Motutapu Island

Motutapu Island is an island in the Hauraki Gulf, adjacent to Rangitoto Island, off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand. It is notable for large-scale ecological restoration projects and for containing archaeological sites of past Māori settlement.

The island offers walking tracks, picnic areas and visible archaeological features such as middens and terracing where historic Māori occupation is recorded. It is managed for conservation and recreation, with efforts focused on restoring native vegetation and bird populations.

Māori settled Motutapu long before European arrival and used it for seasonal and permanent occupation; later colonial-era farming altered much of the vegetation before the modern restoration program. Today the island is managed cooperatively to protect natural and cultural values and to allow public access.

Motutapu lies in the Hauraki Gulf close to Rangitoto Island and is reached by public ferry services from Auckland, often with a short transfer via Rangitoto.

• Access: Ferries from Auckland and short water transfers via Rangitoto Island provide the most common public access routes.
• Conservation: Long-term ecological restoration has reintroduced native plants and birds and removed many mammalian pests across the island.