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Te Ārai
Te Ārai is a small community on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, near the northern end of the Auckland Region (specifically within the former Rodney District). Mangawhai lies to the north, and Tomarata to the south. The name comes from Tāhuhunui-o-te-rangi, captain of the '' Moekākara'' waka, who landed here and set up a temporary shelter (''arai''). Tāhuhunui-o-te-rangi was later buried at Te Ārai. Geography Te Ārai Beach is a sandy bottom beach and is a very popular surfing destination, rated one of the best surf locations in the Auckland region. Te Ārai Beach is the exact antipode of Gibraltar. Among the bird species found here is the critically endangered New Zealand fairy tern, of which only 11 breeding pairs are left in the world. Auckland Council Auckland Council () is the local government council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority that also has the responsibilities, duties and powers of a regional ...
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New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of island countries, sixth-largest island country by area and lies east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and south of the islands of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. The Geography of New Zealand, country's varied topography and sharp mountain peaks, including the Southern Alps (), owe much to tectonic uplift and volcanic eruptions. Capital of New Zealand, New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland. The islands of New Zealand were the last large habitable land to be settled by humans. Between about 1280 and 1350, Polynesians began to settle in the islands and subsequently developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight and record New Zealand. ...
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North Island
The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List of islands by area, world's 14th-largest island, constituting 43% of New Zealand's land area. It has a population of which is % of New Zealand's residents, making it the most populous island in Polynesia and the List of islands by population, 28th-most-populous island in the world. Twelve main urban areas (half of them officially cities) are in the North Island. From north to south, they are Whangārei, Auckland, Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Gisborne, New Zealand, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Napier, New Zealand, Napier, Hastings, New Zealand, Hastings, Whanganui, Palmerston North, and New Zealand's capital city Wellington, which is located at the south-west tip of the island. Naming and usage The island has been known ...
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Te Ārai Regional Park
Te Ārai Regional Park is a regional park situated in the Auckland Region of New Zealand's North Island. It is owned and operated by Auckland Council. Geography Te Ārai Regional Park has the largest number of sand dunes in the Auckland Region. The park is a long stretch of coastline in Rodney, between the most northern point of the Auckland Region on the North Island and the Poutawa Stream. The park is bordered by the Mangawhai Forest. An 85 metre high headland also known as Te Arai is found in the park. Biodiversity The Te Ārai sand dunes are a regionally significant biodiversity area, adjoining the Pākiri Dunes biodiversity focus area to the south. The park is one of the few remaining breeding areas for the New Zealand fairy tern. The endangered katipō spider is found in the regional park. The spiders that live in the regional park are typically black in colour, and do not have the distinctive red markings typically seen on katipō. History During the 1930s, pine tre ...
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New Zealand Fairy Tern
The New Zealand fairy tern or tara-iti (''Sternula nereis davisae'') is a subspecies of the fairy tern endemic to New Zealand. It is New Zealand's rarest native breeding bird, with about 40 individuals left in the wild. It nests at four coastal locations between Whangārei and Auckland in the North Island. It is threatened by introduced predators, extreme storms and tides, beach activity, and waterfront development. Taxonomy and systematics The New Zealand fairy tern is currently considered a subspecies of the fairy tern (''Sternula nereis).'' Two other subspecies exist: ''Sternula nereis nereis'', which breeds in western and southern Australia, and ''S. n. exsul'', which breeds in New Caledonia. Fairy terns were first described from the Bass Strait in Australia in 1843. The New Zealand species was first identified by Dunedin naturalist Thomas Potts in the Rakaia riverbed in Canterbury; it was breeding in the Rakaia Gorge. He noted there were already two specimens in the co ...
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Gibraltar
Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean (Strait of Gibraltar). It has an area of and is Gibraltar–Spain border, bordered to the north by Spain (Campo de Gibraltar). The landscape is dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar, at the foot of which is a densely populated town area. Gibraltar is home to some 34,003 people, primarily Gibraltarians. Gibraltar was founded as a permanent watchtower by the Almohad Caliphate, Almohads in 1160. It switched control between the Nasrids, Crown of Castile, Castilians and Marinids in the Late Middle Ages, acquiring larger strategic clout upon the destruction of nearby Algeciras . It became again part of the Crown of Castile in 1462. In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces Capture of Gibraltar, captured Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the S ...
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The Journal Of The Polynesian Society
The Polynesian Society is a non-profit organisation based at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, dedicated to the scholarly study of the history, ethnography and mythology of Oceania. History The society was co-founded in 1892 by Percy Smith and Edward Tregear, largely in response to a conviction widely held at the time, that the Māori and other Polynesian peoples were a dying race. Smith and his friends hoped that it would help to preserve the traditional lore of the Māori before it disappeared and provide scholars with a forum for learned discussion of their ethnographic research (Byrnes 2006). The initial membership of the society was 112, which had grown to 1,300 by 1965. Presidents have included bishops H. W. and W. L. Williams; James Pope, Edward Tregear, Percy Smith, Elsdon Best, William Skinner, Sir Āpirana Ngata, Harry Skinner, J. M. McEwen, Professor Sir Hugh Kawharu and Dame Joan Metge. The present president is Dr Richard Benton. Until her deat ...
