The Poor Knights Islands
The Poor Knights Islands are a group of islands covering 24 km2
off the east coast of the Northland Region of the North Island
of New Zealand, at latitude 35°30′S and longitude 174°45′E.
They are located 50 kms to the north-east of Whangarei, and
22 kms offshore from Tutukaka.
Uninhabited since the 1820s, they are a nature reserve and
popular underwater diving spot.
The Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve surrounds the
island.
The reserve covers an area of approximately 1890 ha. It
includes the waters and seabed within 800 m of the Poor
Knights Islands (Tawhiti Rahi Island and Aorangi Island).
The reserve also includes the waters and seabed within
800 m of the Pinnacles and Sugarloaf Rock (also known as
The Squires) that lie approximately 8 km to the south of
the Poor Knights Islands.
The region was made into a partial marine reserve on 18
February 1981. It was NZ’s second marine reserve. (Goat
Island at Leigh was the first in 1971) At that time
commercial fishing was banned within the reserve but
restricted recreational fishing was allowed.
In October 1998 the reserve became a fully protected
marine reserve and is currently awaiting World Heritage
status. The Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve has
unique marine flora and fauna owing to a number of factors including:
1. The influence of the subtropical current from Australia’s Great Barrier Reef which transports
subtropical larvae to the reserve.
2. The steep, rocky, sub-tidal topography of the islands which provides a wonderland of sub-aquatic
arches, caves and tunnels.
3. High water clarity caused by the absence of runoff from rivers, streams and oceanic currents.
The combination of these environmental factors creates a unique environment that supports an unusual
subtropical, biological community at the Poor Knights.
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Poor Knights Marine Reserve.
Navigation and mooring is allowed in
the marine reserve but landing on the
islands is not allowed. Boats must not
be tied to any part of the shoreline.
The marine reserve can be enjoyed,
provided people observe the rules,
such as when anchoring, use only the
minimum amount of chain to avoid
damaging the sea floor when pulling
up your anchor.
Visitors to the marine reserve are
welcome and activities like boating,
snorkelling, scuba diving and canoeing
are encouraged. However, a number
of other activities are banned to
protect the marine life of the area.
 Fishing of any kind is an
offence.
 The taking or disturbing of any
marine life, including shellfish and
seaweed is also an offence.
 It is an offence to take any part
of the seafloor, including rocks and
shells, from the reserve.
 You cannot feed the fish. This
disturbs their natural behaviour and is
an offence.
 It is an offence for boats or jet
skis to exceed five knots within 200 m
of the land.
 Please take your rubbish away
with you. Littering and pollution are
offences.
These rules are to protect the Islands from fire and the accidental introduction of pests like rats or cats and
invasive weeds. Any one of these could result in an ecological disaster for the islands and the species that
survive on them. Anyone committing an offence could be fined by the Department of Conservation.
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Activities at Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve
Diving and snorkelling are one of the best ways to enjoy the
underwater world. Kayaking lets you explore the caves and arches
and the clear water allows everyone to observe the marine life. A
number of charter boats operate from Tutukaka.
Above and below water, the
islands are abundantly populated
with unique and incredibly varied plant, animal and fish life.
The 11 million year old islands provide a number of spectacular drop-offs,
walls, caves, arches and tunnels. The islands have more than 50 exciting
dive spots.
Isolated from the mainland for many thousands of years, the islands are
the remnants of ancient volcanoes that erupted in the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’. In places the cliffs rise 100m
from the wave-tops and plunge 100m below. On the few ridges and valleys between the cliffs, a unique
blend of plants, animals and insects have evolved and thrived, safe from mainland predators.
One of the largest Pohutukawa forests
in New Zealand sets the islands a-blaze
with its crimson blooms in
November/December every year.
Converging warm water currents, a
micro -climate and thousands of years
of separation from the mainland have
resulted in a unique biodiversity below
and above the water line.
Over 125 species
of fish share this
. with
environment
soft corals, sponges,
anemones and kelp.
A dive at the Poor Knights is a once-in-a-lifetime
experience, very different to diving on coral reefs or
even the nearby New Zealand coast. It is a very popular
spot with underwater photographers and it is one of
the world’s 10 most popular sites for scuba diving.
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Birds
Nine species of petrel flock to the islands to breed
between October and May. At night they come
home in their thousands to land precisely on the spot
where their burrows are found and their chicks
are waiting. In late summer there are large areas with
young birds 'parked', waiting for the return of their
parents.
Also about 2.5 million Buller Shearwaters come to
the Poor Knights every year to breed. They return from
their journeys to outlying islands such as the Chatham Islands, and even from as far away as California.
