Waiheke Island
Encyclopedia
Waiheke Island is an island in the Hauraki Gulf
of New Zealand
, located about 17.7 km (11 mi) from Auckland
.
The island is the second-largest in the Hauraki Gulf after Great Barrier Island
. It is the most populated, with nearly 8,000 permanent residents plus another estimated 3,400 who have second or holiday homes on the island. It is New Zealand's most densely populated island, with 83.58 people/km², and the third most populated after the North
and South Island
. It is the most accessible offshore island in the Gulf, due to regular passenger and car ferry
services and some air links.
Waiheke translates as "the descending waters" or "ebbing water". This refers to an event when Maori explorer Kahumatamomoe
landed on the island and urinated. The name originally referred only to the stream at Onetangi, but now is used to refer to the entire island.
at the western end of the island is 17.7 km (11 mi) from Auckland and the eastern end is 21.4 km (13.3 mi) from Coromandel
. The much smaller Tarahiki Island
lies 3 km (1.9 mi) to the east. Waiheke is very hilly with few flat areas, the highest point being Maunganui at 231 m (757.9 ft). The climate is slightly warmer than Auckland with less humidity and rain and more sunshine hours.
outcrop in Omiha Bay and a chert
stack at the end of Pohutukawa Point, the latter considered as "one of the best exposures of folded chert in Auckland City".
are the furthest west, followed by Palm Beach, Surfdale, and Ostend
. Further east lies Onetangi, which is located on the northern coast on the wide Onetangi Bay
. To the south of this on the opposing coast is Whakanewha Regional Park, Whakanewha and Omiha, or Rocky Bay. Much of the eastern half of the island is privately owned farmland and vineyards.
Waiheke Island is a popular holiday spot, and during the main summer season, especially around Christmas and Easter, the population on the island increases substantially due to the number of holiday homes being rented out, corporate functions and dance parties at vineyards and restaurants, the Wine Festival and the Jazz Festival and weekend trippers from around the country and the world. It is safe to say the population increases significantly, rents go up, almost all homes and bach
es are full and a festive atmosphere exists.
Socially the island is highly diverse, with the creative sector (artists, musicians, scientists, writers, poets and actors) and eccentrics strongly represented. Around two thousand people commute daily to Auckland for work as career opportunities on the island are limited. The main employment sectors are horticulture (wine and olives), agriculture, tourism, construction, food services, retail and real estate. Gentrification
and land speculation is having an impact, with high rates
and mortgage
interest rate
s forcing some people on fixed incomes to relocate off the island. New Zealand council rates are based on land and building valuations, which take into account potential value for redevelopment even if the owners live on the property and have no intention to sell or redevelop. The cost of living on the island is higher compared to the mainland, due to the shipping freight costs of most foodstuffs, fuel and amenities.
The income distribution (2001 Census) shows a higher proportion of lower income groups and a lower proportion of higher income groups, compared to the whole of Auckland City. This is partially due to a higher number of pensioners and single parent families who are usually on fixed incomes and poorer. In 2001, the median income for those older than 15 was $15,600 compared to $23,500 in 2006. Waiheke is now edging towards the national median of $24,400, with the median income having increased 51 per cent over five years. The increase in wealth on Waiheke is also reflected in the number of families earning more than $100,000 per year, which has more than doubled since 2001.
was not ancestral Māori land held in Māori title but belonged to the Waiheke County Council. Its citizens, both Pākehā
and Māori, got together, arranged for a long-term lease of council-owned land and built the marae. One of the earliest Māori land claims was driven by Waiheke citizens, who at the time did not know who the tangata whenua
Māori were for the island.
Waiheke Island is part of the territorial authority of Auckland City
. From 1970 until its amalgamation with Auckland City in 1989, it was administered by the Waiheke County Council. Since 1989 there is a locally elected community board with limited, mainly representational powers, in line with other neighbourhoods in Auckland City. One member on the City Council represents all the inhabited Hauraki Gulf Islands (i.e. Waiheke, Great Barrier and Rakino) plus the downtown area in the central business district.
In 1990 the Waiheke Community Board formally requested the right to de-amalgamate from the City. A 'De-amalgamation Committee' was established by Council to facilitate the Board's wish. However, this proved not to be to the liking of most of the new Auckland citizenry. In 1991, the city responded to a campaign run by a pro-union group, the Waiheke Island Residents & Ratepayers Association (Inc) by holding a democratic referendum. The de-amalgamation proposal sponsored by the Community Board was defeated.
