The Story of the Lighthouse Cottages
The Story of the Lighthouse CottagesCompiled by Stacey Balich using Tiritiri Matangi: A Model of Conservation and 150th anniversary of the Tiritiri lighthouse written by Anne Rimmer for the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi IncPhoto credits from the SoTM ArchivesIn 1864, as Auckland’s busy port saw more and more steamships arriving, the New Zealand government commissioned a prefabricated cast-iron lighthouse from Simpson & Co in England. Packed into 279 crates weighing around 75 tonnes, the pieces were shipped across the world and hauled up Tiritiri Matangi’s steep hill by twelve bullocks. Over four months, crews dug three metres down for the foundations, then bolted the rectangular iron plates together like a giant Meccano set. On New Year’s Day 1865, the colza (rapeseed) oil lamp was lit for the first time. Within the hour, the Barque Meteor sighted the light from 26 miles away, a beacon visible even from Princes Street and Auckland’s windmill hilltops. Before construction began on the tower itself, two small cottages were built to house the workers. These modest timber homes, made from weatherboards, corrugated iron, and nails hauled ashore by boat, looked north over the island. They later became the first lighthouse keepers’ cottages, with small fenced gardens, chicken coops, and water tanks close by. By the early 1900s, the settlement began to grow.…
The Aldis Lamp
The Aldis Lamp Written by Stacey BalichPhoto credits: Stacey BalichImagine standing on the deck of a ship at night, waves crashing around you, holding a small lamp in your hands. You aim it across the dark water, pulling a trigger to tilt a mirror and send a secret message in flashes of light. Before the days of reliable radios, this simple yet ingenious tool was a lifeline for sailors a silent language of dots and dashes that could mean safety, rescue, or vital instructions at sea. Today, the Maritime Precinct is filled with these fascinating tools and technologies from the past and one of the most iconic is the Aldis lamp. Invented by Arthur Cyril Webb Aldis of Birmingham, England, the Aldis signalling lamp became a vital tool for maritime communication in the early to mid-20th century. The Aldis lamp was designed to send visual messages using light, long before modern radios and satellite communication were reliable. It worked by flashing Morse code signals between ships, aircraft, or shore stations. This was particularly useful during wartime, allowing fleets to stay in contact while maintaining radio silence to avoid detection by enemy forces. The way it worked was ingenious. A bright light source was aimed at the receiving vessel, and the operator would create pulses of light to form the dots and dashes of Morse code. In larger lamps, this was…
Tiritiri Matangi’s Nīkau Grove
Tiritiri Matangi’s Nīkau GroveAuthor: Warren BrewerPhoto credits: Warren BrewerOne of the highlights of the Wattle Valley Walk is seeing the nīkau grove, planted during 1994. Nīkau, Rhopalostylis sapida, is regarded as the world’s southernmost palm. The large palm family, Arecaceae,is mostly found in tropical and subtropical climates. Nīkau is one of the few temperate climate outliers.
Tiritiri Matangi’s palms first flowered during 2010 and there is now a steady display of flowers and ripening fruit for visitors to enjoy. Nīkau flowers are carried on compact, much branched inflorescences. Separate male and female flowers are grouped into threes, a central female with two larger lateral males. The male flowers, with six stamens, open first. They soon disappear and female flowers open
Pollination is mostly done by small insects. A few small birds (hihi on Tiritiri Matangi) also seek the nectar amongst the sprays, collecting pollen on their feathers. New fruit which forms is green at first then ripens to a bright red to orange-red. Each fruit contains one seed. Kererū and kōkako are keen harvesters. Nīkau leaves were used by Māori for thatch, mats, baskets and wrapping food. Immature inflorescences and the young growing tip are edible when cooked.
The species name sapida means savoury, pleasant to taste. Rhopalostylis means club shaped style.