The Poor Knights also has a colony of pied shags that can usually be found in trees or drying their feathers
on a low rock. Other sea birds seen are white fronted terns and little blue penguins. The mainland birds are
bell birds, red crowned parakeets and the shining cuckoo.
Reptiles and insects
The islands have a wide variety of insect and reptile life. Tuatara are found on the larger islands, along
with two species of gecko and five species of skink.
A giant centipede is found on Aorangi Island, as well as the flax snail with a long spiral shell. Probably the
most frightening of the inhabitants of the islands is the giant tree weta, growing up to 8cm long and the
giant cave weta. This latter insect has a body about 6cm long but measures 30 cm from the top of its
antennae to the claws on its hind legs and can weigh about 40grams.
Human habitation
Ngatiwai are an ancient people who were known as
Ngatiwai ki te Moana (those who lived along the east coast
and offshore islands). They are the kaitiaki (guardians) of a
sacred covenant placed on the islands by a chief in 1822.
This tapu was placed following the massacre of his people
while he and his warriors were absent. It also covers the
surrounding waters because some of the occupants had
jumped off the cliffs to avoid being taken prisoner by the
invading tribe. Both main islands were inhabited by Maori
for many generations until the invasion. They were once home to approximately 400 people. Today
Ngatiwai fully support the marine reserve and consider it to be a step in the right direction for protecting
the significant tapu over these islands and the surrounding waters. Ngatiwai request that visitors respect
the area and hope that you enjoy your visit.
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Timeline
1769 Captain Cook recorded the islands were cultivated and inhabited with fortified villages. These he
named the Poor Knights, and the nearby Pinnacles he named the Poor Squires.
1822 Maori elders declare the islands ‘tapu’ (forbidden, or restricted) after an inter-tribal massacre.
1882
The Poor Knights were purchased at auction by the government to be used as a lighthouse reserve.
A small, automated lighthouse was eventually erected on the north-eastern cliffs of Tawhiti Rahi in
the late 1950s.
1922 The islands were declared a ‘scenic’ reserve.
1929 The islands were declared a sanctuary for nature and imported game. However, besides the pigs
left over from Maori occupation, no other wildlife was ever introduced to the islands. During these
years several scientific and archaeological expeditions took place and efforts were made to
exterminate the wild pigs that were causing extensive damage to the bush and threatening the
survival of many of the native species.
1936 The pigs were finally removed and the islands were left to recover.
1967 The islands became part of the newly formed Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park.
1975 When the Reserves Act of 1977 came into force the islands were automatically classified as a
nature reserve, the highest form of protection in New Zealand at that time.
1981 The Poor Knights area became New Zealand’s second Marine Reserve. Although divers in the 1960s
respected the islands as a special place already, it took till 1981 before they were officially
protected as New Zealand's second marine reserve (the first is around Goat Island at Leigh). World
renowned marine scientist, Jacques Cousteau, rated it as the third best dive spot in the world.
1998 the Poor Knights was granted full Marine Reserve status, extending 800 metres out from any part of
the islands.
1999 Two companies set up in the late 1980’s: “Aqua Action” and “Knightline Dive”, join to form “Dive
Tutukaka”. They have the longest history of diving and sightseeing trips out to the Poor Knights
Islands.
Today The Poor Knights are considered one of the most important offshore marine and nature reserves in
the country and access is restricted to scientific studies that will directly benefit the islands.
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Conservation of precious marine environments is a vital task for the Department of Conservation and the
Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, considered one of the most important in the country, comes under
their control. World Heritage Status is pending, and UNESCO will make a final call in the next 12 months.
The cultural and archeological aspects of the islands are unique, the flora and fauna are protected by the
strict no landing zone.
DOC is working with relevant governmental, private and commercial organisations to support future
initiatives at the Poor Knights Islands that include:
· Biosecurity
· Marine Protection Zoning
· Building stronger relationships with Ngatiwai
Effects of the change in fishing regulations due to the creation of the Marine Reserve
DOC is monitoring the changes in the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve to measure the project's results.
Data collection was first done in 1998, and has been repeated every year to establish any trends of change.
The monitoring programme has provided information that demonstrated that no-take marine reserves in
north-east New Zealand outperform partial protection strategies in the recovery of target exploited
species, and lead to rapid and significant recovery of target species.
The data provided evidence that the earlier partial fishing regulations were inefficient at protecting
targeted species. The increase in snapper density in particular, since full reserve status, has been rapid.
Large snapper (>270 mm) numbers have increased rapidly to levels 7.4 times higher in the final survey
compared to the pre-reserve survey, and total snapper numbers have increased by 818%.
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