56-672: The Mangawhai River is a river of the Northland Region of New Zealand . It flows into the Mangawhai Estuary, Mangawhai Harbour and then into the Pacific Ocean . This article about a river in the Northland Region is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Northland Region The Northland Region ( Māori : Te Tai Tokerau ) is the northernmost of New Zealand's 16 local government regions . New Zealanders sometimes refer to it as
112-615: A least depth of 48 metres (157 ft). The islands are a volcanic island arc , formed at the convergent boundary where the Pacific Plate subducts under the Indo-Australian Plate . The subducting Pacific Plate created the Kermadec Trench , an 8 km deep submarine trench , to the east of the islands. The islands lie along the undersea Kermadec Ridge, which runs southwest from the islands towards
168-449: A depth of more than 1100 m and producing a large raft of pumice floating northwest of the volcano. The eruption was not directly observed, but it was located using earthquake and remote sensing data after the pumice raft was spotted by aircraft and encountered by HMNZS Canterbury . The islands are seismically active. An 8.1 magnitude earthquake occurred in the early hours of 5 March 2021, leading to several strong aftershocks and
224-611: A feature of the Northland landscape. For this reason wood and paper manufacturing industries also make a large contribution to the region's economy. The railway system, which once ran as far north as Donnellys Crossing , has been historically important for the transport of timber via Dargaville to Auckland. Northland is a favourite tourist destination, especially to the Bay of Islands and the historic town of Kerikeri. Diving and fishing are also popular visitor activities, especially around
280-485: A loose association known as the Muriwhenua . Approximately one third of the region's population are Māori; the majority of the remainder is of European lineage. Compared to the rest of the country, Pacific Islanders are under-represented in Northland. Although most of the region's European population are British (as is true with the rest of the country), certain other ethnicities are represented as well. These include
336-558: A property. The Māori name is Rangitāhua which is also used for Raoul island. As indicated by their name for the islands, Rangitāhua ( lit. ' the stopping-off place ' ), Polynesian people "stopped off" on the Kermadec islands in around the 14th century (and perhaps previously in the 10th century). Their arrival is also evident in the presence of introduced taro and candlenut growing wild in certain areas of Raoul Island supported by its relatively warm climate. However,
392-592: A red velvet whalefish and an angler fish ( Ceratias tentaculatus ) were found around the waters of the Kermadec Islands by a research partnership between Ngāti Kurī , University of Auckland , Massey University , NIWA , Manaaki Whenua , and the University of Waikato . In 2016, Koha, a hawksbill turtle , which was originally found injured near Dargaville in September 2014, was released around
448-558: A similar distance southwest of Tonga . The islands are part of New Zealand. They are 33.6 km (13.0 sq mi) in total area and uninhabited, except for the permanently staffed Raoul Island Station, the northernmost outpost of New Zealand. The islands are listed with the New Zealand outlying islands . The islands are an immediate part of New Zealand, but not part of any region or district , but instead an Area Outside Territorial Authority . The islands were named after
504-539: A sizeable Croatian community from the Dargaville area north, particularly around Kaitaia . Northland is New Zealand's least urbanised region, with 50% of the population of 204,800 living in urban areas. Whangārei is the largest urban area of Northland, with a population of 56,800 (June 2024). The region's population is largely concentrated along the east coast, due to the west coast being more ragged and less suitable for urbanisation. According to Māori legend,
560-542: A tsunami advisory on the North Coast of North Island and other Pacific islands, including Norfolk Island, Australia . Other magnitude 8 earthquakes have struck near the islands in 1917 and 1976. The islands are recognised by the World Wildlife Fund as a distinct ecoregion , the Kermadec Islands subtropical moist forests. It is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests ecoregion, part of
616-402: Is approximately 1,500 mm (60 in) annually, with lower rainfall from October to January. The group includes four main islands as well as some isolated rocks. These are: Seamounts north and south of the Kermadec Islands are an extension of the ridge running from Tonga to New Zealand (see Geology ). Star of Bengal Bank, 103 km (64 mi) south-southwest of L'Esperance Rock, has
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#1732793047732672-619: Is midway between Raoul Island and Tonga. 100 km south of L'Esperance Rock is the little-explored Star of Bengal Bank , probably with submarine volcanoes. Further south are the South Kermadec Ridge Seamounts , the southernmost of which, Rumble IV Seamount , is just 150 km North of the North Island of New Zealand. The ridge eventually connects to White Island in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty , at
