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Story: Place names

Cape Brett, East Cape and Cape Runaway

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Cape Brett, East Cape and Cape Runaway

On James Cook’s first voyage to New Zealand in 1769–70 he named a number of places. On these sketches from the East Coast and Northland, the names of Cape Brett (at the entrance to the Bay of Islands), East Cape and Cape Runaway appear for the first time.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: NON-ATL-P-0063-01

by W. J. W. Hamilton

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Malcolm McKinnon, Place names – Early explorers, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/19334/cape-brett-east-cape-and-cape-runaway (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Malcolm McKinnon, published 1 March 2009.

Comments

Celia Crawshaw (nee Brett)
05 August 2023
After whom is the Cape Brett peninsula named in New Zealand