Help take care of this reserve Know before you go In a marine reserve all forms of freshwater and marine life, • There are toilets at Orapiu Wharf only. Te Matuku along with all habitats, are protected. • Take plenty of food and water as there are no shops at this Do not: end of the island. Marine Reserve • Fish (using any method, it is strictly prohibited) Important: , • Take your dog or any domestic pet • Take care when walking as there are cliff-top sections and parts of the track are steep. You’ll need good walking • Collect any marine life or habitat (this includes taking footwear, and protection from rain, wind and sun. shellfish, sand, rocks, shells and seaweed, dead or alive) • Keep to the tracks and respect private property. Marine Park • Disturb or harm marine life or the marine environment • Do not light fires. • Feed the fish • Discharge any waste or drop litter. The tidal mudflats support wading birds like tōrea/variable Doing any of these things could result in a fine of up to $250,000 oystercatcher and tūturiwhatu/ and/or up to 3 months imprisonment. dotterel (right). Enjoy the marine reserve by boat. Take care not to damage Please stay away from nesting marine life by dragging your anchor or allowing your boat to rest shorebirds like NZ dotterel on tidal flats at low tide. and oystercatchers between September and February. If you see anyone committing offences or Their nests are difficult to behaving in a suspicious way please call see, but are usually above the the DOC HOTline high tide mark. Stick to the 0800 362 468 track or walk on or just below the

high tide mark or lower where tide Photo: Rod Hay allows. Disturbing adults when they are nesting could cause the eggs to ‘cook’ in the sun.

Keep kauri standing Kauri dieback is a fungus-like disease that kills New Zealand kauri trees. To help keep Waiheke’s kauri safe, always remember to clean your gear, e.g. shoes, equipment, before and after walking the tracks.

For more information Published by: Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland Department of Conservation Visitor Centre Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland Office 137 Quay Street Private Bag 68908, Newton, Auckland 1010 Auckland 1145, New Zealand April 2016 Phone: 09 379 6476 Editing and design: Marine reserve Email: [email protected] Publishing Team, DOC National Office boundary markers, www.doc.govt.nz like the one shown Cover lower photo: Ross Adventures here, define the This publication is produced using paper reserve area. sourced from well-managed, renewable and legally logged forests. About the reserve disturbances. This also makes them ideal places to study Te Matuku Marine Reserve protects one of Waiheke Island’s marine ecosystems. largest undisturbed estuaries, unique in the Auckland region. Activities W a i h e k e I s W a i h e k e I s Surrounded by native bush, the marine reserve is home to a Swim, dive, snorkel, explore by boat or kayak, and enjoy the

