Harington Point facts for kids
Harington Point is a small community located in Dunedin, New Zealand. It sits right at the entrance of Otago Harbour, which is a large natural bay. This spot is special because it's where the harbour is narrowest, with only about 400 meters separating Harington Point from the mudflats of Aramoana on the other side.
Harington Point is found at the very end of the Otago Peninsula. It's close to Taiaroa Head, which is famous for being the only place on a mainland anywhere in the world where you can see royal albatross nesting. Nearby is also Te Rauone beach, which used to have many sand dunes.
You can get to Harington Point by driving about 45 minutes from Dunedin City. There's also a bus service that runs every day, taking about an hour from the city center. Even though it's a small place, Harington Point has different places to stay, like holiday homes and motel rooms.
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Amazing Wildlife
Harington Point is the closest place to live if you want to be near the famous albatross colony and other important wildlife areas.
Penguins and More
Between Harington Point and Taiaroa Head, you'll find Pilot's Beach. If you visit at dusk (when the sun sets), you might see tiny little blue penguins coming ashore to their nests. Just over the hills from Harington Point is the "Penguin Place Conservation Reserve." This is a special home for yellow-eyed penguins, which are quite rare.
You can take tours to see the albatross, little blue penguins, and yellow-eyed penguins up close. There's also Wellers Rock wharf, just south of Harington Point. From here, you can take boat trips to explore the sea and see even more birds and marine life in the area.
A Look Back in Time
Harington Point has an interesting past, especially with its connection to early settlers and wartime defenses.
Wellers Rock History
Wellers Rock, also known as Te Umukuri, is located between Harington Point and Otakou. It's named after the Weller Brothers, who were some of the first European settlers in the southern part of New Zealand's South Island. The Wellers were whalers, and they had three whaling stations inside Otago Harbour. Their most important station was at Otakou, very close to Harington Point. This was one of the biggest shore whaling stations in New Zealand and operated from 1831 to 1841.
In 1991, experts from the University of Otago dug up parts of the site to learn more about its history. More recently, in 2020, Te Runanga o Otakou (a local Māori tribe), the Dunedin City Council, and the Department of Conservation started working together to protect this important historical site.
World War II Defenses
The hills behind Harington Point hide some old World War II gun emplacements. These were places where large guns were set up to protect the coast. There's also an underground tunnel and a bunker that were part of New Zealand's coastal defenses during the war.
