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71-402: Great Barrier Island ( Māori : Aotea ) lies in the outer Hauraki Gulf , New Zealand , 100 kilometres (62 mi) north-east of central Auckland . With an area of 285 square kilometres (110 sq mi) it is the sixth-largest island of New Zealand and fourth-largest in the main chain. Its highest point, Mount Hobson , is 627 metres (2,057 ft) above sea level. The local authority

142-581: A century after the whaling industry peaked in New Zealand, and closed due to depletion of whaling stocks and increasing protection of whales by 1962. Another small-scale industry was kauri gum digging, while dairy farming and sheep farming have tended to play a small role compared to the usual New Zealand practice. A fishing industry collapsed when international fish prices dropped. Islanders are generally occupied in tourism, farming or service-related industries when not working off-island. The remote north

213-415: A composition very close to the water-saturated granite eutectic and with extreme enrichment in most incompatible elements . However, they are highly depleted in strontium , barium , and europium . They are interpreted as products of repeated melting and freezing of granite in the subsurface. HSRs typically erupt in large caldera eruptions. Rhyolite is common along convergent plate boundaries , where

284-550: A government proposal to remove 705 ha of land on the Te Ahumatā Plateau (called "White Cliffs" by the locals) from Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act , which gives protection from the mining of public land, was widely criticised. Concerns were that mining for the suspected $ 4.3 billion in mineral worth in the area would damage both the conservation land as well as the island's tourism economy. Locals were split on

355-585: A maximum length (north-south) of some 43 kilometres (27 mi), it and the Coromandel Peninsula (directly to its south) protect the Gulf from the storms of the Pacific Ocean to the east. Consequently, the island boasts highly contrasting coastal environments. The eastern coast comprises long, sandy beaches, windswept sand-dunes, and at times heavy surf. The western coast, sheltered and calm,

426-561: A natural glass or vitrophyre, also called obsidian . Slower cooling forms microscopic crystals in the lava and results in textures such as flow foliations , spherulitic , nodular , and lithophysal structures. Some rhyolite is highly vesicular pumice . Peralkaline rhyolites (rhyolites unusually rich in alkali metals) include comendite and pantellerite . Peralkalinity has significant effects on lava flow morphology and mineralogy , such that peralkaline rhyolites can be 10–30 times more fluid than typical calc-alkaline rhyolites. As

497-571: A new communications cable was laid to the mainland, which made the pigeon post redundant. Another major wreck lies in the far southeast, the SS Wiltshire . Over time, more and more of the island came under the stewardship of the Department of Conservation (DOC) or its predecessors. Partly this was land that had belonged to the Crown since the 1800s, while other parts were sold or donated like

568-464: A number of (above-water) wildlife sanctuaries. Rhyolite Its high silica content makes rhyolitic magma extremely viscous . This favors explosive eruptions over effusive eruptions , so this type of magma is more often erupted as pyroclastic rock than as lava flows . Rhyolitic ash-flow tuffs are among the most voluminous of continental igneous rock formations. Rhyolitic tuff has been used extensively for construction. Obsidian , which

639-527: A passenger, car and freight ferry. This ferry operates from Wynyard Wharf in Auckland City to Tryphena (several times weekly). Sailing time is approximately four and a half hours. Other ways to access the island include by seaplane or water taxi . Institutions and services are primarily provided by the Auckland Council , the local authority. Services and infrastructure like roads and

710-797: A population density of 3.8 people per km. Barrier Islands had a population of 930 at the 2018 New Zealand census , a decrease of 3 people (−0.3%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 63 people (7.3%) since the 2006 census . There were 531 households, comprising 501 males and 429 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.17 males per female. The median age was 52.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 138 people (14.8%) aged under 15 years, 90 (9.7%) aged 15 to 29, 477 (51.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 225 (24.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 91.3% European/Pākehā, 20.6% Māori, 2.6% Pacific peoples, 1.3% Asian, and 1.9% other ethnicities. Percentages may add up to more than 100% as people may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas

