Tata Islands

{{Short description|Pair of islands off the north coast of the South Island, New Zealand}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox islands | name = Tata Islands | native_name =  | sobriquet =  | etymology = | image_name = Tata Beach 28.jpg | image_size = 270px | image_caption = Tata Islands seen from Tata Beach | image_alt = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 11 | location = [[Golden Bay / Mohua|Golden Bay]], New Zealand | coordinates = {{coord|40.802|S|172.911|E|display=inline, title}} | archipelago = | waterbody = [[Golden Bay / Mohua|Golden Bay]] | total_islands = 2 | major_islands = Motu Island<br> Ngawhiti Island | area_ha = 4.6 | area_footnotes = | rank = | length_km =  | length_footnotes = | width_km =  | width_footnotes = | coastline_km =  | coastline_footnotes = | elevation_m = 32 | elevation_footnotes = | highest_mount =  | Country_heading = | country = [[New Zealand]] | country_admin_divisions_title = District | country_admin_divisions =[[Tasman District|Tasman]] | country_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country_admin_divisions_1 = | country_admin_divisions_title_2 = | country_admin_divisions_2 = | country_capital = | country_largest_city = | country_largest_city_population = | country_leader_title = | country_leader_name = | demonym = | population = | population_as_of = | population_footnotes = | population_rank = | population_rank_max = | density_km2 = | density_rank = | density_footnotes = | ethnic_groups = | website = | additional_info = }}

'''Tata Islands''' are a pair of small uninhabited islands off the north coast of New Zealand's [[South Island]]. They are located some {{convert|20|km|mi}} to the northwest of [[Tākaka]] in the southeast of [[Golden Bay / Mohua|Golden Bay]] close to [[Abel Tasman Point]], and are contained within [[Abel Tasman National Park]].<ref name=EB>{{cite encyclopedia |editor-first=Dale H. |editor-last=Hoiberg |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=Abel Tasman National Park |edition=15th |year=2010 |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. |volume=I: A-ak Bayes |location=Chicago, IL |isbn=978-1-59339-837-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newencyclopaedia2009ency/page/25 25] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/newencyclopaedia2009ency/page/25 }}</ref> The small settlement of [[Tata Beach]] lies on the South Island mainland one kilometre to the south of the islands.

==Geography== The islands are small, with the larger of the two, Motu Island (North Tata) being roughly 300 metres in length and 100 metres in width. It is roughly [[Table (landform)|tabular]] in form, with much of its area being between 20 and 30 metres in height, rising to some {{convert|32|m|ft}} at its highest point. The southern island, Ngawhiti Island (South Tata), is roughly 160 by 120 metres in size, and, while less regular than its northern neighbour, rises to a similar altitude. Several small islets and [[sea stack|stacks]] lie off the coast of Ngawhiti Island.<ref>[https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz44740/Tata-Islands/ New Zealand Topomap]</ref> The islands' most distinctive geographic feature is a large [[limestone]] stack at the southern end of Ngawhiti Island.<ref name=forgot>Hindmarsh, G., "[https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/100827557/forgotten-islands-of-the-abel-tasman Forgotten islands of the Abel Tasman]", ''stuff.co.nz'', 27 January 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2019.</ref>

==Flora and fauna== The waters around the islands are a significant fish nursery, and are also popular with kayakers. The area was proposed as a [[marine reserve]] in the 1990s, though this status was not granted.<ref name=forgot/> The islands themselves are the site of one of New Zealand's largest populations of [[spotted shag]].<ref name=forgot/>

==History== There is some evidence of pre-European Māori settlement on Ngawhiti Island, and its native flora may have been burnt back to allow for cultivation. Vegetation on Motu island is more diverse, suggesting that there was no similar burn-off there.<ref name=forgot/>

The islands have historically provided deep water shelter for large ships visiting the Golden Bay area, the only site in the bay capable of providing such shelter. From about 1904,<ref name=Hermit>Hindmarsh, G., "[https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/111416749/hermit-of-south-tata-islands-proud-and-lonely-life Hermit of South Tata Island's proud and lonely life]", ''The Nelson Mail'', 23 March 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.</ref> parts of Ngawhiti Island were mined for limestone, but in the first decade of the 20th century the government acquired the islands under the [[Public Works Act]].<ref name=forgot/>

For many years from the 1930s on, Ngawhiti Island was inhabited by a sole resident, Norwegian Peter Peterson, who was known locally as "The Hermit of South Tata Island".<ref name=Hermit/> The island and its northern neighbour are now uninhabited.

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Islands of the Tasman District]] [[Category:Abel Tasman National Park]] [[Category:Golden Bay]]