Story: Wellington places

Roadside Stories: Kāpiti Island – warriors, whales and wildlife

Once a base for the famous chief Te Rauparaha and the Ngāti Toa tribe, with up to 3,000 occupants, Kāpiti Island was also the site of six whaling stations in the 1830s. It later became a wildlife sanctuary, where the eradication of pests has allowed kiwi, takahē, kōkako and other rare birds to flourish.

Listen to a Roadside Story about Kāpiti Island. Roadside Stories is a series of audio guides to places around New Zealand.

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How to cite this page:

Chris Maclean, 'Wellington places - Kāpiti and Mana islands', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/interactive/35281/roadside-stories-kapiti-island-warriors-whales-and-wildlife (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Chris Maclean, updated 1 Mar 2016