The subject of amalgamation is still a hot topic on the island. In 2008, the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance
received 3,537 submissions, 615 of which were made by Waihekeans, over 1/6 of all submissions. A public meeting of 150 residents on 29 March 2008 found a majority in favour of breaking away from Auckland City.
The Royal Commission recommended that Waiheke Island retain its community board with enhanced powers. The Waiheke Local Board was elected in the October 2010 Auckland local elections
as part of the Auckland Council
.
The 2010 local elections resulted in Waiheke resident Mike Lee
becoming the Councillor for the Waitemata and Gulf Ward. Denise Roche
, Faye Storer, Jo Holmes, Don McKenzie and Jim Hannan were elected to the new Local Board.
services (passenger and freight) sail to and from Waiheke. Fullers
runs the main passenger ferry, with trips taking 35 minutes from downtown Auckland.
There are various air connections including Air Discovery, an aeroplane service based at the privately operated Waiheke Island Aerodrome
(NZKE) near Onetangi Bay
, and a number of Auckland helicopter operators that charter to the island.
The island has less infrastructure than mainland Auckland. The roads are mainly narrow and in many places unsealed and unlit, especially on the eastern half of the island. The Waiheke Bus Company (owned by Fullers) services most inhabited parts of the island, linking to the ferry sailings from Matiatia.
Each house must maintain its own water supply, most collecting rainwater in cisterns, and must install a septic tank and septic field to handle sewage. This is a requirement in every building consent.
The community established a charitable trust which bid on Auckland City's contract for solid waste disposal. After winning the bid, it was implemented with such success that the recycling centre soon had to be expanded to handle the volumes.
The island has a lively press, with two weekly newspapers vying for attention: the long-established independently-owned Waiheke Gulf News and the Fairfax Media
owned Waiheke Marketplace. A community radio station, Waiheke Radio
, is broadcasting on 88.3 FM and 107.4 FM after Beach FM
lost its licence in a commercial bid in 2008.
, three gun emplacements were built on the eastern edge of Waiheke to protect Allied shipping in Waitemata Harbour
, in the fear that Japanese ships might reach all the way to New Zealand. This mirrored developments at North Head
and Rangitoto Island
. The guns were never fired in anger. The empty emplacements and the extensive tunnels below them can be visited seven days a week.
's government.
In 1999 Waiheke's community board voted Waiheke as a "genetic engineering
free zone", but this is a matter of principle rather than fact, as only national government controls exist over genetically engineered foods and grains.
The Gateway to Waiheke Island where the primary pedestrian ferry lands over 1 million passengers per year is a valley and harbour called Matiatia
. In 2000 it was purchased by three investors in a company called Waitemata Infrastructure Ltd (WIL). In 2002 WIL proposed to change the Operative District Plan rules for their land to build a major shopping and hotel complex with 29,000 m² of gross floor area on buildable land of approximately 3 hectares. This united the residents of the island in opposition. Over 1,500 adult residents of the island (out of perhaps 3,000) joined together in an incorporated society, the Community and People of Waiheke Island
(CAPOW), to oppose the private plan change in court.
In 2004, they won an interlocutory judgement in which the environment court ruled that Auckland City Council
had erred in the rules, and the current rules limited controlled development to 5,000 m² in what was called the Visitor Facility Precinct. In 2005, CAPOW won an interim judgement by the court which reduced the proposed redevelopment to about 1/3 of what the investors had originally sought.
This set the stage for confidential negotiations between Auckland's mayor Dick Hubbard
and the investors, who on 31 August 2005 (now known as 'Matiatia Day' on the island) sold 100% of the stock in WIL to the city for $12.5 million. The unanimous vote on 30 June 2005 of the City Council to approve the purchase was said to have come about because of the unity of the people of Waiheke Island. The court case finally was concluded with permitted development set at 10,000 m2 of mixed use gross floor development. The Court also found Auckland City Council and WIL liable for costs in relationship to the interlocutory judgement. Since WIL was now owned by Council, it had to write a cheque for to CAPOW for $18,000, representing 75% of CAPOW's costs on that matter. This final cheque allowed CAPOW to pay all its debts and balance its books.
The Council organised a design competition in 2006 to find a suitable development plan and project for the Matiatia gateway. The competition winner's design (scheme 201) is available for comment on the Council website. It has already attracted much criticism for the lack of car parking close to the ferry terminal, the transport hub function used by all islanders regularly and almost daily by around 850 commuters to Auckland.