781-559: A relatively common sight. There are approximately 25 species of marine mammals in the gulf. Nearly a third of the world's marine mammal species live in or visit the Marine Park. Among larger cetaceans , Bryde's whales are residents and relatively common in the Gulf, and their presence in these busily travelled waters leads to a large number of ship strikes, with sometimes several of the whales dying each year from collisions with shipping vessels or sport boats. The population remaining

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852-595: A result of their increased fluidity, they are able to form small-scale flow folds, lava tubes and thin dikes. Peralkaline rhyolites erupt at relatively high temperatures of more than 1,200 °C (2,190 °F). They comprise bimodal shield volcanoes at hotspots and rifts (e.g. Rainbow Range , Ilgachuz Range and Level Mountain in British Columbia , Canada). Eruptions of rhyolite lava are relatively rare compared to eruptions of less felsic lavas. Only four eruptions of rhyolite have been recorded since

923-633: A result, many eruptions of rhyolite are highly explosive, and rhyolite occurs more frequently as pyroclastic rock than as lava flows . Rhyolitic ash flow tuffs are the only volcanic product with volumes rivaling those of flood basalts . Rhyolites also occur as breccias or in lava domes , volcanic plugs , and dikes . Rhyolitic lavas erupt at a relatively low temperature of 800 to 1,000 °C (1,470 to 1,830 °F), significantly cooler than basaltic lavas, which typically erupt at temperatures of 1,100 to 1,200 °C (2,010 to 2,190 °F). Rhyolites that cool too quickly to grow crystals form

994-672: A slab of oceanic lithosphere is being subducted into the Earth's mantle beneath overriding oceanic or continental lithosphere . It can sometimes be the predominant igneous rock type in these settings. Rhyolite is more common when the overriding lithosphere is continental rather than oceanic. The thicker continental crust gives the rising magma more opportunity to differentiate and assimilate crustal rock. Rhyolite has been found on islands far from land, but such oceanic occurrences are rare. The tholeiitic magmas erupted at volcanic ocean islands, such as Iceland , can sometimes differentiate all

1065-405: Is estimated to be between 100-200. In recent years, increases in numbers of migrating baleen whales are confirmed long after the end of hunting era. These are humpback whales , southern blue whales , pygmy blue whales , and southern minke whales . Less frequently, fin whales and sei whales are seen as well. For southern right whales , these whales will possibly become seasonal residents in

1136-475: Is free of some of the more troublesome introduced pests that plague the native ecosystems of other parts of New Zealand. While it does have wild cats, feral pigs, black rats ( R. rattus ), Polynesian rats ( R. exulans ), mice and rabbits, there are no possums , mustelids (weasels, stoats or ferrets), hedgehogs, brown rats ( R. norvegicus ), deer or (since 2006) feral goats, thus being a relative haven for native bird and plant populations. Rare animals found on

1207-422: Is home to hundreds of tiny, secluded bays which offer some of the best diving and boating in the country. The inland holds several large and biologically diverse wetlands , along with rugged hill country (bush or heath in the more exposed heights), as well as old-growth and regenerating kauri forests. Surrounding islands and islets: Much of Great Barrier Island is formed from remnants of volcanoes associated with

1278-407: Is rhyolitic volcanic glass , has been used for tools from prehistoric times to the present day because it can be shaped to an extremely sharp edge. Rhyolitic pumice finds use as an abrasive , in concrete , and as a soil amendment . Rhyolite is an extrusive igneous rock, formed from magma rich in silica that is extruded from a volcanic vent to cool quickly on the surface rather than slowly in

1349-547: Is the Auckland Council . The island was initially exploited for its minerals and kauri trees and saw only limited agriculture. In 2013, it was inhabited by 939 people, mostly living from farming and tourism and all living off-the-grid. The majority of the island (around 60% of the total area) is administered as a nature reserve by the Department of Conservation . The island atmosphere is sometimes described as being "life in New Zealand many decades back". The Māori name of

