Rangitoto Island, Auckland, New Zealand - A Must Visit for a great mix of geology, botany, stunning views and social history

600 years ago the Maori living in Auckland must have been terrified when Rangitoto erupted for the last time. The great spurts and rivers of lava looked to them like flowing blood so they named it 'The day the blood of Tamatekapua was shed.' after  Tamatekapua, a chief from the Te Arawa tribe who had arrived in New Zealand around 1350 and been killed in battle near by.  Rangitoto had erupted several times before the Maori migration though, rising out of the sea floor as far back as 6000 years ago.  Now standing sentinel at the entrance to Auckland harbour it is an iconic, dormant volcano beloved by Aucklanders. It says 'Auckland' to everyone visiting the city and 'home' to Aucklanders returning. Although not considered to be extinct the possibility of it erupting again is slim. Rangitoto is 5.5km wide and 260 metres at it's highest point, interestingly it's conical shape looks the same, or almost the same, from which ever angle you view it.

Rangitoto Island

Despite living in Auckland all my life, and seeing Rangitoto on a daily basis, I had visited it on only a handful of occasions, the last time at least 20 years ago.  While my family from England were visiting recently my daughter-in-law took my grandson to the island for the day and came home thrilled and excited by what they had seen. This spurred me on to go for another visit myself.

It was a perfect morning as I drove to the city to catch the ferry

So last Saturday I was up at the crack of dawn to catch the 7.30am ferry to the island, about a 35 minute trip. It was the most perfect of spring days, calm and sunny with the water smooth and reflective.  Once on the island I set off straight away on the 2 and a half kilometre climb to the top. The path is well marked, sloping upwards all the way but not arduous, at a steady pace it takes around an hour to get to the summit. At this early hour of the day there weren't many people around and most of the time I was alone on the path which was pleasingly peaceful and gave me time to just enjoy and observe without distractions.

Left: The path to the summit



Right: Ancient lava flow still looks recent








Rangitoto is a fascinating place, the fields of exposed black lava  still look surprisingly fresh even after 600 years.  Despite the fact that the island is composed of volcanic rock, air borne dust and leaf matter have settled over hundreds of years to enable 200 species of plants to grow and thrive, relying solely on rain for their water.  Rangitoto is home to the world's largest pohutakawa forest, pohutakawa are known as the New Zealand Christmas tree for their red flowers which cover them at Christmas time. There are rata, wild orchids, a kowhai grove where the native tui get drunk on the flowers' sweet nectar, and even, strangely, alpine moss.  

Plants establishing themselves in the lava fields.  

It is interesting how plants adapt to different environments, even mangroves, which normally grow in mud, can be seen growing on the volcanic rock at the water's edge.

One thing I noted was how few birds were on the island, the reason being that there is little food and no fresh water source.  I did however spot some tui, a fantail and  sea gulls. The island is also predator free.

What a view!

At the summit of Rangitoto I spent some time admiring the expansive view of Auckland and surrounds, enjoying the perfect day and reluctant to leave.  Eventually I set off again taking the detour 200 metres down the mountain to explore the lava caves. These are tubes formed when molten lava cooled forming a crust while hot liquid lava continued to flow underneath.  Visitors can walk through the caves however do bring a torch or cell phone to light your way...they are very dark. The landscape around the caves is primeval and magical.

Left: A view through one cave and into another


Right: Moss and gnarled roots surround the caves







Back at the base of the mountain I took a walk along the coastal  path to look at the historic baches.  A bach is the New Zealand term for a simple holiday home and comes from a time when single men, or bachelors, were housed in small, plain accommodation huts at forestry and mining sites. In the 1920s and 30s around 140 baches were built along the shore line of Rangitoto on leased land. There were a number of permanent residents on the island although many of the baches were used as holiday homes and fishing retreats.  

Bach #38 open to the public on some summer Saturdays - note the volcanic coastline

When the leases ran out in the 1970s and 80s it was decided by the government not to renew them and to demolish most of the baches to preserve the integrity of the island,  now only 35 remain, protected with  heritage status.  Back in the 1930s it was a lively little community where dances and parties were held on long summer nights, now it is sleepy and sparsely populated, a quiet echo of times gone by.  In this age of ever increasingly stylish and grand holiday homes they are a nostalgic reminder of the holiday homes I stayed in as a child.  Bach number 38 was built in 1937 to house the island's first caretaker and is open to the public on some Saturdays through summer. It is well worth a look as an example of a simpler life.

Inside Bach #38 and the old cooker still works well

 Then it was back on the ferry to return to Auckland. I was thrilled with my day on Rangitoto and won't leave it so long before I go back again.  I suppose it is the old story of taking things for granted when you see them every day so I would encourage everyone, Aucklanders, New Zealanders and tourists alike to get over to Rangitoto for a close look at a truly fascinating island.

Note:  For those less able there is a 4 wheel drive road train, with a full commentary, to take you to the summit.

There are no shops on the island so you must take all refreshments with you and take all rubbish home