, a letter was sent to the New Zealand Prime Minister claiming that foot and mouth disease had been released on Waiheke Island and would be released elsewhere unless money was paid and tax reforms made. A full agricultural exotic disease response was initiated. No livestock were allowed to enter or leave the island. Stock on Waiheke Island was tested every 48 hours for symptoms of the virus, which would devastate New Zealand's agricultural exports. After three weeks of testing, no infected animals were detected and the response staff were stood down.
's "island of wine," home to a dedicated group of winegrowers who have successfully matched the maritime climate and ancient soil structures to the selection of classical grape varieties to produce red and white wines with distinctive varietal character.
Waiheke's climate are well suited to growing Bordeaux wine
-type grapes, though some Chardonnay
and Sauvignon Blanc
varieties are also considered to be good. Waiheke winegrowers regularly win awards for Syrah, proving the island's terroir
suits it well.
The local wines are relatively expensive because of the limited size of many of the vineyards. Among the vineyards and wineries on Waiheke Island are:
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...
, located about 17.7 km (11 mi) from Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
.
The island is the second-largest in the Hauraki Gulf after Great Barrier Island
Great Barrier Island
Great Barrier Island is a large island of New Zealand, situated to the north-east of central Auckland in the outer Hauraki Gulf. With an area of it is the fourth-largest island of New Zealand's main chain of islands, with its highest point, Mount Hobson, rising...
. It is the most populated, with nearly 8,000 permanent residents plus another estimated 3,400 who have second or holiday homes on the island. It is New Zealand's most densely populated island, with 83.58 people/km², and the third most populated after the North
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
and South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
. It is the most accessible offshore island in the Gulf, due to regular passenger and car ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
services and some air links.
Waiheke translates as "the descending waters" or "ebbing water". This refers to an event when Maori explorer Kahumatamomoe
Kahumatamomoe
Kahumatamomoe is an early Maori explorer. He travelled with his nephew Ihenga from Rotorua to Kaipara Harbour and then alone around the Coromandel Peninsula and back to Rotorua. Lake Rotoruas full name is Te Rotoruanui-a-Kahumatamomoe and was named by Ihenga to honour his uncle....
landed on the island and urinated. The name originally referred only to the stream at Onetangi, but now is used to refer to the entire island.
Overview
The island is 19.3 km (12 mi) long from west to east, varies in width from 0.64 to 9.65 km (0.397678551455876 to 6 mi), and has a surface area of 92 km² (36 sq mi). The coastline is 133.5 km (83 mi), including 40 km (24.9 mi) of beaches. The port of MatiatiaMatiatia
Matiatia - A wharf, foreshore, valley and surrounding hills known as the Gateway to Waiheke Island, Auckland New Zealand. Also a type of beach grass, now rare, which was known to grow at the gateway....
at the western end of the island is 17.7 km (11 mi) from Auckland and the eastern end is 21.4 km (13.3 mi) from Coromandel
Coromandel, New Zealand
Coromandel is the name of a town and harbour on the western side of the Coromandel Peninsula, which is on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand...
. The much smaller Tarahiki Island
Tarahiki Island
Tarahiki Island, also known as Shag Island, is a island in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand. Its highest point is ASL and it lies from the mainland and about east of Waiheke Island. It is well known for its breeding colony of up to 700 Spotted Shags....
lies 3 km (1.9 mi) to the east. Waiheke is very hilly with few flat areas, the highest point being Maunganui at 231 m (757.9 ft). The climate is slightly warmer than Auckland with less humidity and rain and more sunshine hours.
Geology
Waiheke has several locations of interest to geologists, namely an argilliteArgillite
An argillite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock composed predominantly of indurated clay particles. Argillaceous rocks are basically lithified muds and oozes. They contain variable amounts of silt-sized particles. The argillites grade into shale when the fissile layering typical of shale is...
outcrop in Omiha Bay and a chert
Chert
Chert is a fine-grained silica-rich microcrystalline, cryptocrystalline or microfibrous sedimentary rock that may contain small fossils. It varies greatly in color , but most often manifests as gray, brown, grayish brown and light green to rusty red; its color is an expression of trace elements...
stack at the end of Pohutukawa Point, the latter considered as "one of the best exposures of folded chert in Auckland City".
Beaches
Waiheke Island has many scenic beaches all around the island. They include:- Oneroa Beach - The main beach, located along the northern side of the town of Oneroa.
- Little Oneroa Beach - A small secluded beach at the east end of Oneroa Beach, separated by a protruding cliff wall.
- Palm Beach - Similar in shape to Oneroa Beach (complete with protruding cliff wall on the east end that separates a small private beach in Boatshed Bay), it gets its name from the mature phoenix palms at the east end.