1420-744: Is the caldera of a complex rhyolite dome volcano , which was active between 12 and 8 million years ago. Great Barrier Island has been linked to the North Island for most of the last 18 million years, by a land bridge to the south along the Colville Channel . Approximately 17,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum , the Hauraki Gulf was a low lying coastal plain as sea levels were over 100 metres lower than present day levels. During this period, Great Barrier Island

1491-813: Is the sixth-largest island in New Zealand after the South Island , the North Island , Stewart Island / Rakiura , Chatham Island , and Auckland Island . The highest point, Mount Hobson or Hirakimatā , is 627 metres (2,057 ft) above sea level. Great Barrier is surrounded by several smaller islands, including Kaikoura Island , Rakitu Island , Aiguilles Island and Dragon Island . A number of islands are located in Great Barrier bays, including Motukahu Island, Nelson Island, Kaikoura Island, Broken Islands, Motutaiko Island, Rangiahua Island, Little Mahuki Island, Mahuki Island and Junction Islands. With

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1562-511: The Coromandel Peninsula rise on either side of the Firth. Traditional Tāmaki Māori histories describe the naming of the gulf. The migratory canoes Tainui and Arawa left Raiatea at similar times, and both explored the Bay of Plenty area. The crew of both canoes met at Horuhoru Rock (Gannet Rock) , where a ceremony was held in memory for the relatives they had lost on the journey. During

1633-547: The Coromandel Volcanic Zone . The North Great Barrier Volcano, which was centred to the north of the modern island from Whangapoua Bay northwards, formed through events between 18 and 17 million years ago; some of the earliest vulcanism which occurred in the zone. The Great Barrier Volcano formed to the west of the modern island between 15 and 12 million years ago. Much of the modern island is this volcano's eroded eastern flanks. The third volcano, Mount Hobson ,

1704-506: The New Zealand Correspondence School . Many children leave the island when they reach secondary school age to attend boarding school on the mainland. Previously, the lack of secondary schooling was cited as one of the reasons for a slow exodus of long-term resident families. As part of Auckland the rules governing daily activities and applicable standards for civic works and services exists, shared with some of

1775-520: The 17th century after conquering Aotea from people of Ngāti Manaia and Kawerau descent. In the mid-19th century during the early Colonial era of New Zealand , extensive private and crown land purchases meant only two areas of the Hauraki Gulf remained in Māori ownership: Te Huruhi ( Surfdale ) on Waiheke Island (2100 acres) on Waiheke and a 3,510 acre parcel of land at Katherine Bay on Great Barrier Island. Early European interest followed discovery of copper in

1846-468: The 20th and early 21st century from human use. Although major study by the Hauraki Gulf Forum in 2011 found that all environmental indicators were still worsening or stable at problematic levels, voluntary coast clean-up groups have collected about 450,000 litres of litter collected from the shoreline, although further conservation efforts are required to maintain the environmental integrity of

1917-508: The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Hauraki is Māori for north wind . In 2014, the gulf was officially named Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "the mournful sea" for Tīkapa Moana . In traditional legend, the Hauraki Gulf is protected by a taniwha named Ureia, who takes the form of a whale. The gulf is part of the Pacific Ocean , which it joins to

1988-776: The Pacific Ocean north of Great Barrier Island. The second was a stream formed by the major Hauraki Plains rivers: the Waihou River , Piako River and Waitakaruru River . Prior to the Oruanui eruption 27,000 years ago, the Waikato River also flowed into the Hauraki Gulf at the Firth of Thames . The Hauraki Plains rivers were met by two tributaries, the Wairoa River to the west from modern-day Clevedon and

2059-620: The R field of the TAS diagram . The alkali feldspar in rhyolites is sanidine or, less commonly, orthoclase . It is rarely anorthoclase . These feldspar minerals sometimes are present as phenocrysts. The plagioclase is usually sodium -rich ( oligoclase or andesine ). Cristobalite and trydimite are sometimes present along with the quartz. Biotite , augite , fayalite , and hornblende are common accessory minerals. Due to their high content of silica and low iron and magnesium contents, rhyolitic magmas form highly viscous lavas . As

