Mahurangi Harbour
| Mahurangi Harbor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Auckland Region, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 36°21′S 174°44′E / 36.350°S 174.733°E |
| River sources | Mahurangi River, Duck Creek, Dyers Creek, Hepburn Creek, Te Kapa River |
| Ocean/sea sources | Pacific Ocean |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Islands | Casnell Island, Pudding Island |
| Settlements | Mahurangi West, Pukapuka, Pohuehue, Snells Beach, Scotts Landing, Warkworth |
The Mahurangi Harbour is a natural harbour in New Zealand by area. It is located on the north-eastern coast of the Auckland Region near the town of Warkworth, and empties into the Hauraki Gulf.
Geology
The Mahurangi Harbour is a drowned river valley. The modern harbour formed approximately 7,200 years ago at the end of the last glacial maximum, when the forested valley was flooded by rising sea levels.[1]
A number of settlements are found along the shores of the harbour: Mahurangi West, Pukapuka, Pohuehue, Snells Beach and Scotts Landing. The major town of Warkworth is located along the Mahurangi River, a tidal estuary of the harbour. The Mahurangi Regional Park is located at the headlands on either side of the entracne to the harbour.
History
The Mahurangi Harbour was settled by the Ngāti Rongo people of Ngāti Whatua/Te Kawerau descent, between the 17th and 20th centuries.[1] Te Muri, to the south of the harbour's mouth, was a major settlement of Ngāti Rongo until the death of rangatira Te Hemara Tauhia in 1891.[1] Sea captain John Sullivan moved to the area in the 1870s, settling at Otarawao and marrying Merehai Kaipuke, a Ngāti Rongo woman of high birth.[1] The family farmed the area for over one century.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e Cameron, Ewen; Hayward, Bruce; Murdoch, Graeme (2008). A Field Guide to Auckland: Exploring the Region's Natural and Historical Heritage. Random House New Zealand. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-86962-1513.