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Moekākara
In Māori tradition, ''Moekākara'' was one of the great ocean-going, voyaging canoes that was used in the migrations that settled New Zealand. It was captained by Tāhuhunui-o-te-rangi, the ancestor of Ngāi Tāhuhu. The canoe first landed at Wakatuwhenua, near Te Ārai north of Auckland. Ngāi Tāhuhu settled at Pouerua in the Bay of Islands and the Mangakahia River in Northland, as well as Ōtāhuhu in Auckland. See also *List of Māori waka This is a list of Māori people, Māori (canoes). The information in this list represents a compilation of different oral traditions from around New Zealand. These accounts give several different uses for the waka: many carried Polynesians, Poly ... References Māori waka Māori mythology {{Māori-myth-stub ...
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Rodney District
Rodney District was a local government area in the northernmost part of New Zealand's Auckland Region from 1989 to 2010. It included Kawau Island. It was created from the amalgamation of Helensville Borough and Rodney County in 1989. The seat of Rodney District Council was at Orewa. Rodney District and Rodney County each took their names from Cape Rodney (opposite Little Barrier Island), which Captain James Cook named on 24 November 1769 after Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney. Auckland Council has governed the area since 1 November 2010. The Rodney ward of the Auckland Region now covers much of the land area, but not the Hibiscus Coast or the former council seat of Orewa, which are in the Albany ward. The district was, in the final electoral term (2007–2010) of its existence, led by mayor Penny Webster and 12 councillors. Mayors During its 21-year existence, Rodney District had four mayors: See also * Territorial authorities of New Zealand Territorial authoritie ...
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Kaiwaka
Kaiwaka, known as "the little town of lights", is a settlement in Northland, New Zealand. The Kaiwaka River runs from the east through the area and joins with the Wairau River to form the Otamatea River, which drains into the Kaipara Harbour. State Highway 1 passes through Kaiwaka. Kaiwaka is located north of Wellsford. Kaiwaka was established in the 1850s during the kauri timber and gum trade. During the late 19th and early 20th century both the road and railway line north passed through the town. Etymology The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of ''eating the canoes'' for Kaiwaka. The reference to food and canoe may reflect the historic Mangapai portage route between Kaiwaka and Mangawhai linking the east coast with the Kaipara Harbour. Local tradition also speaks of a cloud that is only observed in this part of the Kaipara. It is seen as an omen that a high-ranking person is about to die. ''Kaiwaka'' refers to threatening clouds on the ...
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Auckland Region
Auckland () is one of the 16 regions of New Zealand, which takes its name from the eponymous urban areas of New Zealand, urban area. The region encompasses the Auckland, Auckland metropolitan area, smaller towns, rural areas, and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. Containing percent of the nation's residents, it has by far the largest population and economy of any region of New Zealand, but the second-smallest land area. On 1 November 2010, the Auckland region became a unitary authority administered by the Auckland Council, replacing the previous regional council and seven local councils. In the process, an area in its southeastern corner was transferred to the neighbouring Waikato region. Since then, the Auckland Council has introduced a system of local boards to divide the region for local government. Geography On the mainland, the region extends from the mouth of the Kaipara Harbour in the north across the southern stretches of the Northland Peninsula, through the Waitā ...
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Te Hana
Te Hana is a small town on near the northern boundary of Auckland. Wellsford is to the south, and Kaiwaka is northeast. Te Hana Creek runs westward on the northern end of the town to the Kaipara Harbour. History The town gained a post office in 1871. A school flourished in Te Hana in the early 20th century. The Port Albert Co-operative Dairy Company replaced its factory in Port Albert with a more substantial one in Te Hana in 1934. The dairy factory was the town's major employer until it closed in 1987. After it closed Te Hana declined, with a high crime rate, unemployment of 20%, significant substance abuse, and poor living conditions. Te Hana Community Charitable Development Trust was formed in 2002 to rejuvenate the town, with one of its major initiatives a Māori cultural centre to attract tourists with a recreation of a pre-European Māori village. Demographics Statistics New Zealand describes Te Hana as a rural settlement, which covers and had an estimated po ...
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Wellsford
Wellsford () is a town on the Northland Peninsula in the northern North Island of New Zealand. It is the northernmost major settlement in the Auckland Region, and is northwest of the Auckland CBD. It is a major regional centre, being located at the junction of State Highways 1 and 16, almost halfway between Auckland and the Northland city of Whangārei. The eastern Kaipara Harbour has been settled by Māori since the 13th or 14th centuries, who utilised the inland forests and marine resources of the Kaipara Harbour. The area became home to the Ngāti Whātua collective Te Uri-o-Hau by the mid-17th century, with hapū including Ngāti Mauku, Ngāti Tahuhu and Ngāti Rongo being established from the descendants of Haumoewhārangi, and by strategic marriages with Te Kawerau hapū. Wellsford was established by the Albertlanders in 1862, a group of Baptist tradespeople and farmers from the Birmingham area who settled the southern Ōruawharo River, developing into a timber and ka ...
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