2130-594: The Umangawha Stream to the east, at Colville , Coromandel Peninsula . This river flowed north, along the plains, turning east and exiting towards the Pacific Ocean along the modern-day Colville Channel between the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island. In the west of the gulf lie a string of islands guarding the mouth of the Waitematā Harbour , one of Auckland's two harbours. These include Ponui Island , Waiheke Island , Tiritiri Matangi and

2201-518: The beaches and restore their vitality. Sections 7 and 8 of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000 state: 7 Recognition of national significance of Hauraki Gulf 8 Management of Hauraki Gulf The park is distinctly different from other conservation areas of New Zealand not only by being a marine environment, but because it is home to more than one million people along its shores and on its islands. It also contains

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2272-405: The ceremony, a mauri stone brought with them on their voyage named Tīkapa was placed on the island. The name Tīkapa Moana was adopted for the surrounding ocean, and became the name of the gulf. Some particular common or known animals include bottlenose and common dolphins , the latter sometimes seen in "super schools" of 300-500 animals or more, while various species of whales and orcas are

2343-502: The current growth is younger native forest (around 150,000 kauri seedlings were planted by the New Zealand Forest Service in the 1970s and 1980s) as well as some remaining kauri in the far north of the island. Much of the island is covered with regenerating bush dominated by kanuka and kauri. Great Barrier Island was the site of New Zealand's last whaling station, at Whangaparapara , which opened in 1956, over

2414-561: The dredging having destroyed the seafloor, and sediment drainage from the agriculture in the Firth of Thames affecting the mussel's viability. Numerous beaches dot the shores of the gulf, many of them well known for swimming and surfing. Although environmental problems exist around urban areas, with 14 out of 52 beaches in the Auckland Region at least occasionally showing unsafe pollution levels (mostly because of untreated sewage ) for bathing, environmental groups are working to clean

2485-508: The extrusive equivalent of granite. However, while the IUGS recommends classifying volcanic rocks on the basis of their mineral composition whenever possible, volcanic rocks are often glassy or so fine-grained that mineral identification is impractical. The rock must then be classified chemically based on its content of silica and alkali metal oxides ( K 2 O plus Na 2 O ). Rhyolite is high in silica and total alkali metal oxides, placing it in

2556-409: The food chain, led to further degradation, such as a widespread disappearance of kelp beds as they were overtaken by kina barrens. Trawler fishing in general is seen as severely damaging the gulf, and lobster stock are also reported as not rebuilding. It is estimated that today's fish stocks are around 25% of pre-European levels. Also particularly damaging are the results of nitrogen carried into

2627-439: The gulf as the populations recover (one of two of the first confirmed birth records on New Zealand's main islands since after commercial and illegal whalings were recorded at around Milford and Browns Bay in 2012 ). Sperm whales visit occasionally. Many of the islands are official or unofficial bird sanctuaries, holding important or critically endangered species like kiwi, takahe, brown teal and grey-faced petrel. Centred on

2698-414: The gulf from surrounding agricultural land, with almost 90% coming from the dairy-farming runoff into the Firth of Thames . Other exploitation such as the dredging of the mussel beds of the Firth of Thames, reaching its height in 1961 with an estimated 15 million mussels taken (shortly before collapse of the industry) have led to damage which has not been recovered from forty years later, possibly due to

2769-406: The gulf. Particularly damaging were the introduction of industrialised fishing , with for example snapper fishing peaking in the 1970s at more than 10,000 tonnes a year (though even in the 2000s, private fishing of this species is also a considerable factor, weighing in at 400–800 tonnes a year). This severe overfishing, which unbalanced the marine environment by the removal of a main predator in

2840-563: The iconic dome of Rangitoto Island (a dormant volcano ), which is connected to the much older Motutapu Island by a causeway. The islands are separated from the mainland by the Tamaki Strait and Rangitoto Channel . Other islands in the gulf include Browns Island , Motuihe Island , Pakihi Island , Pakatoa Island , Rakino Island , and Rotoroa Island in the inner gulf, around Waiheke and Rangitoto; Tarahiki Island just east of Waiheke; Motukawao Islands and Whanganui Island in

