Kawau Island New Zealand Auckland trips tours

Kawau Island Auckland NZ.

Kawau Island Auckland New Zealand

Kawau Island is one of the Hauraki Gulfs largest Islands, Mansion House in the Kawau Island Historic Reserve is an important historic tourist attraction. There are private dwellings on Kawau Island and almost every property on the Island relies on direct access to the sea. There are only two short roads serving prperties on Kawau and most people have private wharves for access to their front door step. After discovering copper in the 1840s, mining started on the island. The miners and their families where shipped over from Wales and Cornwall, the mining settlement finally reached a maximum of around 300 people, before problems with shipping and mine flooding brought minning to an end on the island.

The original copper mine manager's house (built 1845) was extended to create Mansion House, which still stands today, and tours of the House now run in peak season. There’s also a resurante on the island making it a great stop off for some lunch and a look around. There are several stunning beaches on Kawau Island and the trip over passes several other islands and main land beaches.10% of Kawau island is under the control of the DOC, which tries to keep the protected areas free of invasive pests and animals such as cats and dogs.