Tuhua — Mayor Island’s history
This is number six in a series of articles written by the Waihi Beach Historical Group in support of the Waihi Beach, Bowentown and Athenree History Event October 13-17.
Tuhua — Major Island — is a volcano rising from the sea floor which has had ,frequent eruptions over the past 120,000 years — the last being 6000 years ago.
It has formed the variety of landforms seen on the island today.
The 1277ha area has a rough terrain of rock ridges, narrow gullies and very little flat land.
Tuhua is the ancestral home of Te Whanua A Tuawhao ki Tuhua and is privately owned and administered now by the Tuhua Trust Board, which prohibits the removal of obsidian for which the island is renowned.
Captain James Cook named Tuhua Mayor Island in recognition of the Lord Mayor’s Day to be held in London a few days later in 1979. Both Ma¯ori and English names are used today. In 1901 the last of the Ma¯ori inhabitants moved to tawhiwhi Marae.
There was an asserted presence of foreign visitors during World War II, when in 1944 a Japanese submarine was seen there by fisherman on the island.
Japanese trawlers were seen between Mayor Island and Waihi Beach in the 1950s and sometimes locals could hear the Japanese talking at night.
The Tauranga Sports Fishing Club, established in 1923, met with the Trustees of Mayor Island to lease some land at Opo Bay (also known as South East Bay) for a big game fishing club base. This was signed in 1955.
The Mayor Island Club House was built, kitchen facilities were rebuilt, an oil stove installed, electricity wired and a water supply from up the hill.
The area was, and still is, renown for its gamefish.
In 1953 the island was titled as a wildlife reserve.
Today it has healthy populations of bellbirds, tui, wood pigeons, morepork, fantail, ka¯ka¯, grey warbler, waxeye, kingfisher, pied stilt and harrier hawk.
North Island robins were released in 2003.
Pa¯teke and North Island kiwi were reintroduced to the island in 2006, and ka¯ka¯riki introduced from 2009 to 2010.
Most significantly in 1993 a marine reserve as created off the northern end.
Because the island is 26km off the Bay of Plenty Coast it has relatively pollutionfree waters.
A wide range of marine plants and fish populations thrive there, including open water migratory species, fish found throughout New Zealand waters and several subtropical species.
Today there are several tramping tracks around the island, and it is popular for diving.