2911-645: The island include brown teal ducks, black petrel seabirds and kākā parrots. Great Barrier Island has two marae affiliated with the local iwi of Ngāti Rehua and Ngātiwai : the Kawa Marae and its Rehua meeting house, and Motairehe Marae and its Whakaruruhau meeting house. In October 2020, the Government committed $ 313,007 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Kawa Marae, creating 6 jobs. In 2017, Aotea / Great Barrier Island

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2982-588: The island is Aotea . It received its English name from Captain Cook because it acts as a barrier between the Pacific Ocean and the Hauraki Gulf. Entrance to the Hauraki Gulf is via two channels, one on each side of the island. Colville Channel separates the southernmost point, Cape Barrier, from Cape Colville at the northern tip of the Coromandel Peninsula to the south, Cradock Channel from

3053-571: The island was seen around the world as the setting for the BBC One reality show Castaway , which was filmed there for three months. There are two airfields on the island, Great Barrier Aerodrome at Claris and Okiwi Airfield . Barrier Air operates services from Auckland Airport , North Shore Aerodrome , and Tauranga to Claris. Flight time is approximately 30 minutes from Auckland Airport. Sunair operates between Claris and Hamilton , Tauranga , Whangārei and Whitianga . SeaLink operates

3124-603: The last glaciation period the gulf was dry land, with the sea level being around 100–110 m (300 ft) lower than at present. The gulf was submerged when the sea reached its current level around 7200 years ago. During this period, the area was home to two river systems. The first of these was a river formed by two tributaries, the Mahurangi River and Waitematā Harbour (then a river) acting as tributaries. This river flowed north-east between modern day Little Barrier Island and Great Barrier Island , and emptied into

3195-399: The lee of the Coromandel Peninsula; and Channel Island in the outer gulf. In March 2020, a small excavation was carried out in a large coastal midden on Otata Island. In January 2018, huge swells in the Hauraki Gulf caused widespread damage to its coastal areas and in only a few hours, the coastline or Otata had been reduced by up to 5 meters, exposing the midden. The aim of the excavation

3266-459: The logs to the sea or to sawmills. Kauri logs were dragged to a convenient stream bed with steep sides and a driving dam was constructed of wood, with a lifting gate near the bottom large enough for the logs to pass through. When the dam had filled, which might take up to a year, the gate was opened and the logs above the dam were pushed out through the hole and swept down to the sea. The logging industry cut down large amounts of old growth, and most of

3337-417: The main conservation island of Tiritiri Matangi and Little Barrier Island , numerous bird species that were locally extinct have been reintroduced in the last decades, while there have also been some naturally occurring bird "re-colonisations", especially after introduced pests were removed from breeding and nesting grounds. The gulf is a vibrant natural environment, which has seen significant damage during

3408-622: The more than 10% of the island (located in the northern bush area, with some of the largest remaining kauri forests) that was gifted to the Crown by farmer Max Burrill in 1984. DOC has created a large number of walking tracks through the island, some of which are also open for mountain biking. The Aotea Conservation Park has the only multi-day wilderness walk in the Auckland region, boasting two DOC huts and numerous campsites. The Park spreads over more than 12,000 hectares and offers multiple walking tracks for novice and experienced walkers. The island

3479-466: The north and east. It is largely protected from the Pacific by Great Barrier Island and Little Barrier Island to the north, and by the 80-kilometre-long Coromandel Peninsula to the east. It is thus well protected against all but northern winds. Three large channels join the gulf to the Pacific. Colville Channel lies between the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier, Cradock Channel lies between

3550-668: The other inhabited islands of the Hauraki Gulf. Driving rules are the same as for the rest of NZ and registration and a Warrant of Fitness are required for all vehicles. For example, every transport service operated solely on the island, the Chatham Islands , or Stewart Island/Rakiura is exempt from section 70C of the Transport Act 1962, the requirements for drivers to maintain driving-hours logbooks. Drivers subject to section 70B must nevertheless keep records of their driving hours in some form. Rules governing dog control are