- Little Palm Beach - A small clothes-optional beach at the west end of Palm Beach.
- Blackpool Beach - The south-facing counterpart of Oneroa Beach, lining Blackpool and popular for kayaking and windsurfing.
- Surfdale Beach - A zoned-in beach on the southern side of Surfdale, separated from Blackpool Beach by a small protruding peninsula, which has a scenic unsealed route called The Esplanade linking the beaches. Popular for kitesurfingKitesurfingKitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...
. - Onetangi Beach - A 1.87 km long, north-facing beach lining Onetangi. For many years it has been the site of the Onetangi Beach Races. Its western (and often inaccessible end at high tide) is clothes-optional. It has sandcastle building contests annually; participants have a few hours to build their creations in soft sand which is free of shells and suitable for digging.
- Cactus Bay - Considered by many Waihekeans as the island's most perfect beach and, with nearby Garden Cove, a romantic place for picnicking. The beach is accessible only by boat or kayak, as its land access was blocked off by a private landowner.
Population
Waiheke has a resident population of 7,689 people (2006 Census) with most of the population living close to the western end of the island, or near the isthmus between Huruhi Bay and Oneroa Bay which, at its narrowest, is only 600 metres wide. The settlements of Oneroa and BlackpoolBlackpool, New Zealand
Blackpool is a settlement on Waiheke Island in northern New Zealand. It was named after Blackpool, which is a large town in England....
are the furthest west, followed by Palm Beach, Surfdale, and Ostend
Ostend, New Zealand
Ostend is a settlement on Waiheke Island in northern New Zealand.It is the home to the island's only supermarket and is also known as the industrial area of the island. The bay at Ostend is known as Putiki Bay where a Causeway was built to enable vehicles access across the water...
. Further east lies Onetangi, which is located on the northern coast on the wide Onetangi Bay
Onetangi Bay
Onetangi Bay is a large bay which forms much of the north coast of Waiheke Island in northern New Zealand. The settlement of Onetangi lies in the centre of its coast....
. To the south of this on the opposing coast is Whakanewha Regional Park, Whakanewha and Omiha, or Rocky Bay. Much of the eastern half of the island is privately owned farmland and vineyards.
Waiheke Island is a popular holiday spot, and during the main summer season, especially around Christmas and Easter, the population on the island increases substantially due to the number of holiday homes being rented out, corporate functions and dance parties at vineyards and restaurants, the Wine Festival and the Jazz Festival and weekend trippers from around the country and the world. It is safe to say the population increases significantly, rents go up, almost all homes and bach
Bach (New Zealand)
A bach is a small, often very modest holiday home or beach house. Alternatively called a crib, they are an iconic part of New Zealand history and culture, especially in the middle of the 20th century, where they symbolized the beach holiday lifestyle that was becoming more accessible to the...
es are full and a festive atmosphere exists.
Social composition
Waiheke Island has a higher proportion of 'Europeans' (92.8%) compared to 65.7% for Auckland City and 80.1% for New Zealand as a whole (2001 Census). The proportion of Pacific Islanders and Asians is thus also much lower than in the rest of the city.Socially the island is highly diverse, with the creative sector (artists, musicians, scientists, writers, poets and actors) and eccentrics strongly represented. Around two thousand people commute daily to Auckland for work as career opportunities on the island are limited. The main employment sectors are horticulture (wine and olives), agriculture, tourism, construction, food services, retail and real estate. Gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
and land speculation is having an impact, with high rates
Rates (tax)
Rates are a type of property tax system in the United Kingdom, and in places with systems deriving from the British one, the proceeds of which are used to fund local government...
and mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
interest rate
Interest rate
An interest rate is the rate at which interest is paid by a borrower for the use of money that they borrow from a lender. For example, a small company borrows capital from a bank to buy new assets for their business, and in return the lender receives interest at a predetermined interest rate for...
s forcing some people on fixed incomes to relocate off the island. New Zealand council rates are based on land and building valuations, which take into account potential value for redevelopment even if the owners live on the property and have no intention to sell or redevelop. The cost of living on the island is higher compared to the mainland, due to the shipping freight costs of most foodstuffs, fuel and amenities.
The income distribution (2001 Census) shows a higher proportion of lower income groups and a lower proportion of higher income groups, compared to the whole of Auckland City. This is partially due to a higher number of pensioners and single parent families who are usually on fixed incomes and poorer. In 2001, the median income for those older than 15 was $15,600 compared to $23,500 in 2006. Waiheke is now edging towards the national median of $24,400, with the median income having increased 51 per cent over five years. The increase in wealth on Waiheke is also reflected in the number of families earning more than $100,000 per year, which has more than doubled since 2001.
