Quarantine Island Kamau Taurua

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Quarantine Island Kamau Taurua DOC reserve/historical area in the Otago harbour
Our community vision:Maintain and enhance the island

Tōtara are known as forest giants in Aotearoa, and can grow to 40 m in height.🌳However, on the windy slopes of QIKT, thi...
18/10/2026

Tōtara are known as forest giants in Aotearoa, and can grow to 40 m in height.🌳

However, on the windy slopes of QIKT, this slow-growing tree has opted to spread out rather than up for stability.

This tōtara is still ancient, and is part of the old remnant bush on the motu.

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Research Credits: 
Quarantine Island Kamau Taurua. https://quarantineisland.org.nz/
Department of Conservation. https://www.doc.govt.nz 

Image Credits: 
Cristina Barriga 
Claire Hagglund
Jon Clark

If you take a walk through the bush track on QIKT, you might get a visit from a friendly pīwakawaka/faintail.🪶💚These man...
05/10/2026

If you take a walk through the bush track on QIKT, you might get a visit from a friendly pīwakawaka/faintail.🪶💚

These manu often follow people along walking tracks, hoping to feed on insects that are scuffed up or attracted by activity.

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Research Credits:
Quarantine Island Kamau Taurua. https://quarantineisland.org.nz/
Department of Conservation. https://www.doc.govt.nz

Image Credits:
Cristina Barriga
Claire Hagglund
Jon Clark

🕰️ Today in QIKT history 🕰️ - In September 1932, the Oreti was sold to Bob Miller.The Oreti, first called the Baden-Powe...
20/09/2026

🕰️ Today in QIKT history 🕰️ - In September 1932, the Oreti was sold to Bob Miller.

The Oreti, first called the Baden-Powell, was a wooden steamship built in Australia in 1902. In 1924, the Oreti came to Ōtepoti and was used to carry timber up from Southland.

In 1932, Robert (“Bob”) Miller, who lived and worked on QIKT at the time, bought the Oreti for use as a hulk

You can now see the wooden remains of the Oreti alongside the QIKT jetty, where her keel and ribs are visible at low tide.

Please remember that the Oreti is at QIKT to rest, and is fragile and sharp, so please keep off!

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Research credits:
‘Quarantine Island/Kamau Taurua (St Martin Island)– A Short History’ by Lyndall Hancock, 2008
Quarantine Island Kamau Taurua. https://quarantineisland.org.nz/
Evening Star, Issue 21211, 19 September 1932, Page 12
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19320919.2.107.3

Image credits:
1 - Rawson, S. H. (1904-1915). Oreti and Putiki, Wesport [View showing the steam ships Oreti and Putiki moored along the shoreline of Westport Harbour, with dockworkers and deckhands visible on shore and aboard the vessels]. Hocken Collections.
2 - Otago Daily Times, Issue 27206, 8 October 1949, Page 9 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19491008.2.149.1
3 - Evening Star, Issue 21211, 19 September 1932, Page 12
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19320919.2.107.3

Address

10 Hatchery Road, Portobello
Dunedin
9014

Telephone

+642108258619

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