3621-429: The project, some hoping for new jobs. If restarted, mining at White Cliffs would occur in the same area it originally proliferated on Great Barrier. The area's regenerating bushland still holds numerous semi-collapsed or open mining shafts where silver and gold had been mined. The kauri logging industry was profitable in early European days and up to the mid-20th century. Forests were well inland, with no easy way to get

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3692-581: The remote north, where New Zealand's earliest mines were established at Miners Head in 1842. Traces of these mines remain, largely accessible only by boat. Later, gold and silver were found in the Okupu / Whangaparapara area in the 1890s, and the remains of a stamping battery on the Whangaparapara Road are a remainder of this time. The sound of the battery working was reputedly audible from the Coromandel Peninsula , 20 km away. In early 2010,

3763-434: The rhyolite appears to be a product of melting of crustal sedimentary rock. Water vapor plays an important role in lowering the melting point of silicic rock, and some rhyolitic magmas may have a water content as high as 7–8 weight percent. High-silica rhyolite (HSR), with a silica content of 75 to 77·8% SiO 2 , forms a distinctive subgroup within the rhyolites. HSRs are the most evolved of all igneous rocks, with

3834-529: The same as for Auckland. Dogs must be kept on a lead in all public places. Hauraki Gulf The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana is a coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand . It has an area of 4000 km , and lies between, in anticlockwise order, the Auckland Region , the Hauraki Plains , the Coromandel Peninsula , and Great Barrier Island . Most of the gulf is part of

3905-479: The smaller Little Barrier Island to the west. The island protects the Hauraki Gulf from the ocean surface waves and the currents of the South Pacific Gyre . It is not a sandbar barrier , often defined as the correct use of the term. The island's English name stems from its location on the outskirts of the Hauraki Gulf. With an area of 285 square kilometres (110 sq mi), Great Barrier Island

3976-492: The south-west, Port Fitzroy and Ōkiwi in the north, and Claris and Medlands in the south-east. The population swells substantially from October to May. The island has become a favourite holiday destination in the darker months, due its superbly dark sky and the astrophotography and stargazing opportunities this offers. In 2017 the island was given Dark Sky Sanctuary status by the IDA. Its relative remoteness offers solitude, and

4047-576: The start of the 20th century: at the St. Andrew Strait volcano in Papua New Guinea and Novarupta volcano in Alaska as well as at Chaitén and Cordón Caulle volcanoes in southern Chile . The eruption of Novarupta in 1912 was the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, and began with explosive volcanism that later transitioned to effusive volcanism and the formation of a rhyolite dome in

4118-459: The subsurface. It is generally light in color due to its low content of mafic minerals, and it is typically very fine-grained ( aphanitic ) or glassy . An extrusive igneous rock is classified as rhyolite when quartz constitutes 20% to 60% by volume of its total content of quartz, alkali feldspar , and plagioclase ( QAPF ) and alkali feldspar makes up 35% to 90% of its total feldspar content. Feldspathoids are not present. This makes rhyolite

4189-399: The sustainable off-grid lifestyle of its inhabitants is something many visitors like to experience. Without reticulated electricity, most houses use solar panels and a battery bank to generate and store power. Wind and water turbines and solar water heaters are also used. Diesel generators, which used to be the main power source, are now mostly used as back-up. From the end of February 2007,

4260-654: The two islands, and Jellicoe Channel lies between Little Barrier and the North Auckland Peninsula . To the north of Auckland several peninsulas jut into the gulf, notably the Whangaparāoa Peninsula . Tiritiri Matangi Island is near the end of this peninsula. Further north, Kawau Island nestles under the Tawharanui Peninsula . Numerous beaches dot the shores of the gulf, many of them well known for swimming and surfing. During