Māori relations
Race relations are supportive, by New Zealand standards. The local maraeMarae
A marae malae , malae , is a communal or sacred place which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies...
was not ancestral Māori land held in Māori title but belonged to the Waiheke County Council. Its citizens, both Pākehā
Pakeha
Pākehā is a Māori language word for New Zealanders who are "of European descent". They are mostly descended from British and to a lesser extent Irish settlers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although some Pākehā have Dutch, Scandinavian, German, Yugoslav or other ancestry...
and Māori, got together, arranged for a long-term lease of council-owned land and built the marae. One of the earliest Māori land claims was driven by Waiheke citizens, who at the time did not know who the tangata whenua
Tangata Whenua
Tāngata whenua is a Māori term of the indigenous peoples of New Zealand and literally means "people of the land", from tāngata, 'people' and whenua land.-Meanings:...
Māori were for the island.
Governance
Auckland City
Auckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
. From 1970 until its amalgamation with Auckland City in 1989, it was administered by the Waiheke County Council. Since 1989 there is a locally elected community board with limited, mainly representational powers, in line with other neighbourhoods in Auckland City. One member on the City Council represents all the inhabited Hauraki Gulf Islands (i.e. Waiheke, Great Barrier and Rakino) plus the downtown area in the central business district.
Amalgamation with Auckland City
In 1989, the former Waiheke County Council was forcibly amalgamated with Auckland City Council as part of Local Government restructuring of that year. Pundits predicted a stormy relationship.In 1990 the Waiheke Community Board formally requested the right to de-amalgamate from the City. A 'De-amalgamation Committee' was established by Council to facilitate the Board's wish. However, this proved not to be to the liking of most of the new Auckland citizenry. In 1991, the city responded to a campaign run by a pro-union group, the Waiheke Island Residents & Ratepayers Association (Inc) by holding a democratic referendum. The de-amalgamation proposal sponsored by the Community Board was defeated.
The subject of amalgamation is still a hot topic on the island. In 2008, the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance
Royal Commission on Auckland Governance
The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance was established by the New Zealand Government to investigate the local government arrangements of Auckland....
received 3,537 submissions, 615 of which were made by Waihekeans, over 1/6 of all submissions. A public meeting of 150 residents on 29 March 2008 found a majority in favour of breaking away from Auckland City.
The Royal Commission recommended that Waiheke Island retain its community board with enhanced powers. The Waiheke Local Board was elected in the October 2010 Auckland local elections
Auckland local elections, 2010
The Auckland local elections, 2010 took place from 17 September until 9 October and were conducted by postal vote. The elections were the first since the merger of the seven councils and elected the new Auckland Council, composed of the mayor, 20 members of the Governing Body, and 149 members of 21...
as part of the Auckland Council
Auckland Council
The Auckland Council is the council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It began operating on 1 November 2010, combining the functions of the existing regional council and the region's seven previous city and district councils into one "super council" or "super city" governed by a mayor, 20...
.
The 2010 local elections resulted in Waiheke resident Mike Lee
Mike Lee (New Zealand politician)
Michael Lee is a councillor on the Auckland Council and the former chairman of the Auckland Regional Council, both in Auckland, New Zealand...
becoming the Councillor for the Waitemata and Gulf Ward. Denise Roche
Denise Roche
Denise Roche is a New Zealand politician who is a member of the Waiheke Local Board and the New Zealand House of Representatives, where she represents the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand.-Early life:...
, Faye Storer, Jo Holmes, Don McKenzie and Jim Hannan were elected to the new Local Board.
Transport and infrastructure
A number of scheduled ferryFerry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
services (passenger and freight) sail to and from Waiheke. Fullers
Fullers Ferries
Fullers Group is a ferry and tourism company in Auckland, New Zealand. It operates in the Hauraki Gulf and in 2007, transported 4.2 million passengers.- Services :Fullers run ferries from the Auckland Ferry Terminal in Quay Street, Downtown Auckland...
runs the main passenger ferry, with trips taking 35 minutes from downtown Auckland.
There are various air connections including Air Discovery, an aeroplane service based at the privately operated Waiheke Island Aerodrome
Waiheke Island Aerodrome
Waiheke Island Aerodrome is a private airport on Waiheke Island, 17 NM North East of Auckland, New Zealand.-General:Waiheke Island Aerodrome is situated on the top of a ridge line south of Onetangi Bay and is the only airport on Waiheke Island. Privately owned and run, prior permission to land is...
