was not very successful however, with not a single whale being caught - and in fact not a single whale even being sighted in the eight months they were there!”

Attempts to mine sulphur on the island were only slightly more successful due to the low quality found there, but a stone quarry established in 1915 proved much more forthcoming. Some 26,000 tons of rock were cut from the island and used to build the Whakatāne sea wall, and while this gave the township much needed protection, it wrought chaos on Moutohorā.

Early European settlers saw the island less as a refuge and more as a resource. “A whaling station was established in the 1830s,” Patrick says, “probably lured by the English name but also Moutohorā can be loosely translated as ‘island’ and the word for whale - possibly a reference to it being the whale that a legendary tohunga used to ride back from Whakaari. The station was not very successful however, with not a single whale being caught - and in fact not a single whale even being sighted in the eight months they were there!”

There is some evidence that the stonework uses the same methods as that in the Cook Islands.

Attempts to mine sulphur on the island were only slightly more successful due to the low quality found there, but a stone quarry established in 1915 proved much more forthcoming. Some 26,000 tons of rock were cut from the island and used to build the Whakatāne sea wall, and while this gave the township much needed protection, it wrought chaos on Moutohorā.

“The rock was ferried into the harbour with scows,” Patrick says, “and this is probably how the island became overrun with rats. Rabbits and feral cats also made their way out there, and goats were introduced who munched on basically everything. Right up until around 40 years ago I can remember seeing it just as barren, bare paddock.”

Fortunately, this was not to be Moutohorā’s ultimate fate. Declared a wildlife refuge in 1965, a programme to eradicate the goats, rats and other pests got underway and once this was achieved a planting programme began; over 45 species are now established and the island is covered with pōhutukawa, māhoe, kānuka, bracken and grassland. The return of native flora also heralded the return of native fauna and there is now a breeding colony of grey-faced petrels with a population of around 184,000 (at last count), and sooty shearwaters, little blue penguins, the threatened New Zealand dotterel and variable oystercatchers also breed on the island.

“It’s a testament to what conservation can achieve,” Patrick says. “If you remove the pests and just get things started, it’s amazing what nature can do. I think only around 11,000 trees were planted there, which is not a huge number in the scheme of things on Moutohorā, but just look at it today.”

And you don’t have to look at Moutohorā from afar. Guided tours leave from Whakatāne and it is just a 15 minute boat ride to the island to see the lush, regenerated native bush, bird life, seals and the occasional dolphin on the way, before digging yourself a soothing geothermal spring pool at Onepū Bay, Moutohorā’s secluded hot water beach or swimming in the startlingly clear water. With the track to the pā site currently closed that is not part of the tour, but the rich history of the island is explained by the guides, who are also adept at pointing out wildlife - even tuatara have been spotted recently!

So if you’re visiting the Eastern Bay - it’s glorious beaches and fishing and hiking - don’t forget to get out to Moutohorā, the jewel hiding in plain view.