728-412: Is one of New Zealand's largest at a total area of 7,480 km (2,890 sq mi). Goats were removed from Macauley in 1970 and from Raoul in 1984, and the forests have begun to recover. The islands are still known for their bird life, and seabird colonies presently inhabit offshore islets, which are safe from introduced rats and cats. Efforts are currently underway to remove the rats and cats from
784-987: Is the Kermadec red-crowned parakeet . The group has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because of its significance as a breeding site for several species of seabirds, including white-necked and black-winged petrels , wedge-tailed and little shearwaters , sooty terns and blue noddies . The area also hosts rich habitats for cetaceans. In recent years, increased presences of humpback whales indicate Kermadec Islands functioning as migratory corridors, and varieties of baleen (not in great numbers) and toothed whales including minke whales , sperm whales , less known beaked whales , killer whales , and dolphins frequent in adjacent waters. In late September 2015, satellite tags were attached to 25 humpback whales around Raoul Island, which were tracked to feeding grounds in Antarctica and across to
840-649: Is the northernmost inhabited outpost of New Zealand. In 1955, the British Government required a large site remote from population centres to test the new thermonuclear devices it was developing. Various islands in the South Pacific and Southern Oceans were considered, along with Antarctica. In May 1955, the Minister for Defence, Selwyn Lloyd , on advice from the Admiralty report, concluded that
896-736: The 2013 census . There were 95,697 males, 97,776 females and 528 people of other genders in 71,778 dwellings. 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age was 43.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 38,067 people (19.6%) aged under 15 years, 29,856 (15.4%) aged 15 to 29, 83,790 (43.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 42,288 (21.8%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 73.0% European ( Pākehā ); 37.4% Māori ; 4.9% Pasifika ; 4.8% Asian ; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
952-635: The Breton captain Jean-Michel Huon de Kermadec , who visited the islands as part of the d'Entrecasteaux expedition in the 1790s. The topographic particle "Kermadec" is of Breton origin and is a lieu-dit in Pencran in Finistère where ker means village, residence and madec a proper name derived from mad (which means 'good') with the suffix -ec , used to form adjectives indicating
1008-616: The Far North District . Whangarei City, Whangarei County, and Hikurangi Town Councils became the Whangarei District , with Dargaville Borough and Otamatea County becoming the Kaipara District . The Northland Regional Council became a tier of local government above these territorial authorities. A proposal to merge the three district councils and the regional council into a unitary authority to be known as
1064-700: The Köppen climate classification ), but a subtropical climate in the Trewartha climate classification , with warm humid summers and mild wet winters. Due to its latitude and low elevation, Northland has the country's highest average annual temperature. However, as with other parts of New Zealand, climate conditions are variable. In summer, temperatures range from 22 °C to 26 °C, occasionally rising above 30 °C. In winter, maximum temperatures vary between 13 °C and 19 °C, while minima vary between 6 °C and 11 °C. Ground frosts are rare due to
1120-560: The North Island is actually the Surville Cliffs , close to North Cape although the northernmost point of the country is further north, in the Kermadec chain of islands. Cape Reinga and Spirits Bay, however, have a symbolic part to play as the end of the country. In Māori mythology , it is from here that the souls of the dead depart on their journey to the afterlife. The region of Northland has an oceanic climate ( Cfb in
1176-415: The North Island of New Zealand and northeast towards Tonga ( Kermadec-Tonga Arc ). The four main islands are the peaks of volcanoes that rise high enough from the seabed to project above sea level. There are several other volcanoes in the chain that do not reach sea level, but form seamounts with between 65 and 1500 m of water above their peaks. Monowai Seamount , with a depth of 120 m over its peak,
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#17327930477321232-456: The Oceanian realm . The forests are dominated by the red-flowering Kermadec pōhutukawa , related to the pōhutukawa of New Zealand. The islands are home to 113 native species of vascular plants , of which 23 are endemic , along with mosses (52 native species), lichens and fungi (89 native species). Most of the plant species are derived from New Zealand, with others having travelled over
