Poor Knights Islands facts for kids

The Poor Knights Islands are a special group of islands found off the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. They are about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northeast of Whangarei. These islands have been empty of people since the 1820s. Today, they are a protected nature reserve and a very popular place for underwater diving. Many boat tours leave from Tutukaka to visit them. The islands are also surrounded by the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, which protects the amazing sea life.

No one is completely sure how the islands got their name. Some people think they might be named after the "Poor Knights of Windsor," a group of soldiers. Others believe they were named because they looked like a dish called "Poor Knight's Pudding," which was a popular fried bread dish when Europeans first discovered the islands.

About the Poor Knights Islands

The Poor Knights Islands are made up of two main islands and several smaller ones. The largest island is Tawhiti Rahi, and the second largest is Aorangi. There are also smaller rocky islands like Aorangaia and Archway Island.

These islands are actually what's left of a very old volcano. Scientists believe this volcano was once huge, perhaps 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) tall and 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) wide! It formed about 4 million years ago.

Ocean Currents Around the Islands

The water around the Poor Knights Islands is quite deep. This means the ocean currents are usually not too strong. The currents generally flow towards the southeast.

Sometimes, special "internal waves" happen here. These waves are like giant ripples that move deep under the ocean surface. They can cause the water to speed up for short times, making the currents stronger in certain spots.

Nature and Wildlife

The Poor Knights Islands are a very important nature reserve. To protect the plants and animals, you need a special permit to land on the islands or even tie up a boat. These permits are usually only given to scientists who are doing research.

Amazing Plants and Birds

One special plant that grows on the islands is the Poor Knights lily. It has beautiful, bright red flowers and has become a popular plant for gardens.

Long ago, wild pigs lived on Aorangi Island. They had been there since the Māori people left in the 1820s. However, these pigs were removed in 1936 to protect the island's native plants and animals.

The islands are also a very important place for birds. They are home to a huge group of Buller's shearwaters, with about 200,000 pairs of these birds breeding here.

Caves and Arches

The islands are famous for their amazing rock arches and sea caves. One of the most incredible is Rikoriko Cave. It's known as the largest sea cave in the world by volume! This huge cave is big enough for small tour boats to enter. It measures about 130 meters (426 feet) long and 80 meters (262 feet) wide, with a ceiling that reaches 35 meters (115 feet) high. Part of the cave also goes 26 meters (85 feet) deep underwater.

Tawhiti Rahi island has several arches, including the Northern Arch, Middle Arch, and Maomao Arch. The Maomao Arch is a favorite spot for divers. Aorangaia Island has a long tunnel-like rock arch. Archway Island is also special because it has two rock arches, with the larger one called Cathedral Arch, which is about 40 meters (131 feet) tall.

Island History

The Poor Knights Islands were once home to Māori from the Ngāti Wai tribe. They grew crops on the islands and fished in the rich waters around them. They also traded with other Māori tribes.

In the early 1820s, a chief named Tatua left the islands with his warriors to join a fighting trip. While they were away, a slave escaped from the islands. This slave traveled to Hokianga and told a chief named Waikato that the islands were unprotected. Waikato had a past disagreement with Tatua, so he decided to attack.

In December 1823, Waikato and his warriors arrived at the islands in three large canoes. They quickly took over the islands. Many islanders bravely jumped off the high cliffs to avoid being captured. Tatua's wife and daughter were taken to the mainland, but a relative helped them escape.

When Tatua returned, he found his home destroyed. Only a few people were left, including his five-year-old son, who had been hidden in a cave. After this sad event, the islands were declared tapu, which means they were sacred and forbidden to be lived on. Tatua and the survivors left the islands and moved to Rawhiti in the Bay of Islands, where he was happily reunited with his wife and daughter.

Images for kids

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  Poor Knights lily plants growing in their natural home

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  Flowering Poor Knights lily grown in a garden

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  Large numbers of Buller's shearwaters breed on the islands

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  The waters off the Poor Knights are a marine reserve with subtropical species