Tonga Island is a small (0.15 km2) island in Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, off the northern coast of the South Island of New Zealand.[1] It lies within the Abel Tasman National Park, about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) off Onetahuti Beach.[2] The island has a flourishing fur seal colony,[3][4] and is surrounded by the Tonga Island Marine Reserve, which was inaugurated in 1993.
 Tonga Island from water taxi | |
  Tonga Island .svg)  Tonga Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 40°53′25″S 173°04′02″E / 40.89028°S 173.06722°E |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Area | 0.15 km2 (0.058 sq mi) |
| Length | 0.5 km (0.31 mi) |
| Width | 0.5 km (0.31 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 83 m (272 ft) |
| Administration | |
The island is accessible by water taxi or kayak and visible from the Abel Tasman Coast Track.[5]
The first peoples named the place after a small island in their east Polynesian homeland.[6]
See also
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tonga Island.
40°53′S 173°04′E / 40.883°S 173.067°E