1288-695: The Antarctic Peninsula. Vast numbers of southern right whales were historically seen in southwestern areas although only a handful of recent confirmations exist around Raoul Island . The deep sea hydrothermal vents along the Kermadec ridge support diverse extremophile communities including the New Zealand blind vent crab . Three new records of tropical reef fishes were recorded from the Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve in 2015 after researchers examined hundreds of hours of unused documentary film footage, and in 2016,
1344-687: The Bay of Islands and the Poor Knights Islands . Northland was formerly home to New Zealand's only oil refinery, located in Marsden Point , a town, close to Whangārei across the harbour. New Zealand's natural fuel resources in Taranaki account for a little under half of the refinery's intake, with the rest coming predominantly from the Middle East. The nearby Marsden A thermal power station originally utilised heavy oil from
1400-684: The Bay of Islands, Russell , formerly known as Kororareka, was the first permanent European settlement and Kerikeri contains many historic buildings, including the Stone Store , New Zealand's oldest extant building. The nearby settlement of Waitangi was of even more significance, as the signing place of New Zealand's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi between the Māori tribes and the British Crown, on 6 February 1840. Between 1870 and 1920,
1456-668: The British government, Holland remained firm. The islands lie within 29° to 31.5° south latitude and 178° to 179° west longitude, 800–1,000 km (500–620 mi) northeast of New Zealand's North Island , and a similar distance southwest of Tonga . The total area of the islands is 33.6 km (12.97 sq mi). The climate of the islands is subtropical , with a mean monthly temperature of 22.4 °C (72.3 °F) in February and 16.0 °C (60.8 °F) in August. Rainfall
1512-475: The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand states the annexation happened in 1886. The Raoul Island Station consists of a government meteorological and radio station, and a hostel for Department of Conservation officers and volunteers, that has been maintained since 1937. It lies on the northern terraces of Raoul Island, at an elevation of about 50 m (160 ft), above the cliffs of Fleetwood Bluff. It
1568-678: The Government halted work on the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill. In October–November 2016, a collaborative team of researchers from Auckland Museum , University of Auckland , Massey University , NIWA and Te Papa undertook research around Kermadec Islands aboard RV Tangaroa . The multi-disciplinary team investigated the biodiversity of organisms living on the ocean floor and at midwater. The marine mammal populations were examined to determine what animal and plant species are shared between mainland New Zealand and
1624-530: The Kermadec Islands would be suitable. As the island group was part of New Zealand, Anthony Eden , who had recently become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, wrote to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Sidney Holland , to ask for permission to use the islands. Holland refused, fearing an adverse public reaction in the upcoming 1957 general election . Despite reassurances and pressure from
1680-695: The New Zealand Prime Minister John Key announced the creation of the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary , a 620,000 km (239,383 sq mi) protected area in the Kermadec Islands region. However, subsequently, fishing companies and iwi bodies filed legal action opposing it, and a coalition deal with the New Zealand First Party has led to the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill not passing its second reading as of 2019. In late March 2024,
1736-455: The North Island of New Zealand was an enormous fish, caught by the demigod Māui . For this reason, Northland is sometimes referred to as "The tail of the fish", Te Hiku o Te Ika . Northland iwi claim that Kupe made landfall at the Hokianga (although others claim this was at Taipa) in the northwest of Northland, and thus the region claims that it was the birthplace of New Zealand. Some of
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1792-655: The Northland Council was rejected by the Local Government Commission in June 2015. Northland Region covers 12,507.14 km (4,829.03 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 204,800 as of June 2024, with a population density of 16 people per km . Northland Region had a population of 194,007 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 14,931 people (8.3%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 42,318 people (27.9%) since
1848-682: The Pacific. 152 human- introduced species of plants have become established on the islands. Dense subtropical forests cover most of Raoul, and formerly covered Macauley. Metrosideros kermadecensis is the dominant forest tree, forming a 10 – 15-metre (30 – 50-foot) high canopy. A native nīkau palm ( Rhopalostylis baueri ) is another important canopy tree. The forests have an understory of smaller trees, shrubs, ferns, and herbs, including Myrsine kermadecensis ; Lobelia anceps , Poa polyphylla , Coprosma acutifolia , and Coriaria arborea . Two endemic tree ferns , Alsophila milnei and
