Manukau Heads facts for kids
The Manukau Heads are two important pieces of land that form the entrance to the Manukau Harbour. This harbour is one of two large harbours found in Auckland, New Zealand. The southern piece of land is simply called "The South Head." It's located at the northern tip of the Āwhitu Peninsula. The northern piece of land is named "Burnett Head." It's important not to confuse this with "North Head," which is a different headland in the nearby Waitematā Harbour. Both of these heads are very hilly. They rise steeply from the water, reaching over 240 meters high within a short distance of the shoreline.
A large sand bar sits across the mouth of the harbour. This sand bar has always made it difficult for large ships to enter. When European ships first arrived, they were too big to easily cross these shallow waters. This limited the size of ships that could use the harbour to about 1,000 tons in older times. Even so, the Manukau Harbour was successful for local shipping at first. However, because of the sand bar, the Waitematā Harbour eventually became the more important port in Auckland.
Dangerous Waters: The Manukau Bar
The Manukau Bar is known for being quite dangerous. New Zealand's worst ever disaster at sea happened here in 1863. A ship called HMS Orpheus hit the sand bar and sank. Tragically, 189 people lost their lives in this accident. Even today, the area can be risky for boats. For example, in 2005 and 2010, two separate accidents occurred. Pleasure boats overturned or were swamped near the bar, and one person died in each incident.
Crossing the Bar: Surf Boat Challenges
Despite the dangers, some brave people have tried to cross the Manukau Harbour Bar in small surf boats. In 1992, a team from the Piha Surf Life Saving Club successfully rowed across it. They started from Onehunga and reached Piha. The journey took them over five hours, battling big waves and strong winds.
Another team from Piha had tried this same row much earlier, in 1971. However, they faced rising waves that blocked the northern channel. They tried to catch a smaller wave to reach the beach, but their boat was destroyed when a huge wave smashed it onto the shore.
Discovering the Past: Archaeology at Manukau Heads
The Manukau Heads area also holds important historical secrets. The Brambley Collection, which is kept at the Auckland Museum, is a very special group of Māori artifacts. Many experts say it's the most important collection of Māori items in the entire Auckland region. These artifacts were found at an archaeological site called Matatuahu. This site is located right at the bottom of the cliffs of the South Head. It helps us learn about the people who lived here long ago.
