Aua / King Billy Island facts for kids
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Native name:
Aua
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A view from Quail Island at low tide, with the small King Billy Island seen in front of the wooded Moepuku Point
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| Geography | |
| Location | Lyttelton Harbour |
| Coordinates | 43°38′06″S 172°41′09″E / 43.6350°S 172.6857°E |
| Area | 3,642 m2 (39,200 sq ft) |
| Length | 122 m (400 ft) |
| Width | 72 m (236 ft) |
| Administration | |
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New Zealand
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| Region | Canterbury |
Aua / King Billy Island is a small island in Lyttelton Harbour, New Zealand. It is a special place called a Scenic Reserve, which means it's protected for its natural beauty.
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Where is Aua / King Billy Island?
This little island is found in Lyttelton Harbour, which is part of Banks Peninsula. It's located about 300 meters away from a bigger island called Ōtamahua / Quail Island. It's also near Moepuku Point, a piece of land between Teddington and Charteris Bay.
What does the island look like?
Aua / King Billy Island is about 122 meters long and 72 meters wide. That's roughly the size of a small sports field! It covers about 3,642 square meters when the tide is high. The island is made of a type of rock called Charteris Bay Sandstone. On top of this rock, there's a thin layer of soil where trees grow, forming a small forest.
What's in a Name?
The island has two names: Aua and King Billy Island.
The Māori Name: Aua
The Māori name for the island is Aua. People believe this name means "no name."
The English Name: King Billy Island
No one is completely sure how the island got its English name, King Billy Island. Some ideas include:
- It might be named after a character from an old comic book.
- It could be named after William IV, who was a King of England.
- It might even be named after an Aboriginal Australian whaler named Billy Lanny.
Island History
Aua / King Billy Island has a long and interesting history, especially for the Māori people.
Early Māori Use
Long ago, before Europeans arrived, Māori people used this island. They found coarse sandstone here, which was perfect for grinding stones. This included grinding pounamu, also known as greenstone, which is a very important and valuable stone in Māori culture.
Archaeologists have found old sites on the island. These sites show where Māori people quarried (dug out) stone, where they landed their waka (canoes), and even middens. A midden is like an ancient rubbish dump, where people threw away shells and bones from their meals.
Because of this history, the island is very important to Ngāi Tahu, who are the main Māori tribe in this area. It's especially significant to Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, a specific group within Ngāi Tahu.
Later European Use and Ownership
Later, European settlers also used the island's sandstone. They quarried it to build parts of buildings, like the corners and fronts of the Lyttelton Gaol (jail).
Over the years, the island's ownership changed several times.
- In 1849, the land around the harbour, including the island, was bought by the Crown (the government).
- In 1858, a man named Mark Stoddart bought the island.
- It was then sold to Thomas Potts, and later to William Rolleston, who wanted it for public use.
- The Anderson family owned it until 1975, when they sold it back to the Crown.
- In 1979, it was first called a Recreation Reserve, meaning it was for fun activities.
- But in 1980, its status changed to a Scenic Reserve, which means it's now protected for its natural beauty and history.