4331-450: The vent. Rhyolite magmas can be produced by igneous differentiation of a more mafic (silica-poor) magma, through fractional crystallization or by assimilation of melted crustal rock ( anatexis ). Associations of andesites , dacites , and rhyolites in similar tectonic settings and with similar chemistry suggests that the rhyolite members were formed by differentiation of mantle-derived basaltic magmas at shallow depths. In other cases,

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4402-655: The way to rhyolite, and about 8% of the volcanic rock in Iceland is rhyolite. However, this is unusual, and the Hawaiian Islands (for example) have no known occurrences of rhyolite. The alkaline magmas of volcanic ocean islands will very occasionally differentiate all the way to peralkaline rhyolites, but differentiation usually ends with trachyte . Small volumes of rhyolite are sometimes erupted in association with flood basalts , late in their history and where central volcanic complexes develop. The name rhyolite

4473-504: The wharves at Tryphena and Whangaparapara are subsidised, with the island receiving about $ 4 in services for every $ 1 in rates. The Port FitzRoy wharf is owned by the North Barrier Residents and Ratepayers Association. There are three primary schools: Mulberry Grove School at Tryphena, Kaitoke School at Claris, and Okiwi School. There is no secondary school, but there is a learning hub to assist students who learn through

4544-523: Was $ 21,300, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 48 people (6.1%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 279 (35.2%) people were employed full-time, 168 (21.2%) were part-time, and 57 (7.2%) were unemployed. The population lives mostly in coastal settlements. Tryphena , in Tryphena Harbour at the southern end, is the largest settlement. Other communities are Okupu and Whangaparapara in

4615-424: Was 18.4, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 62.6% had no religion, 24.5% were Christian, 1.3% had Māori religious beliefs , 1.0% were Buddhist and 1.6% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 144 (18.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 144 (18.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income

4686-695: Was accredited as a Dark Sky Sanctuary by the International Dark-Sky Association . This designation is given for sites in very remote locations to increase awareness of their dark sky characteristics and promote long term conservation. At the time, it was the third International Dark Sky Sanctuary to be designated, and the first island sanctuary. Barrier Islands statistical area, which includes Little Barrier Island and Mokohinau Islands although they have no permanent inhabitants, covers 320.41 km (123.71 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,230 as of June 2024, with

4757-399: Was bordered by the two major river systems that flowed on the plain. Over the past two million years, Great Barrier has periodically been an island and a peninsula. Great Barrier Island (Aotea) is the ancestral land of Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea who are the tangata whenua (people of the land) and mana whenua (territorial land rights holders) of Aotea. Ngāti Rehua have occupied Aotea since

4828-657: Was introduced into geology in 1860 by the German traveler and geologist Ferdinand von Richthofen from the Greek word rhýax ("a stream of lava") and the rock name suffix "-lite". In North American pre-historic times , rhyolite was quarried extensively in what is now eastern Pennsylvania . Among the leading quarries was the Carbaugh Run Rhyolite Quarry Site in Adams County . Rhyolite

4899-567: Was mined there starting 11,500 years ago. Tons of rhyolite were traded across the Delmarva Peninsula , because the rhyolite kept a sharp point when knapped and was used to make spear points and arrowheads. Obsidian is usually of rhyolitic composition, and it has been used for tools since prehistoric times. Obsidian scalpels have been investigated for use in delicate surgery. Pumice, also typically of rhyolitic composition, finds important uses as an abrasive , in concrete , and as

4970-471: Was the site of the sinking of the SS Wairarapa around midnight of 29 October 1894. This was one of New Zealand's worst shipwrecks, with about 140 lives lost, some of them buried in two beach grave sites in the far north. As a result, a Great Barrier Island pigeon post service was set up, the first message being flown on 14 May 1897. Special postage stamps were issued from October 1898 until 1908, when

5041-506: Was to record this information before it is lost to erosion and was carried out in partnership with Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki , the landowners. An understanding the changing marine environment around the island will also form part of the work. At the southern end of the gulf is the wide, relatively shallow Firth of Thames . Beyond this lie the Hauraki Plains , drained by the Waihou River and the Piako River . The Hunua Ranges and hills of

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