In 2015 we celebrated 20 years of hihi on Tiritiri Matangi
In 2015 we celebrated 20 years of hihi on Tiritiri MatangiFrom the Tiritiri Matangi Archives, Dawn Chorus 102, August 2015.Author: John EwanHeading photo credit: Neil DaviesNext month it will be 20 years since a successful translocation of hihi – the stitchbird – saw them return to Tiritiri Matangi. John Ewen, who as a student monitored the first birds after they were released, and these days co-chairs the Hihi Recovery Group from his base at the Institute of Zoology in London, looks back on a highly successful project . . . assisted by Harry, a young hihi, who is proud to be the 13th generation of his whānau on the Island. Hi, my name is Harry and I am the youngest hihi on Tiritiri Matangi. My Tiritiri whānau is 20 years old this September! Can you believe it? I want to pay respect to my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents who made the trip here from their home on Te Hauturu-o-Toi (13 generations if I have counted right). Although I am proud to be from the youngest Tiritiri generation I am also happy to know that some of my cousins have been living to ripe old ages, the oldest so far being 11 years, so their connections to our founders are much closer. Let’s hope I live to such an age. Maybe I will even be a pioneer myself, getting to establish a new home somewhere else in New Zealand. Anyway, I hear it was a…
Karo - a frontline species for coastal protection
Karo - a frontline species for coastal protectionAuthor: Natalie Spyksma (from Dawn Chorus 140, Summer, February 2025)Photo credit: Jonthan MowerA plant that had an outstanding flowering season on Tiritiri Matangi Island during the spring of 2024 was Pittosporum crassifolium, better known by its Māori name, karo. As this issue of Dawn Chorus goes to print, the results of this flowering are obvious: big grey seed pods (capsules) are hanging in abundance on karo branches all over the Island.
The pods are attractive. They bob in the wind in tandem with the plant’s leaves, which flicker between the green upper and grey undersides, creating patterns and hues in constant change. Have you noticed their profusion this year?
Left: A female flower with one prominent central pistil.Right: A male flower with pollen-bearing stamens.Photo credit: Jonathan Mower
Island presence
Botanist Alan Esler recorded the first surveyed wild population of Pittosporum…
Our friendly forest giant with the prickly leaves, useful bark and sweet, juicy fruit
Our friendly forest giant with the prickly leaves, useful bark and sweet, juicy fruitAuthor: Warren BrewerFrom the Tiritiri Archives, Dawn Chorus 100, February 2015Photo credit: Warren BrewerWarren Brewer reports on one of New Zealand’s largest and most useful trees, the mighty tōtara, good examples of which can be found on Tiritiri Matangi . . . though they still have some growing to do. Tōtara (Podocarpus tōtara) occurs throughout New Zealand, extending as far south as Stewart Island. It is one of the giants of lowland forests, growing up to 30m tall with trunks 3m in diameter. On Tiritiri Matangi we have some mature trees, the largest example being about 10m tall with a basal diameter of 80cm. It is associated with another tree of around 30cm diameter and several saplings 4-6m tall. These trees are in the Bush 1 forest adjacent to the aptly named Tōtara Track. A few saplings and many seedlings occur in other forested areas. Tōtara is classified as a conifer (meaning cone-bearing). It is dioecious, with male and female cones on separate trees. Male pollen cones (1-2cm long) appear in spring either singly or in clusters and pollen is released as the cones ripen in late spring. The seed cones in female trees occur singly on a leafless stalk. As a seed matures this basal green stalk swells to form a pale red fleshy receptacle. This makes a reward…
Minimal internet. No traffic. Just a wild island, a few tools, and more birdsong than you could imagine.