(NZKE) near Onetangi Bay
Onetangi Bay
Onetangi Bay is a large bay which forms much of the north coast of Waiheke Island in northern New Zealand. The settlement of Onetangi lies in the centre of its coast....
, and a number of Auckland helicopter operators that charter to the island.
The island has less infrastructure than mainland Auckland. The roads are mainly narrow and in many places unsealed and unlit, especially on the eastern half of the island. The Waiheke Bus Company (owned by Fullers) services most inhabited parts of the island, linking to the ferry sailings from Matiatia.
Each house must maintain its own water supply, most collecting rainwater in cisterns, and must install a septic tank and septic field to handle sewage. This is a requirement in every building consent.
The community established a charitable trust which bid on Auckland City's contract for solid waste disposal. After winning the bid, it was implemented with such success that the recycling centre soon had to be expanded to handle the volumes.
The island has a lively press, with two weekly newspapers vying for attention: the long-established independently-owned Waiheke Gulf News and the Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
owned Waiheke Marketplace. A community radio station, Waiheke Radio
Waiheke Radio
Waiheke Radio is a not-for-profit, non-commercial Community radio service on Waiheke Island. The station offers the facilities, advice, training and technical support for individuals and groups to create and broadcast their own media and radio programmes...
, is broadcasting on 88.3 FM and 107.4 FM after Beach FM
Beach FM
Beach Radio was a radio station situated in the Artworks complex in Oneroa on Waiheke Island, New Zealand. It was last owned and operated by long-time Auckland radio personality Barry Jenkin who did a breakfast show on the station, and featured a number of community-based shows...
lost its licence in a commercial bid in 2008.
Significant events
Stony Batter WWII fortifications
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, three gun emplacements were built on the eastern edge of Waiheke to protect Allied shipping in Waitemata Harbour
Waitemata Harbour
The quite famous Waitemata Harbour is the main access by sea to Auckland, New Zealand. For this reason it is often referred to as Auckland Harbour, despite the fact that it is only one of two harbours surrounding the city, and is crossed by the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The Waitemata forms the north...
, in the fear that Japanese ships might reach all the way to New Zealand. This mirrored developments at North Head
North Head, New Zealand
North Head is a volcanic cone forming a headland within North Shore City, New Zealand, in the suburb of Devonport at the east end of the Waitemata Harbour ....
and Rangitoto Island
Rangitoto Island
Rangitoto Island is a volcanic island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand. The 5.5 km wide island is an iconic and widely visible landmark of Auckland with its distinctive symmetrical shield volcano cone rising 260 metres high over the Hauraki Gulf...
. The guns were never fired in anger. The empty emplacements and the extensive tunnels below them can be visited seven days a week.
Nuclear and GE free zone
Waiheke Island was the first community in New Zealand to vote for a nuclear free zone and this action is said to have contributed to the national decision to become nuclear-free under David LangeDavid Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
's government.
In 1999 Waiheke's community board voted Waiheke as a "genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
free zone", but this is a matter of principle rather than fact, as only national government controls exist over genetically engineered foods and grains.
Matiatia redevelopment
Matiatia
Matiatia - A wharf, foreshore, valley and surrounding hills known as the Gateway to Waiheke Island, Auckland New Zealand. Also a type of beach grass, now rare, which was known to grow at the gateway....
. In 2000 it was purchased by three investors in a company called Waitemata Infrastructure Ltd (WIL). In 2002 WIL proposed to change the Operative District Plan rules for their land to build a major shopping and hotel complex with 29,000 m² of gross floor area on buildable land of approximately 3 hectares. This united the residents of the island in opposition. Over 1,500 adult residents of the island (out of perhaps 3,000) joined together in an incorporated society, the Community and People of Waiheke Island
Community and People of Waiheke Island
The Community and People of Waiheke Island was an incorporated society started 2003 representing much of the community of Waiheke Island, New Zealand during the dispute over the proposed redevelopment of the Matiatia ferry wharf site...
(CAPOW), to oppose the private plan change in court.
In 2004, they won an interlocutory judgement in which the environment court ruled that Auckland City Council
Auckland City
Auckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
had erred in the rules, and the current rules limited controlled development to 5,000 m² in what was called the Visitor Facility Precinct. In 2005, CAPOW won an interim judgement by the court which reduced the proposed redevelopment to about 1/3 of what the investors had originally sought.
