Moturoa / Rabbit Island
Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere[1] | |
Coordinates | 41°16′15″S 173°08′51″E / 41.2709°S 173.1476°E |
---|---|
Area | 15 km2 (5.8 sq mi) |
Length | 8 km (5 mi) |
Administration | |
Demographics | |
Population | 0 |
Moturoa / Rabbit Island is a small island that lies across the southernmost part of
It lies opposite the mouth of the
The Rabbit Island Recreation Reserve contains three islands, Rabbit Island, Rough Island and Bird Island, and became a public reserve in 1908. Rabbit Island, with its long, safe swimming beach, is a popular beach resort to the residents of Motueka, Wakefield, Brightwater, Richmond, Māpua, Stoke and Nelson.
A medium-sized causeway spans a tidal area and joins the mainland to Rabbit Island. There is a large grassed area after this bridge and a Fire Hazard sign ("Keep it Green"). Large areas of the relatively flat islands are covered in pine plantation forest. The beach proper contains vast and mountainous sand dunes topped with masses of cone-bearing pines, with exposed roots, extending for long distances along the island.
The Tasman's Great Taste Trail, a cycleway running from Richmond to Motueka, runs through Rabbit Island. There is also a newly established equestrian area. The reserve area is closed to the public from dusk to 5 am.
In August 2014, the name of the island was officially altered to Moturoa / Rabbit Island.[3]
Other islands with the same name
The other Rabbit Islands are smaller than 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi) or 100 ha (250 acres). They are located (north to south):
- inside
- just west of Great Barrier Island, Hauraki Gulf[5] 36°08′52″S 175°18′50″E / 36.1477°S 175.3140°E
- to the west of
- off the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, in Opito Bay[7] 36°42′49″S 175°49′04″E / 36.7137°S 175.8177°E
- off the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, near Slipper Island[8] 37°04′17″S 175°55′38″E / 37.0713°S 175.9272°E
- officially known as Motuotau Island, north of Tauranga, off the beach east of Mount Maunganui[9] 37°37′52″S 176°11′38″E / 37.6311°S 176.1940°E
- Rabbit Island, a six-hectare islet close to Pitt Island in the Chatham Islands[10]44°14′24″S 176°16′54″E / 44.2400°S 176.2817°E
- inside the entrance to Blueskin Bay, north of Dunedin 45°43′52″S 170°35′27″E / 45.7311°S 170.5907°E
- south of Riverton, in Foveaux Strait
- officially known as Rabbit Island Quarantine Island, near the centre of Southland region[11]46°34′05″S 168°19′50″E / 46.5680°S 168.3305°E
See also
- List of islands of New Zealand
- List of islands
- Desert island
References
- ^ a b "Place name detail: Moturoa / Rabbit Island". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ Information contained on an information panel near the beach on Rabbit Island
- ^ "NZGB decisions". Land Information New Zealand. August 2014. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
- ^ "Place name detail: Rabbit Island (37672)". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ "Place name detail: Rabbit Island (37674)". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ "Place name detail: Rabbit Island (37673)". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ "Place name detail: Rabbit Island (37670)". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ "Place name detail: Rabbit Island (37675)". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ "Place name detail: Motuotau Island". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ "Place name detail: Rabbit Island (13971)". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ "Place name detail: Rabbit Island Quarantine Island". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.