The position of the Antipodes Islands relative to New Zealand, and other outlying islands.

The Antipodes Islands (49°41′S 178°48′E) are an inhospitable uninhabited island group to the south of—and territorially part of—New Zealand. They lie 650 kilometres to the southeast of Stewart Island/Rakiura. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (911x581, 74 KB) Summary A map showing some of the outlying islands of New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands, Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, and Campbell Islands, as well as Australias Macquarie Island. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (911x581, 74 KB) Summary A map showing some of the outlying islands of New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands, Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, and Campbell Islands, as well as Australias Macquarie Island. ... Stewart Island/Rakiura is the third largest island of New Zealand. ...

The island group was first charted in 1800. An attempt to establish cattle on the islands was short-lived (and so, due to the climate, were the cattle). When the ship Spirit of Dawn foundered on the main island's coast in 1893, the eleven surviving crew spent nearly three months living as castaways on the island, living on a subsistence diet of raw seabird. Ironically, a well-supplied castaway depot was available on the other end of the island. 1800 (MDCCC) was an common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The group consists of one main island of 60 km² area, Bollans Island of 2 km² to the north, and numerous small islets and stacks.

The group gets its name for its supposed antipodal position to Britain. Although they are the closest land to the true antipodes of Britain, their location (49°41′S 178°48′E) is directly antipodal to a point a few kilometres to the east of Cherbourg on the north coast of France. Antipodes (from Greek anti- opposed and pous foot) means diametrically opposed, and more specifically refers to the opposite side of the Earth, the region of the antipodal point, from where one is located. ... Cherbourg is a city of Normandy, in northwestern France, in the Manche département, of which it is a sous_préfecture. ...

References

• Wise's New Zealand Guide (4th ed.) (1969). Dunedin: H. Wise & Co. (N.Z.) Ltd.