This set the stage for confidential negotiations between Auckland's mayor Dick Hubbard
Dick Hubbard
Richard "Dick" John Hubbard ONZM, DSc is a New Zealand businessman and politician, founder and principal of Hubbards Foods in Auckland, and Mayor of Auckland City from 2004 to 2007. His management of Hubbard Foods gained some prominence for its participation in and promotion of socially...
and the investors, who on 31 August 2005 (now known as 'Matiatia Day' on the island) sold 100% of the stock in WIL to the city for $12.5 million. The unanimous vote on 30 June 2005 of the City Council to approve the purchase was said to have come about because of the unity of the people of Waiheke Island. The court case finally was concluded with permitted development set at 10,000 m2 of mixed use gross floor development. The Court also found Auckland City Council and WIL liable for costs in relationship to the interlocutory judgement. Since WIL was now owned by Council, it had to write a cheque for to CAPOW for $18,000, representing 75% of CAPOW's costs on that matter. This final cheque allowed CAPOW to pay all its debts and balance its books.
The Council organised a design competition in 2006 to find a suitable development plan and project for the Matiatia gateway. The competition winner's design (scheme 201) is available for comment on the Council website. It has already attracted much criticism for the lack of car parking close to the ferry terminal, the transport hub function used by all islanders regularly and almost daily by around 850 commuters to Auckland.
Foot and mouth disease
In May 2005, in a suspected capping stuntCapping stunt
A capping stunt or capping is a New Zealand university tradition of student pranks wherein students perpetrate hoaxes or practical jokes upon an unsuspecting population...
, a letter was sent to the New Zealand Prime Minister claiming that foot and mouth disease had been released on Waiheke Island and would be released elsewhere unless money was paid and tax reforms made. A full agricultural exotic disease response was initiated. No livestock were allowed to enter or leave the island. Stock on Waiheke Island was tested every 48 hours for symptoms of the virus, which would devastate New Zealand's agricultural exports. After three weeks of testing, no infected animals were detected and the response staff were stood down.
Wine
Waiheke Island has become known as New ZealandNew 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...
's "island of wine," home to a dedicated group of winegrowers who have successfully matched the maritime climate and ancient soil structures to the selection of classical grape varieties to produce red and white wines with distinctive varietal character.
Waiheke's climate are well suited to growing Bordeaux wine
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
-type grapes, though some Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
and Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
varieties are also considered to be good. Waiheke winegrowers regularly win awards for Syrah, proving the island's terroir
Terroir
Terroir comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties...
suits it well.
The local wines are relatively expensive because of the limited size of many of the vineyards. Among the vineyards and wineries on Waiheke Island are:
- Awaroa Vineyard - The organic Awaroa vineyards lie on west-facing slopes among native bush in the middle of Waiheke Island. Syrah and Cabernet sauvignonCabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
are the main varieties planted. - Cable Bay Vineyards - Cable Bay Vineyards makes wines from grapes grown on Waiheke Island and in Marlborough. Varieties grown include GewürztraminerGewürztraminerGewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written '...
, Sauvignon BlancSauvignon blancSauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
, Pinot NoirPinot NoirPinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
, ChardonnayChardonnayChardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Five Hills MerlotMerlotMerlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
/MalbecMalbecMalbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are long known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. The French plantations of Malbec are now found primarily in Cahors in the South West...
/Cabernet and RoséRoséA rosé is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.- Production techniques :There are three major ways to produce rosé...
. - Destiny Bay Vineyards - Destiny Bay is Waiheke Island’s only Cabernet blend specialist and first fully certified sustainable winery. The 2007 Magna Praemia is New Zealand's highest rated wine by an international critic, and received 98/100 points by Anthony Dias Blue.
- Edbrooke Vineyard - Jeremy Edbrooke has over 7 acres (28,328 m²) planted in MerlotMerlotMerlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Cabernet FrancCabernet FrancCabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
, ChardonnayChardonnayChardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
and Pinot GrisPinot GrisPinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
grapes which are supplied to Waiheke Island's Passage Rock Wines. - Fenton Estate - First planted in 1989, Fenton Twin Bays Vineyard is a north-facing property that spans two small bays separated by a peninsulaPeninsulaA peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
. - Goldwater Estate - Begun by pioneering Waiheke winemakers Kim and Jeanette Goldwater, Goldwater Estate was among the first wine making operations on Waiheke. Its awards include being named winery of the year by Wines and Spirits Magazine in 2001.
- Isola Estate - Isola Estate has its vineyard in the Onetangi area.
- Jurassic Ridge - Jurassic Ridge is a small, family-owned vineyard and winery, named for the surrounding geology. It produces hand-crafted Syrah, MontepulcianoMontepulcianoMontepulciano is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the province of Siena in southern Tuscany, in Italy. Montepulciano, with an elevation of 605 m, sits on a high limestone ridge. By car it is 13 km E of Pienza; 70 km SE of Siena, 124 km SE of Florence, and...
