Poikeke Island

{{Short description|Island in New Zealand}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=September 2022}}

{{Infobox islands | name = Poikeke Island | native_name = | native_name_link = Māori language | native_name_lang = Māori | sobriquet =  | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 8 | image_name = Motueka Island 04 (cropped).jpg | image_size = 300px | image_caption = Poikeke Island seen from the Coromandel Peninsula, to the left of [[Motueka Island (Pigeon Island)]] | image_alt = | image_map = | map_alt = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_relief = | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|-36.4912|175.47492|format=dms|type:isle_region:NZ|display=inline,title}} | etymology = | location = [[Coromandel Peninsula]] | waterbody = [[Pacific Ocean]] | area_m2 = | area_footnotes = | rank = | length_m = | length_footnotes = | width_m = | width_footnotes = | coastline_m = | coastline_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_footnotes = | highest_mount = | country = New Zealand | country_admin_divisions_title = Waikato | country_admin_divisions = | country_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country_admin_divisions_1 = | country_admin_divisions_title_2 = | country_admin_divisions_2 = | country_capital_type = | country_capital = | country_largest_city_type = | country_largest_city = | country_capital_and_largest_city = | country_largest_city_population = | country_leader_title = | country_leader_name = | country_area_km2 =  | country1 = | country1_admin_divisions_title = | country1_admin_divisions = | country1_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country1_admin_divisions_1 = | country1_capital_type = | country1_capital = | country1_largest_city_type = | country1_largest_city = | country1_capital_and_largest_city = | country1_largest_city_population = | country1_leader_title = | country1_leader_name = | country1_area_km2 =  | demonym = | population = | population_as_of = | population_footnotes = | population_rank = | population_rank_max = | density_km2 = | density_rank = | density_footnotes = | languages = | ethnic_groups = | timezone1 = | utc_offset1 = | timezone1_DST = | utc_offset1_DST = | website = | additional_info = | footnotes = }}

'''Poikeke Island''' is an island off the coast of the [[Coromandel Peninsula]] in New Zealand.

==Geography==

The island is located approximately 900 metres north-east of [[Cathedral Cove]], to the east of [[Mercury Bay]]. It is tidally linked to [[Motueka Island (Pigeon Island)]], a larger island located to the east.<ref name="CameronVegetation">{{Cite Q|Q113953864}}</ref> Poikeke and Motueka islands are remnants of an eroded [[Miocene era]] [[lava dome]], composed of flow-banded rhyolite.<ref name="CameronVegetation"/>

==Biodiversity==

The island is primarily forested by native New Zealand broadleaf forest. The island's plateau is dominated by [[Planchonella costata|tawāpou]], with abundant [[Pseudopanax lessonii|houpara]] also seen here.<ref name="CameronVegetation"/> The [[sooty shearwater]] is known to nest on the island.<ref name="CameronVegetation"/>

==History==

The island is historically significant to [[Ngāti Hei]], who are the [[mana whenua]] iwi for Poikeke Island.<ref name="CameronVegetation"/> During pre-European history, the island was occupied as a fortified [[pā]], and the top of the island may have been levelled during this time.<ref name="CameronVegetation"/> Captain [[James Cook]] landed on the island on 15 November 1769, when it was still actively being used as a pā.<ref name="CameronVegetation"/>

The origin of the name Poikeke Island is unknown.<ref name="Gazetteer">{{Cite web |url=https://gazetteer.linz.govt.nz/place/4674 |title=Poikeke Island |website=New Zealand Gazetteer |publisher=Land Information New Zealand|access-date=15 September 2022}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Islands of Waikato]] [[Category:Miocene lava domes]] [[Category:Protected areas of Waikato]] [[Category:Thames-Coromandel District]] [[Category:Volcanic islands of New Zealand]] [[Category:Volcanoes of Waikato]] [[Category:Uninhabited islands of New Zealand]] [[Category:Lava domes of New Zealand]]