Matiu/Somes Island is the largest of several islands in the northern half of Port Nicholson (Wellington Harbour, New Zealand). It lies three kilometres south of the suburb of Petone and the mouth of the Hutt River
It became part of Lower Hutt City in 1989 and came under the full control of the Department of Conservation ("DoC") in 1995. The island is largely predator-free, an unusual state for an island so close to an urban centre. The island is a sanctuary for Tuatara.
The island was known for over a century as Somes Island until it was renamed to restore an ancient Maori name for it.
To the north of the island lies a much smaller island, Mokopuna Island.
External links
Photos and history from an enthusiast (http://www.angelfire.com/ak/Paul56/soams.html)
Dept of Conservation page (http://www.doc.govt.nz/Explore/001~Other-Places/008~Wellington/Matiu-Somes-Island/)
The island is a stronghold for the little blue penguin, several species of shag, the spotted skink and several rare and endangered species of plants.
North Island robins sourced from Kapiti Island were released in April 2006, they bred for the first time in late September and this is viewed as encouraging by DoC staff as it appears to indicate that the island ecosystem represents a suitable habitat for this species.
The Matiu/Somes Island Charitable Trust was established in 1998 as a partnership between Te Ati Awa and the general community to help protect, nurture and enhance the island by raising funds for projects that increased biodiversity and enhanced visitors’ enjoyment of the island.
Somes Sound is located on the south-central coast of Mt. Desert Island, between Blue Hill Bay and Frenchman Bay (Figure 1).
The bedrock geology of the island is dominated by granite, and all of Somes Sound is bordered by granitic rock.
Somes Sound is a five-mile long embayment bordered by Norumbega Mt. (852 ft., 260 m) to the east, and Acadia (681 ft., 208 m) and St Sauveur Mts.(249 ft., 207 m) to the west (Figure 3).
Feeds |
Contact