Matakohe-Limestone Island

Matakohe - Limestone Island in the upper Whangārei Harbour and is just a boat ride from the city or a short paddle from the suburb of Onerahi.

Open for everyone to enjoy, the community input has transformed Matakohe - Limestone Island from degraded pasture into a regenerating forest habitat.

The island was once an important Māori pa site and the remains of kumara cultivation can still clearly be seen on northern slope of the island. There are also impressive ruins of one of Whangārei's earliest industrial sites - the Limestone Island cement works, founded in 1856.

It has been replanted by the community and pests eradicated and is now an important conservation refuge for rare and endangered native animals.

What to expect

Explore the picturesque remains of a former limestone works.
The island is used as a 'kiwi creche' where young kiwi are raised before they are large enough to be released into the wild on the mainland.
You can walk the island on well-marked tracks.

There may be some known and potential hazards that users should be aware of and avoid.

Known hazards in caves and on Council reserves