Coromandel Peninsula
36°50′S 175°35′E / 36.833°S 175.583°E
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The Coromandel Peninsula (Māori: Te Tara-o-te-Ika-a-Māui) on the North Island of New Zealand extends 85 kilometres (53 mi) north from the western end of the Bay of Plenty, forming a natural barrier protecting the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames in the west from the Pacific Ocean to the east. It is 40 kilometres (25 mi) wide at its broadest point. Almost its entire population lives on the narrow coastal strips fronting the Hauraki Gulf and the Bay of Plenty. In clear weather the peninsula is clearly visible from Auckland, the country's biggest city, which lies on the far shore of the Hauraki Gulf, 55 kilometres (34 mi) to the west. The peninsula is part of the Thames-Coromandel District and the Waikato Region.
Names
The
The English-language name for the peninsula comes from HMS Coromandel (originally named
Geography
The peninsula is steep and hilly and largely covered in bush. The Coromandel Range forms the spine for most of the peninsula, with the Moehau Range at the northern end providing the highest point at nearly 900 metres (3,000 ft).[3] The large Great Barrier Island, which lies beyond the northern tip, can be thought of as an extension of the ranges. The island is separated from Cape Colville on the peninsula's northern coast by the Colville Channel.
Although the peninsula is close to large centres of population such as Auckland to the west and Tauranga to the southeast, its rugged nature means that much of it is relatively isolated, and the interior and northern tip are both largely undeveloped and sparsely inhabited. The Coromandel Forest Park covers much of the inland part of the peninsula.
Numerous small islands and island groups lie offshore, such as the Motukawao Islands to the northwest, the Aldermen Islands and Slipper Island to the southeast, and the Mercury Islands to the northeast.
The peninsula shows considerable signs of past volcanism. It comprises the eroded remnants of the
People
Owing to the nature of the land, much of the Coromandel's population clusters in a small number of towns and communities along the southeastern and southwestern coasts. Only five towns have populations of over 1000 (Coromandel, Whitianga, Thames, Tairua, and Whangamatā),[citation needed] and of these only Thames, with 7,630 people, and Whitianga, with 6,440 people, have populations of over 5000.[6] Several small towns dot the coast of the Firth of Thames in the southwest. Other small towns on the peninsula include Te Puru, Matarangi, Whangapoua, Whiritoa, Hikuai, Port Jackson, Port Charles, Tairua, Pauanui and Colville. The population of several of these centres is highly seasonal, with many Aucklanders having holiday homes in the Coromandel.[Note 1] During the summer holiday period around Christmas and New Year, visiting families and travellers from around the North Island add significantly to activity in the area, particularly in Whangamatā, Whitianga, Matarangi, Tairua and Pauanui.
The peninsula is a popular place to live for people who have chosen an
Population density decreases with both distance from the coast and distance north. Of the main population centres, only Coromandel, Colville, Matarangi and Whitianga lie in the north of the peninsula, and much of the inland parts remain virtually uninhabited.
History
Prior to contact with Europeans, the Tahanga Quarries of Ōpito Bay were an important source of basalt (karā or pakawera), which Māori used in the production of stone tools such as adzes (particularly during the Māori Archaic period (1300–1500)).[8][9]
Industries and attractions
The area was once known largely for its hard-rock
A forest park occupies much of the centre of the peninsula, and the coasts are dotted with numerous beaches and scenic views. Evidence of the region's geothermal origins can be found in
Transport
The towns are connected by State Highways 25 and 25A, which form a circuit around the peninsula. Not all of the roads on the peninsula are sealed (i.e. are gravel roads) notably the 309 Road, which connects Coromandel Town and Whitianga. Some hire car companies have contracts that specifically exclude driving on these roads.[11] A passenger ferry runs from Ferry Landing to Whitianga, providing direct access to the shops and restaurants of Whitianga for pedestrians and cyclists based in Cook's Beach, Flaxmill Bay, Front Beach, and Ferry Landing. The ferry takes only 5 minutes to cross the harbour, while the trip by road takes 40 to 45 minutes.
Notes
- ^ Normal New Zealand usage tends to refer to places informally as being "in the Coromandel" rather than "on the Coromandel Peninsula".[citation needed]
References
- ^ Tūroa, Taimoana (2000). Royal, Te Ahukaramū Charles (ed.). Te Takoto o te Whenua o Hauraki = Hauraki Landmarks. Reed. p. 37.
- ^ Monin, Paul (1 April 2016). "Hauraki–Coromandel region – Māori migration and settlement". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ^ "Moehau Range, Waikato". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
- .
- ^ "Mokena Geyser Access". Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2012. Mokena Hou section of the MPDC website
- ^ "Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (regional councils); "Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (territorial authorities); "Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (urban areas)
- ^ "Escaping commutes and cost of living". Stuff. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
- Wikidata Q58677025.
- Wikidata Q58629011.
- ^ a b "Conservation land could be mined – Govt". The New Zealand Herald. 27 November 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
- ^ "Driving restrictions". VroomVroomVroom. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
External links
- Destination Coromandel, tourism site for the Thames-Coromandel and Hauraki district councils