Mayor Island/Tuhua

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Mayor Island (or Tuhua) (37°17′S, 176°15′E) is located off the Bay of Plenty coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is 35 kilometres north of Tauranga and covers 13 km².

A dormant volcano, the island is steep, rising to 330 metres. It is believed to have risen from the sea about 7000 years ago. Hot springs abound, and there are two small crater lakes, Green Lake and Black Lake.

The island is considered special by Māori (the indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zealand) partly because of the presence of black obsidian, a volcanic glass created by the rapid cooling of silica-rich lava, prized as a cutting tool.

The obsidian was called Tuhua by Māori who called the island by the same name. Captain James Cook called it Mayor Island when he sighted it on November 3, 1769, in recognition of the Lord Mayor's Day to be held in London a few days later.

The area of the Bay of Plenty around the island is renowned for game fishing, with marlin, mako sharks, and swordfish all inhabiting the surrounding waters. The island and the waters close to its shores, however, are now a small marine reserve. There are several tramping tracks around the island, and it is also popular with divers. Several pa sites are known on the island, which was inhabited until 1901. Mayor Island is actually closer to Whangamata than Tauranga.

Mayor Island today is a wildlife refuge. A small number of holiday houses are located in Opo Bay on the south coast of the island[1]. Currently a population of three is reported (census of 2001, after zero in 1996 and 12 in 1991)[[2]]

There is a comprehensive article on Mayor Island in the New Zealand Geographic Magazine, number 3, July - September 1989.

[edit] External links

• Volcanic hazards at Mayor Island