Arran Bay wide variety of marine, fish and bird life. Established in 2005, it beauty of this special place. Note that water within the tidal Silver Bay Rd y Pasadena is one of five marine reserves in the Auckland region. bay is often murky and not always suitable for snorkelling. Ba Silver Bay es Rd Bay ow ay ConnePllsa Bsaydena C s B Finger Point Bay we Marine reserve boundaries o Fin WaikorarCikoi nBnaeylls Bay Getting there O C ger Point Graveyard r Patio a The 690 ha marine reserve includes all of Te Matuku Bay Point Waikorarikil Bay Te Matuku Marine Reserve is located in the more remote, rural p Bay e O n i Omaru n Graveyard u a r Patio h (McLeods Bay) and extends into deeper water across the a Bay C south-east corner of Waiheke Island, where there is no public bus Point R l p Baye e Te Matuku Bay d k n i Omaru e n Circular (McLeods Bay) u ih Pohnaui Waiheke Channel, beyond Passage Rock. There is a small pre- service. Your options are: Bay a CHead Bay R W Ma Orapiu ke F Te Matuku Bay d e existng oyster farm within the deeper waters of the reserve that Circular a(Mcri Leods Bay) Orapiu Bay ih Ponui • Visit the area by car – your own or a hire car. rm n a Head Bay e Pearl W is technically not part of the reserve. L S Ma Bay Orapiu (! W it a F tl n a Pohutukawa Bay • Explore the area by foot (see map). Te Ara Hura is a h e d ri rm e Orapiu Bay it B y n h ! The marine reserve boundaries are from the mean high water e Pea w ( s a B e rl a y 36°50'54.46"S y a k a network of tracks across Waiheke Island. L B S y Bay a B 175°08'37.86"E W i a a t mark around Te Matuku Bay and the bays at its entrance (! t y 36°50'48.91"S tl n O Pohutukawa Bay h e d e See www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. Take part in the annual 175°06'44.i29"E B y h te w (! (Whites Bay, Little Bay, Sandy Bay and Otakawhe Bay), out s a B a y 36°50'54.46"S y a k a B y a B 175°08'37.86"E Waiheke Walking Festival www.waihekewalkingfestival.org a Passaget to a line level with Kauri Point on Ponui Island (Chamberlins 36°50'48.91"S y Rock O 175°06'44.29"E Poroaki Island). See the map. • 360 Discovery run a ferry service from central Auckland Bay Kauri Point (! Passage (! city to Coromandel town, stopping at nearby Orapiu 36°51'43.34"S Rock 36°51'43.01"S 175°07'23.54"E What are marine reserves? 175°09'09.47"E PonuiPoroaki Wharf. See www.360discovery.co.nz. Bay Marine reserves are the ‘national parks’ of the sea – areas Kauri Point Is (! (! set aside for the total protection of species. There are • Explore the marine reserve by private boat or kayak (your 0 36°501.5'43.34"1S 36°51'43.01"S 175°07'23.54"Ekm 175°09'09.47"E Ponui approximately 45 marine reserves throughout New Zealand own or chartered/hired). Otakawhe Bay is a good place to Is and within our Exclusive Economic Zone. launch kayaks but be aware of the tidal currents at this bay. Public passenger ferry wharf Toilets 0 0.5 1 ° For the most up-to-date information on getting there, Te Mkamtuku Marine Reserve Walking track The benefits of marine reserves Marine plants and animals, along with their habitat, are able see www.doc.govt.nz/tematuku. to thrive without fishing, shellfish gathering, pollution or other Public passenger ferry wharf  ToilOetms aru Bay O ° Te Matuku Marine Reserver Walking track a p i u

Te Matuku Bay R (McLeods Bay) d Omaru Bay R Motutapu O a r n Is a g p Y Onetangi O r a p i u it IATIA BA i o AT Bay u Ta k a p u n a t Rangitoto Is - M o L A Man o' War Te Matuku Bay R ve C IN Bay A d h M Motuihe Is (McLeods Bay) Orapiu Bay a ER Pakatoa Is Pearl n n T n N F- Wai hek e Is a W AR e NTO YARD WH Bay e l W WYN T Orapiu DO Y POIN Rotoroa Is p Browns Is KENNED

e Wharf (Motukorea)

