Jacquemart Island
Island Remote subantarctic islet in New Zealand, wildlife habitat
A tiny, remote islet at the southern end of New Zealand’s Auckland Islands, Jacquemart Island serves as a seabird and seal refuge; access is restricted to scientists and occasional expedition cruises because of rough subantarctic seas.
Jacquemart Island is a very small, uninhabited islet at the southern end of the Auckland Islands archipelago, New Zealand. It is notable for being the southernmost land associated with New Zealand.
The islet has no visitor facilities and is visited only by specialised expeditions; it is of interest mainly to scientists and seabird watchers because of its remote subantarctic environment and breeding bird colonies. There are no permanent structures on the island.
The islet has been known to mariners and scientific expeditions to the Auckland Islands and has been subject to conservation restrictions as part of the subantarctic reserve system. It has not supported a permanent human population.
Jacquemart Island sits at the southern extreme of the Auckland Islands in the Southern Ocean, well to the south of New Zealand’s main islands and within the country’s subantarctic island groups.
- Southernmost point of New Zealand: Forms the southernmost piece of land in the New Zealand political domain and lies within the Auckland Islands group, designated as a nature reserve and free of permanent human habitation.
How to Get to Jacquemart Island #
Jacquemart Island is reachable only as part of a voyage to the Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku group from mainland New Zealand, typically from Invercargill or ports in Otago, on multi-day charter or research vessels. Landings are rare and require DOC permission; most visitors see the island from a distance.
Tips for Visiting Jacquemart Island #
- Jacquemart Island is uninhabited and extremely remote; visitors should not plan landings without explicit permission from New Zealand's Department of Conservation.
- If sea‑going birdlife is the objective, arrange a licensed wildlife-boat charter to the Campbell Island group during the austral summer (December-March).
- Bring a good pair of binoculars and a camera with a telephoto lens - the island is primarily of interest for seabirds and as a geographic extreme.
Best Time to Visit Jacquemart Island #
Jacquemart Island is best considered in the context of a visit to the Campbell Island group during the short austral summer; landings are restricted and strictly controlled for biosecurity reasons.
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