Rangitoto Island

This article is about the island in the Hauraki Gulf. For the islands in the Marlborough Sounds, see Rangitoto Islands. For the rural community in New Zealand's North Island, see Rangitoto, Waikato. For the mountain and range, see Rangitoto Range.

Rangitoto Island
Ngā Rangi-i-totongia-a Tama-te-kapua (Māori)
Oblique aerial of Rangitoto Volcano from the south
Rangitoto Island is located in New Zealand
Rangitoto Island
Rangitoto Island
Geography
LocationAuckland
Coordinates36°47′12″S 174°51′36″E / 36.786742°S 174.860115°E / -36.786742; 174.860115
Highest point260 m (850 ft)
Administration
New Zealand
Additional information
Age Meghalayan[1]
↓

Rangitoto Island is a volcanic island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand. The 5.5 km (3.4 mi) wide island is a symmetrical shield volcano cone capped by central scoria cones, reaching a height of 260 m (850 ft).[2][3] Rangitoto is the youngest and largest of the approximately 50 volcanoes of the Auckland volcanic field, having erupted in two phases about 1450 CE and 1500 CE [4][5] and covering an area of 2,311 ha (5,710 acres).[3][6] It is separated from the mainland of Auckland's North Shore by the Rangitoto Channel. Since World War II, it has been linked by a causeway to the much older, non-volcanic Motutapu Island.[7]

Rangitoto is Māori for 'Bloody Sky',[8] with the name coming from the full phrase Ngā Rangi-i-totongia-a Tama-te-kapua ("The days of the bleeding of Tama-te-kapua"). Tama-te-kapua was the captain of the Arawa waka (canoe) and was badly wounded on the island, after having lost a battle with the Tainui iwi (tribe) at Islington Bay.[6][9][10]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NcGee2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Auckland Volcanic Field: Photo Gallery". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 21 June 2008.
  3. ^ a b "Auckland Field". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  4. ^ Luthfian, Alutsyah; Eccles, Jennifer D.; Miller, Craig A. (2023). "Gravity and magnetic models at Rangitoto Volcano, Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand: Implications for basement control on magma ascent". Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 439 (107824). doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2023.107824. hdl:2292/65385. ISSN 0377-0273.
  5. ^ Devora (2020). Rangitoto: Odd one out. The story of Auckland's largest volcano. Devora Fact Sheet 03."DEVORA Fact Sheet 3 - Rangitoto: Odd One Out". Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference ACC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Ottaway, Jacqueline Crompton (30 April 2004). "Rangitoto – Auckland's Fragile Icon". NZine. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  8. ^ What happened to local Maori? Archived 5 October 2003 at the Wayback Machine (from the Rangitoto page on the GNS Science website)
  9. ^ Rangitoto Archived 20 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine (from the Auckland Regional Council website)
  10. ^ Rangitoto (abridged article from New Zealand National Geographic)