N O r a p i u DO BAY- W Pohutukawa OON NT LF M OINT OW Bay HA DY P N Te Matuku Bay e Mission ENNE T TE v K am RM (McLeods Bay) Bay a IN wA he Orapiu Bay Walk the track Saint Bucklands ki AL - ka S tr ORAPIU BAY Pearl ta n Bay Heliers Beach ait O a from Orapiu Wharf to Otakawhe A u c k l a n d r Bay e 0 200 e Orapiu iv Maraetai p m R Bay (15 mins, 1 km), then walk i Ponui Is e Wharf k Pine a Beachlands N Panmure m Howick Harbour Pohutukawa over the hill to sheltered Pearl a T Bay Bay (15 mins, 1 km). Mo u n t Cockle We ll in g t o n Bay Pakihi he Is kaw ta Bay O 0 200 Kawakawa 0 2.5 5 Public passenger Te Matuku Marine Bay m ° km ferry wharf Reserve Early origins Special natural features A place for birds In pre-European times Te Matuku Bay was an A special feature of the reserve is Two shell spits on the eastern side of Te Matuku Bay important food gathering and waka (canoe) landing its diverse mix of habitats. It has saltwater wetlands, broad are important roosting and nesting areas for native place for Māori living in the coastal settlements intertidal mudflats, low- lying islands, shell spits, rocky and overseas migrant shorebirds. The tōrea pango/ and nearby mountain pā of Maunganui, the highest shorelines and the deep water of the Waiheke Channel variable oystercatcher, Caspian tern and the endangered point on Waiheke Island. Thick shell middens in around Passage Rock. Each of these distinct marine tūturiwhatu/New Zealand dotterel all nest on these spits. the bay are evidence of its past bounty of kaimoana habitats provides homes for particular groups of plants and Annual migrants such as kuaka/godwit, huahou/knot, (seafood). animals. sandpiper and turnstone breed on the Siberian and Ngāti Paoa are tangata whenua (people of this The surrounding area Alaskan tundra in their northern summer then fly south land) and traditional kaitiaki (guardians) for to avoid the winter there, and enjoy another spring and Birds like kererū/New Zealand pigeon, riroriro/grey Waiheke Island. Other iwi, such as Hauraki and summer in New Zealand. Ngāi Tai, also have ancestral ties to this area, which warbler, pīwakawaka/fantail, tauhou/silvereye, kōtare/ kingfisher, ruru/morepork and tūī can also be found in Our internal migrants, ngutuparore/wrybill and tōrea/ is of historic, cultural and spiritual importance to pied oystercatcher, which breed along the shingle these tribes. the surrounding forested areas. Kākā are becoming more common and pīpīwharauroa/shining cuckoo visit Waiheke banks of the South Island’s braided rivers, are frequent Te Matuku Bay was Waiheke’s earliest European Island each year. Native fish like kōura, banded kōkopu, visitors to northern harbours over winter. Other coastal settlement but all that remains are the sites of the tuna/eel and koeke/common shrimp can be found in the birds that live in or use the bay are tūturiwhatu/banded first school and the pioneer cemetery at the head freshwater streams in the area. dotterel, tara/white-fronted tern, matuku moana/ of the bay. reef heron and pūweto/spotless crake. The matuku/ Australasian bittern, a rare wetland bird, has been recorded in the bay.

