Mana Island’s name is an abbreviation of Te Mana o Kupe ki Aotearoa, which acknowledges the achievements of Kupe, the legendary 12th Century Polynesian navigator, who discovered this land — Aotearoa.
When Captain Cook sailed past the island on the 'Endeavour' - he called it 'Table Island' for obvious reasons !
History
Artefacts, such as fish hooks, spears, and animal remains found in middens provide evidence of human occupation of Mana back to the 14 century. The island is within view of pa sites at Whitireia Park and Plimmerton that belonged to the Porirua tribes Ngati Tara and Ngati Ira.
In the early 1820s, Ngati Toa people from Waikato and Ngati Awa from Taranaki swept into the region. The Ngati Toa leader, Te Rauparaha and his nephew, Te Rangihaeata, both built whare (houses) and developed kumara gardens on Mana.
European occuptaion of the island began in the 1830s when a whaling station was established and most of the vegetation was cleared to create one of New Zealand’s earliest pastoral farms. Wool from Mana Island sheep is reputed to be among the earliest exported from New Zealand. The woolshed from this era still stands at Shingle Point. It now houses displays explaining the history and features of the island.
A light house was built at the northern end in 1863, and the island passed into Crown ownership in 1865. Grazing continued until 1986 when the last cattle were removed. Sheep had been removed earlier after a suspected outbreak disease.
The Department of Conservation took over management of the island in 1987 and began to restore Mana to its natural state.
Conservation
With the support of community groups, such as Forest & Bird, the island’s forest canopy is being restored by a massive replanting programme. The only places where regeneration of native shrubs and trees is not actively encouraged are the many historic sites on Mana. These are being maintained as grassland to preserve the significant features.Mana Island’s potential for threatened species conservation was greatly enhanced in 1990 by the eradication of mice which had been present in plague proportions. Fortunately, rats and other introduced mammalian predators had never established on the island. Mana is a significant location for Cook Strait giant weta, McGregor’s skink and goldstripe gecko.Takahe, North Island robin and three lizard species have been introduced. Other threatened species may be introduced to Mana as suitable habitats develop. As well as revegetation, many other initiatives have been taken to enhance Mana’s ecological value. In 1997, a “concrete gannet colony” was installed above the western cliffs with the aim of attracting gannets to breed there, and in 1998, the Waikoko wetland was developed. This will eventually provide habitat suitable for North Island fernbird, brown mudfish and a range of threatened wetland plants from the Cook Strait and Wellington Ecological Districts.
We are limited to 33 passengers.
The coach will depart from the Waldegrave Street carpark at 7.30am.
Returning to Waldegrave Street at approx 6.00pm.
If you would like to take part in this day trip, please contact Dennis on either (06) 354-9969 or 0274-371-021.
e-mail - dennis.d@inspire.net.nz
Cheques should be made payable to 'Forest & Bird Manawatu'