1904-612: The Winterless North because of its mild climate all throughout the year. The major population centre is the city of Whangārei , and the largest town is Kerikeri . At the 2018 New Zealand census , Northland recorded a population growth spurt of 18.1% since the previous 2013 census , placing it as the fastest growing region in New Zealand, ahead of other strong growth regions such as the Bay of Plenty Region (2nd with 15%) and Waikato (3rd with 13.5%). The Northland Region occupies
1960-424: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 20,514 (13.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 87,414 (56.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 41,562 (26.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 33,100, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 11,367 people (7.3%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
2016-431: The endangered snail pūpū harakeke ( Placostylus ambagiosus ), stick insects and the Northland green tree gecko ( Naultinus grayii ). The western coast is dominated by several long straight beaches, the most famous of which is the inaccurately-named 88 km stretch of Ninety Mile Beach in the region's far north. The slightly longer Ripiro Beach lies further south. Two large inlets are also located on this coast,
2072-575: The first Europeans to reach the area – arriving on board the Lady Penrhyn in May 1788 – found no inhabitants on these volcanic islands since. British, American and Australian whaling vessels cruised offshore in the 19th century and often visited the islands in search of water, wood and food. The first such vessel on record was the whaler Fanny that visited Raoul Island in 1823. On 1 August 1886, HMS Diamond annexed
2128-552: The islands for the United Kingdom. European settlers have lived on the island for varying lengths of time, from the early nineteenth century until 1937, growing food for the whalers. The Thomas Bell family settled on the island from 1878 to 1914. One of the Bell daughters, Bessie Dyke, recounted the family's experience to writer Elsie K. Morton who published their story in 1957 as Crusoes of Sunday Island . The islands were annexed to New Zealand in 1887 according to one source. However
2184-481: The islands, as well as some of the invasive exotic plants. Visits to the islands are restricted by the Department of Conservation. The department allows visits to Raoul by volunteers assisting in environmental restoration or monitoring projects, and other visitors engaged in nature study. Visits to the other islands are generally restricted to those engaged in scientific study of the islands. On 29 September 2015,
2240-402: The major industry in Northland was kauri gum digging, which by the 1910s was centred around the townships of Ahipara and Houhora . The subnational gross domestic product (GDP) of Northland was estimated at NZ$ 7.86 billion in the year to March 2019, 2.6% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per capita was estimated at $ 42,104 in 2019, the lowest of all New Zealand regions. In
2296-553: The massive Kaipara Harbour in the south, which Northland shares with the Auckland Region, and the convoluted inlets of the Hokianga Harbour. The east coast is more rugged, and is dotted with bays and peninsulas. Several large natural harbours are found on this coast, from Parengarenga close to the region's northern tip, then Whangaroa Harbour , and past the famous Bay of Islands down to Whangārei Harbour, on
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2352-596: The northern 80% (265 kilometres (165 miles)) of the 330 kilometres (210 miles) Northland Peninsula , the southernmost part of which is in the Auckland Region . It is bounded to the west by the Tasman Sea , and to the east by the Pacific Ocean. The land is predominantly rolling hill country. Farming and forestry occupy over half of the land and are two of the region's main industries. Although many of
2408-474: The northern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone . The islands experience many earthquakes from plate movement and volcanism. Raoul and Curtis are both active volcanoes . The volcanoes on the other islands are currently inactive, and the smaller islands are the eroded remnants of extinct volcanoes. From 18 to 21 July 2012, Havre Seamount (near Havre Rock) erupted , breaching the ocean surface from
2464-456: The oldest traces of Māori kāinga (fishing villages) can be found here. If the Māori regard the region as the legendary birthplace of the country, there can be no doubt that it was the European starting-point for the modern nation of New Zealand. Traders, whalers and sealers were among the first arrivals, and the gum and timber of the mighty kauri trees brought more colonisers. In
2520-416: The rare and endangered Alsophila kermadecensis , are also found in the forests. Areas near the seashore and exposed to salt spray are covered by a distinct community of shrubs and ferns, notably Myoporum obscurum , Coprosma petiolata , Asplenium obtusatum , Cyperus ustulatus , Disphyma australe , and Ficinia nodosa . The islands have no native land mammals. An endemic bird subspecies
