History of Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island is located about 17.7km, or 35 minutes by ferry, from Auckland, New Zealand. It has an area of approximately 92km2 and is the third most populated of the New Zealand Islands after the North and South Islands.
Waiheke Island was originally home to Maori tribes. Remains of various Maori villages can still be seen on the island today. Captain Cook entered the Hauraki Gulf, where Waiheke Island is located, in 1769.
During the 1820s, a large number of Waiheke Islanders were killed by Hongi Heke in a battle on Onetangi Beach. By the mid 1850s, settlement on Waiheke Island by Europeans had begun.
Waiheke Island was originally home to Maori tribes. Remains of various Maori villages can still be seen on the island today. Captain Cook entered the Hauraki Gulf, where Waiheke Island is located, in 1769.
During the 1820s, a large number of Waiheke Islanders were killed by Hongi Heke in a battle on Onetangi Beach. By the mid 1850s, settlement on Waiheke Island by Europeans had begun.
More recently, three gun emplacements were built on the eastern edge of the island in World War 2 to protect against Japanese ships in the event that they reached New Zealand. However, this did not eventuate. The gun emplacements and the defence installation they are located on, named Stony Batter, can still be visited today.Today, Waiheke Island has a population of approximately 7700 people and is a popular holiday destination.