Takangaroa Island is one of the two Mayne Islands located near Kawau Island

Kawau Island

Kawau Island is an island in the Hauraki Gulf, close to the north-eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. At its closest point it lies off the coast of the North Auckland Peninsula, just south of Tawharanui Peninsula, and about by sea journey from Sandspit Wharf, and shelters Kawau Bay...

, in the Hauraki Gulf

Hauraki Gulf

The Hauraki Gulf is a coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. It has a total area of 4000 km², and lies between the Auckland Region, the Hauraki Plains, the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island...

 of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. It is approximately 6 hectares (14.8 acre) in size.

Its name is Māori

Maori language

Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...

, and means "The Long Casting of the Net". Nearby Rabbit Island is known as Takangariki,"The Short Casting of the Net", and two rocky reefs between them are considered to be the buoys of the net.

The island used to be known as "Goat Island

Goat Island, New Zealand

Goat Island, New Zealand may refer to any of three islands:*Goat Island, Auckland*Goat Island, Otago Harbour*Goat Island/Te Mapoutahi, also in Otago...

", but the name was legally changed to the Māori in order to prevent confusion with the popular Marine Reserve.

During the late 19th century, it was owned by Sir George Grey

George Grey

George Grey may refer to:*Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet , British politician*George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent *Sir George Grey , Governor of Cape Colony, South Australia and New Zealand...

, the then Governor-General

Governor-General

A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...

of New Zealand. The island is now privately owned, and is a Wildlife Sanctuary, meaning that no dogs, cats or guns are allowed.