, Pinot GrisPinot GrisPinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
and Cabernet FrancCabernet FrancCabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
. JurassicJurassicThe Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
greywackeGreywackeGreywacke or Graywacke is a variety of sandstone generally characterized by its hardness, dark color, and poorly sorted angular grains of quartz, feldspar, and small rock fragments or lithic fragments set in a compact, clay-fine matrix. It is a texturally immature sedimentary rock generally found...
is a major feature of the terroirTerroirTerroir comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties...
. - Kennedy Point Vineyard - Kennedy Point Vineyard is on the southwestern side and was established in 1996. It specialises in growing and producing Cabernet SauvignonCabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
and Syrah wines. - Man o'War - Situated at the northern end of Waiheke Island, the Man o'War vineyards are planted on numerous small sites on the 5000 acres (20.2 km²) Man o'War farm.
- Miro Vineyard - Miro Vineyard produces two wines, both red BordeauxBordeauxBordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
blends. The vineyard overlooks the ocean at Onetangi Beach. - Mudbrick Vineyard - Mudbrick is one of the Waiheke's best known wineries and has a Provence-style restaurant made of mudbrick. The vineyard produces merlotMerlotMerlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, chardonnayChardonnayChardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, cabernet sauvignonCabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, and Syrah grapes. - Obsidian Vineyard - Obsidian Vineyard in Onetangi. It is a 17-hectare property established in 1993. Obsidian, its flagship wine, is a blend of Cabernet SauvignonCabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, MerlotMerlotMerlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Cabernet FrancCabernet FrancCabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
and MalbecMalbecMalbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are long known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. The French plantations of Malbec are now found primarily in Cahors in the South West...
. Its label is "Weeping Sands" (the translation of "Onetangi"). In 2007 Obsidian won a trophy and gold medal at the Romeo BragatoRomeo BragatoRomeo Alessandro Bragato played a significant role in the early development of the wine industry in New Zealand.-Early life and career:...
National Wine Competition for its first release of the MontepulcianoMontepulcianoMontepulciano is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the province of Siena in southern Tuscany, in Italy. Montepulciano, with an elevation of 605 m, sits on a high limestone ridge. By car it is 13 km E of Pienza; 70 km SE of Siena, 124 km SE of Florence, and...
variety. - Passage Rock Wines - Passage Rock Vineyard is at the eastern end of Waiheke Island at the head of Te Matuku Bay. Its first vines were planted in 1994.
- Peacock Sky - Peacock Sky Vineyard is located in the centre of Waiheke Island with views across the Hauraki GulfHauraki GulfThe 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...
to Auckland. - Peninsula Estate on Hakaimango Point was planted in 1986/87. These original plantings of cabernet sauvignonCabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, cabernet francCabernet FrancCabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
, merlotMerlotMerlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
and malbecMalbecMalbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are long known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. The French plantations of Malbec are now found primarily in Cahors in the South West...
, also now include chardonnayChardonnayChardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
and syrah. - Poderi Crisci Estate
- Ridgeview Estate
- Saratoga Estate
- Stony Batter Estate - Stony Batter Estate, the island's largest vineyard, is at the north-eastern corner of the island
- Stonyridge Vineyard - Stonyridge was founded in 1981 in the Onetangi Valley. Specialising in BordeauxBordeauxBordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
-style reds, the vineyard's most famous wine is its Stonyridge Larose. - Te Motu Vineyard - Te Motu Vineyard was established in the Onetangi Valley in 1989. The first vintage was produced in 1993.
- Te Whau Vineyard
- The Hay Paddock - This 12 acres (48,562.3 m²), stone-walled vineyard on Seaview Road is planted in Syrah vines sourced from the Hermitage AOCHermitage AOCHermitage is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée in the northern Rhône wine region of France south of Lyon. It produces mostly red wine from the Syrah grape; however, small quantities of white wine are also produced from Roussane and Marsanne grapes...
region of the Rhone Valley. Cellar-aged collector wines are released under the Harvest Man and Hay Paddock labels. - Topknot Hill Vineyard
- View East Vineyard - A boutique vineyard on the south eastern corner of Waiheke Island specialising in Syrah.
- Woodside Hill
External links
- Waiheke Island, New Zealand (official Tourism Auckland site)
- Whakanewha Regional Park (nature reserve)
- Waihekepedia (community wiki)
- Complete Guide to Waiheke Island (tourism website)