36°50′S175°35′E / 36.833°S 175.583°E /-36.833; 175.583
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TheCoromandel Peninsula (Māori:Te Tara-o-te-Ika-a-Māui) on theNorth Island ofNew Zealand extends 85 kilometres (53 mi) north from the western end of theBay of Plenty, forming a natural barrier protecting theHauraki Gulf and theFirth of Thames in the west from the Pacific Ocean to the east. It is 40 kilometres (25 mi) wide at its broadest point. Almost its entire population lives on the narrow coastal strips fronting the Hauraki Gulf and the Bay of Plenty. In clear weather the peninsula is clearly visible fromAuckland, the country's biggest city, which lies on the far shore of the Hauraki Gulf, 55 kilometres (34 mi) to the west. The peninsula is part of theThames-Coromandel District and theWaikato Region.
TheMāori name for the peninsula isTe Tara-o-te-Ika-a-Māui, meaning "the barb of Māui's fish". This comes from the legend ofMāui and the Fish, in which the demigod uses his hook to catch a great fish (Te Ika-a-Māui or the North Island) from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. InHauraki Māori tradition, the fish is likened to astingray, with theWellington Region being its head, theNorthland Peninsula its tail, and Coromandel Peninsula its barb or spine.[1][2]
The English-language name for the peninsula comes from HMSCoromandel (originally namedHMSMalabar), a ship of the BritishRoyal Navy that stopped atCoromandel Harbour in 1820 to buykauri spars. The ship was named for theCoromandel Coast of India.
The peninsula is steep and hilly and largely covered inbush. TheCoromandel Range forms the spine for most of the peninsula, with theMoehau Range at the northern end providing the highest point at nearly 900 metres (3,000 ft).[3] The largeGreat Barrier Island, which lies beyond the northern tip, can be thought of as an extension of the ranges. The island is separated fromCape Colville on the peninsula's northern coast by theColville Channel.
Although the peninsula is close to large centres of population such asAuckland to the west andTauranga to the southeast, its rugged nature means that much of it is relatively isolated, and the interior and northern tip are both largely undeveloped and sparsely inhabited. TheCoromandel Forest Park covers much of the inland part of the peninsula.
Numerous small islands and island groups lie offshore, such as theMotukawao Islands to the northwest, theAldermen Islands andSlipper Island to the southeast, and theMercury Islands to the northeast.
The peninsula shows considerable signs of past volcanism. It comprises the eroded remnants of theCoromandel Volcanic Zone, which was highly active during theMiocene andPliocene periods.[4] Volcanic activity has since primarily shifted southeast to theTaupō Volcanic Zone, althoughMayor Island some 25 km to the east was recently active. Geothermal activity is still present on the peninsula, with hot springs in several places, notably atHot Water Beach (in the central east coast betweenWhitianga andTairua) and nearTe Aroha.[5]
Owing to the nature of the land, much of the Coromandel's population clusters in a small number of towns and communities along the southeastern and southwestern coasts. Only five towns have populations of over 1000 (Coromandel,Whitianga,Thames,Tairua, andWhangamatā),[citation needed] and of these only Thames, with 7,220 people, and Whitianga, with 6,230 people, have populations of over 5000.[6] Several small towns dot the coast of theFirth of Thames in the southwest. Other small towns on the peninsula includeTe Puru,Matarangi,Whangapoua,Whiritoa,Hikuai, Port Jackson, Port Charles,Tairua,Pauanui andColville. The population of several of these centres is highly seasonal, with many Aucklanders having holiday homes in the Coromandel.[Note 1] During the summer holiday period around Christmas and New Year, visiting families and travellers from around the North Island add significantly to activity in the area, particularly in Whangamatā, Whitianga, Matarangi, Tairua and Pauanui.
The peninsula is a popular place to live for people who have chosen analternative lifestyle, especially those who have left Auckland. The 1970s saw thousands ofhippies relocate from large cities around New Zealand to the Coromandel in search of anenvironmentally friendly lifestyle associated with thecountercultureback-to-the-land movement. As of 2010[update], increasing numbers of affluent Aucklanders have started moving to the Coromandel.[7]
Population density decreases with both distance from the coast and distance north. Of the main population centres, only Coromandel, Colville, Matarangi and Whitianga lie in the north of the peninsula, and much of the inland parts remain virtually uninhabited.
Prior to contact with Europeans, the Tahanga Quarries of Opito Bay were an important source ofbasalt (karā orpakawera), whichMāori used in the production of stone tools such asadzes (particularly during theMāori Archaic period (1300–1500)).[8][9]
The area was once known largely for its hard-rockgold mining andkauri forestry industries, but is now a popular tourist destination. Most mining ceased around the 1980s.[10] In late 2009, New Zealand's Energy and Resources MinisterGerry Brownlee (National Party) noted that there was a possibility of new mining in conservation areas, even though he had previously declared that a stocktake of mineral resources in protected areas did not indicate a desire to mine there.[10]
A forest park occupies much of the centre of the peninsula, and the coasts are dotted with numerous beaches and scenic views. Evidence of the region's geothermal origins can be found inhot springs, notably atHot Water Beach on the peninsula's east coast. The town of Whangamatā is a popular holiday retreat, and Whitianga onMercury Bay is renowned for itsyachting. The peninsula's waters are also a popular destination forscuba divers.Cathedral Cove, named for its cathedral-like arch through the limestone cliff, is a popular destination, only accessible by boat or on foot. In recent years,dolphins and more coast-lovingwhales areappearing along the coasts as their numbers began to recover, such assouthern right whale,Bryde's whale andhumpback whale.
The towns are connected byState Highways 25 and 25A, which form a circuit around the peninsula. Not all of the roads on the peninsula are sealed (i.e. aregravel roads) notably the309 Road, which connects Coromandel Town and Whitianga. Some hire car companies have contracts that specifically exclude driving on these roads.[11] A passenger ferry runs from Ferry Landing to Whitianga, providing direct access to the shops and restaurants of Whitianga for pedestrians and cyclists based in Cook's Beach, Flaxmill Bay, Front Beach, and Ferry Landing. The ferry takes only 5 minutes to cross the harbour, while the trip by road takes 40 to 45 minutes.
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