2576-514: The refinery for electricity production, but no longer does so. 35°35′S 173°58′E / 35.58°S 173.97°E / -35.58; 173.97 Kermadec Islands The Kermadec Islands ( / ˈ k ɜːr m ə d ɛ k / KUR -mə-dek ; Māori : Rangitāhua ) are a subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean 800–1,000 km (500–620 mi) northeast of New Zealand 's North Island , and
2632-503: The region being encircled by the moderating Pacific and Tasman waters, but light frosts do occur infrequently around Dargaville in the lowlands. The hottest months are January and February. In January 2009, excessive sunlight hours and below-average rainfall resulted in the region being declared a drought zone. Typical annual rainfall for the region is 1500–2000 mm but varies at different altitudes. Northland has an average of 2000 sunshine hours annually. Winds are predominantly from
2688-539: The region's kauri forests were felled during the 19th century, some areas still exist where this rare giant grows tall. New Zealand's largest tree, Tāne Mahuta , stands in the Waipoua Forest south of the Hokianga Harbour. These kauri forests are also home to Te Raupua at 781 metres (2,562 ft), the highest point in the region. Northland has many endemic plant and invertebrate species such as
2744-566: The region: Until 1989 Northland was governed by several councils and an earlier Northland Regional Council known as the Northland United Council. (It had been part of Auckland Province from 1853 until government was centralised in 1876. Long after Auckland Province ceased, the region continued to be known as North Auckland.) In 1989, Kaitaia Borough, Mangonui County , Whangaroa County , Bay of Islands County , Hokianga County , and Kaikohe Borough were amalgamated to become
2800-610: The shores of which is situated the largest population centre. Numerous islands dot this coast, notably the Cavalli Islands , the Hen and Chicken Islands , Aorangaia Island and the Poor Knights Islands . The northernmost points of the North Island mainland lie at the top of Northland. These include several points often confused in the public mind as being the country's northernmost points: Cape Maria van Diemen , Spirits Bay , Cape Reinga , and North Cape . The northernmost point of
2856-582: The southwest. Occasionally in summer, the region experiences stormy conditions from former cyclones which generally become much weaker once they leave tropical latitudes. The Northland Region has been governed by the present Northland Regional Council since 1989. The seat of the council is in Whangārei . Regional council members represent 8 constituencies: Far North, Bay of Islands-Whangaroa, Mid North, Coastal Central, Coastal South, Whangārei City, Kaipara and Te Raki. There are three territorial authorities in
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#17327930477322912-412: The understory of Raoul Island. Predation by rats and cats reduced the seabird colonies on the main islands from millions of birds to tens of thousands. The New Zealand government has been working for the last few decades to restore the islands. New Zealand declared the islands a nature reserve in 1937, and the sea around them a marine reserve in 1990. The marine reserve surrounds each of the islands and
2968-502: The waters of Raoul Island and nursed back to health at Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium . The release was from the deck of the RV Tangaroa , with land in sight to enable Koha to orientate itself to prevent the risk of getting lost in the open ocean. The introduction of cats, rats , and goats devastated the forests and seabirds. Overgrazing by goats eliminated the forests of Macauley Island, leaving open grasslands, and altered
3024-582: The year to March 2018, primary industries contributed $ 984 million (13.1%) to the regional GDP, goods-producing industries contributed $ 1.59 billion (21.2%), service industries contributed $ 4.30 billion (57.1%), and taxes and duties contributed $ 645 million (8.6%) The region's economy is based on agriculture (notably beef cattle and sheep), fishing, forestry , and horticulture . Northland has 4,423 hectares (10,930 acres) of horticultural land as of 2017. Significant crops include avocadoes , kumara , kiwifruit , citrus fruit and olives . Extensive forests are
3080-557: Was spoken by 97.0%, Māori language by 10.1%, Samoan by 0.4% and other languages by 7.1%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 16.9, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 31.2% Christian , 0.7% Hindu , 0.2% Islam , 3.8% Māori religious beliefs , 0.5% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 1.2% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.2%, and 7.8% of people did not answer
3136-421: Was that 67,788 (43.5%) people were employed full-time, 21,735 (13.9%) were part-time, and 5,469 (3.5%) were unemployed. Māori refer to Northland – and by extension its Māori people – as Te Taitokerau (the northern tide) and Māori language and traditions are strong there. Major tribal groups include Ngāpuhi , Te Aupōuri , Te Rarawa , Ngāti Kahu , Ngāti Kurī and Ngāti Whātua . Several of these tribes form
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