Minimal internet. No traffic. Just a wild island, a few tools, and more birdsong than you could imagine.Author: Eloise Woodley-Phillips Welcome to a volunteer weekend on Tiritiri Matangi. You’ll arrive by ferry, watching the mainland drift behind you as the island rises out of the sea like something alive. The moment you step onto the track, it’s tūī, korimako, pīwakawaka, hihi — birds everywhere, loud and unbothered. You’ll head up the hill (your bags go by truck) and meet a handful of regular volunteers — warm, relaxed, and ready to hand you a shovel. The work is real but approachable. You might be wheelbarrowing gravel up a hill to fill a muddy track, pulling up rotting planks from a boardwalk, or checking trap boxes. You’ll take breaks in the sun, eat snacks on the porch, and share tools and stories with people who care deeply about the place. You’ll probably forget you haven’t checked your phone. And yes, you’ll want sturdy shoes, a plug-in insect repellent, and a multi-board — charging space in the bunkhouse is prime real estate. Evenings are when the island shows off. You’ll grab a torch and head out into the bush. One minute you’re on the track, the next you’re surrounded by tuatara, fungi, and bioluminescence crashing against the wharf. You’ll spot little penguins slipping through the undergrowth. A ruru fledgling may appear, blinking like it’s…
Secrets in the Bark: A Ferry Chat on Pūriri Moths
Secrets in the Bark: A Ferry Chat on Pūriri MothsWritten by Stacey Balich, with inspiration from volunteer Jonathan MowerPhoto credits: Jonathan MowerPūriri moths are mesmerising. They’re New Zealand’s largest moth, spanning up to 150 cm across their wings. Yet, they remain largely hidden during most of their lives. I’ve only glimpsed a handful, since the adult stage lasts barely 2 days, just enough time to mate and lay eggs. Recently on the ferry to Tiritiri Matangi, I had one of those golden volunteer conversations that was full of shared wonder and inevitably ending with more questions than answers (which I love). We were chatting about how many trees pūrirī moths use as their host. It turns out, the caterpillars aren’t picky at all. While they take their name from the pūriri tree, their host range spans well over 70 native, naturalised, and cultivated species. Which I have no idea that is was that many. Among native species, pūriri moths have been found in pūriri trees, known for their broad canopy and wildlife support and putaputāwētā, a tree so iconic its name refers to wētā inhabiting old pūriri moth burrows. But that’s not all, these adaptable caterpillars also burrow into exotic and cultivated trees such as eucalyptus, English oak, silver birch, and fruit trees like lemon, apple, and cherry, and have even been recorded in small shrubs like…
Tiritiri Through Their Eyes: Volunteer Voices - Jonathan
Tiritiri Through Their Eyes: Volunteer Voices - JonathanQuestions answered by Jonathan Mower, volunteerPhoto credits: Jonathan Mower What’s your favourite conservation success story from Tiritiri Matangi? The unplanned, but very successful, introduction of mātātā. It wasn’t planned, the population was discovered completely by accident, and the Supporters were informed afterwards. I believe the construction company funded the translocation. Which species do you think visitors most often overlook, but are actually really important to the ecosystem here? Pōhuehue (Muehlenbeckia) is hugely important. Many people see it as a scrambling mess, but it provides essential habitat for mātātā and reptiles, and it’s the host plant for copper butterflies. It also provides food for a range of species; its flowers and berries are eaten by kākāriki and many others. Can you tell me about a moment that really moved you while guiding here? Being told by a very young student that when she grows up, she wants to be a guide on Tiritiri Matangi. How do the birds on Tiritiri Matangi behave differently from those on the mainland? They’re less wary of people and more comfortable being on the ground. You’ll notice a greater diversity of forest bird species here, although there are fewer shorebird species compared to mainland ecosystems. And they sing a lot more! What’s a fun or…
Tiritiri Through Their Eyes: Volunteer Voices - Caroline
Tiritiri Through Their Eyes: Volunteer Voices - CarolineQuestions answered by Caroline, volunteer guide and weeder What’s your favourite conservation success story from Tiritiri Matangi? The old takahē, Greg. He was the last takahē to be fed by humans using a puppet. He thought that we were there to feed him. At lunch he was a menace because he used to steal the school children’s food. I used to go and get my weeding tool and show it to him and he would follow me along like a dog. I used to have to lift him out the way as he would get in the way of me digging and he would grunt at me. Which species do you think visitors most often overlook, but are actually really important to the ecosystem here? The public are usually interested in everything. Except some of the teenage children because it is uncool. Can you tell me about a moment that really moved you while guiding here? I now have two grandchildren, one is already a guide and the other one wants to be one. How do the birds on Tiritiri Matangi behave differently from those on the mainland? The birds stay in sight and don’t fly off. What inspired you to become a guide/volunteer on Tiritiri, and what do you love most about it? I have always been interested in birds from a very young age. My mother was interested in birds, too. Once a cuckoo laid its egg in a nest in our garden, and I remember…