The estuary The estuary extends over 28 hectares of Close to the head of Te Matuku Bay, mangroves grow in Passage Rock and offshore mudflats towards the land. A sequence of dense stands and are havens for mud snails, mud crabs The bay’s fine muds extend out into the Waiheke plants – from eel grass on the mudflats and other creatures which feed on the leaf litter. They also Channel. Typical mud dwellers found here include through mangrove and salt marsh, to provide a refuge for the birds that feed on these animals. burrowing polychaete worms, sea stars, sand dollars and maritime fringing bush and finally up into There are dense shellfish beds – particularly cockles in the gastropods. lowland broadleaf forest – is special because intertidal sand flats. Extensive beds of horse mussels and large seaweeds, such natural successions of changing Gobies and triple fins (fish) are abundant in the tidal common in the gulf, grow around Passage Rock, which plant communities are now rare in channels, as are sand and yellow belly flounder. Eagle is also habitat for crayfish and snapper. Tarāpunga/red- northern New Zealand. rays and short-tail stingrays are common in summer. In billed gull, karoro/black-backed gull, tara/white-fronted The soft mudflats and sands provide the bar, rig/spotted dogfish, kahawai and snapper can be tern and kawau paka/little shag nest on Passage Rock. rich pickings for wading birds at low found. Short-fin eels and yellow eye mullet are common in tide and, as the tide rises, juvenile the mangroves and upper reaches of the tidal creeks and flounder and mullet at low water the sand dollar/snapper biscuit is often quite move in to feed abundant. on this abundant invertebrate Rocky shores marine life in The entrance to Te Matuku Bay has rocky shores and gravel the bay. The quiet beaches where common seashore snails, chitons, acorn mangrove inlets are barnacles, small black mussels and tubeworms abound. important breeding Unfortunately, this area has also been colonised by the places for fish. introduced Pacific oyster. Early origins Special natural features A place for birds In pre-European times Te Matuku Bay was an A special feature of the reserve is Two shell spits on the eastern side of Te Matuku Bay important food gathering and waka (canoe) landing its diverse mix of habitats. It has saltwater wetlands, broad are important roosting and nesting areas for native place for Māori living in the coastal settlements intertidal mudflats, low- lying islands, shell spits, rocky and overseas migrant shorebirds. The tōrea pango/ and nearby mountain pā of Maunganui, the highest shorelines and the deep water of the Waiheke Channel variable oystercatcher, Caspian tern and the endangered point on Waiheke Island. Thick shell middens in around Passage Rock. Each of these distinct marine tūturiwhatu/New Zealand dotterel all nest on these spits. the bay are evidence of its past bounty of kaimoana habitats provides homes for particular groups of plants and Annual migrants such as kuaka/godwit, huahou/knot, (seafood). animals. sandpiper and turnstone breed on the Siberian and Ngāti Paoa are tangata whenua (people of this The surrounding area Alaskan tundra in their northern summer then fly south land) and traditional kaitiaki (guardians) for to avoid the winter there, and enjoy another spring and Birds like kererū/New Zealand pigeon, riroriro/grey Waiheke Island. Other iwi, such as Hauraki and summer in New Zealand. Ngāi Tai, also have ancestral ties to this area, which warbler, pīwakawaka/fantail, tauhou/silvereye, kōtare/ kingfisher, ruru/morepork and tūī can also be found in Our internal migrants, ngutuparore/wrybill and tōrea/ is of historic, cultural and spiritual importance to pied oystercatcher, which breed along the shingle these tribes. the surrounding forested areas. Kākā are becoming more common and pīpīwharauroa/shining cuckoo visit Waiheke banks of the South Island’s braided rivers, are frequent Te Matuku Bay was Waiheke’s earliest European Island each year. Native fish like kōura, banded kōkopu, visitors to northern harbours over winter. Other coastal settlement but all that remains are the sites of the tuna/eel and koeke/common shrimp can be found in the birds that live in or use the bay are tūturiwhatu/banded first school and the pioneer cemetery at the head freshwater streams in the area. dotterel, tara/white-fronted tern, matuku moana/ of the bay. reef heron and pūweto/spotless crake. The matuku/ Australasian bittern, a rare wetland bird, has been recorded in the bay.

The estuary The estuary extends over 28 hectares of Close to the head of Te Matuku Bay, mangroves grow in Passage Rock and offshore mudflats towards the land. A sequence of dense stands and are havens for mud snails, mud crabs The bay’s fine muds extend out into the Waiheke plants – from eel grass on the mudflats and other creatures which feed on the leaf litter. They also Channel. Typical mud dwellers found here include through mangrove and salt marsh, to provide a refuge for the birds that feed on these animals. burrowing polychaete worms, sea stars, sand dollars and maritime fringing bush and finally up into There are dense shellfish beds – particularly cockles in the gastropods. lowland broadleaf forest – is special because intertidal sand flats. Extensive beds of horse mussels and large seaweeds, such natural successions of changing Gobies and triple fins (fish) are abundant in the tidal common in the gulf, grow around Passage Rock, which plant communities are now rare in channels, as are sand and yellow belly flounder. Eagle is also habitat for crayfish and snapper. Tarāpunga/red- northern New Zealand. rays and short-tail stingrays are common in summer. In billed gull, karoro/black-backed gull, tara/white-fronted The soft mudflats and sands provide the bar, rig/spotted dogfish, kahawai and snapper can be tern and kawau paka/little shag nest on Passage Rock. rich pickings for wading birds at low found. Short-fin eels and yellow eye mullet are common in tide and, as the tide rises, juvenile the mangroves and upper reaches of the tidal creeks and flounder and mullet at low water the sand dollar/snapper biscuit is often quite move in to feed abundant. on this abundant invertebrate Rocky shores marine life in The entrance to Te Matuku Bay has rocky shores and gravel the bay. The quiet beaches where common seashore snails, chitons, acorn mangrove inlets are barnacles, small black mussels and tubeworms abound. important breeding Unfortunately, this area has also been colonised by the places for fish. introduced Pacific oyster.