Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve |
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Cathedral Cove in 2019
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| Location | New Zealand |
| Area | 840 ha |
| Established | 1992 |
| Governing body | Department of Conservation |
Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve is a special ocean area in New Zealand. You can find it on the Coromandel Peninsula, which is part of Mercury Bay. This reserve helps protect the amazing sea life and beautiful coast.
It covers a large area of 840 hectares (about 2,075 acres). The reserve stretches along the coast from Cook Bluff in the north to the northern end of Hahei Beach in the south. It also includes several islands like Motukorure Island and Waikaranga Island.
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Welcome to Cathedral Cove!
This area is super popular with visitors, with about 150,000 people coming each year! One of the main reasons is the incredible natural rock archway. It looks like a giant cathedral, which is how it got its name. There are also lovely beaches nearby, making it a perfect spot to explore.
A Special Place for Māori People
The Māori name for Mercury Bay is Te Whanganui-A-Hei. This means "the Great Bay of Hei." Hei was a very important leader, called a tohunga, from the Te Arawa canoe.
Long ago, Hei chose this area around Mercury Bay as home for his tribe. He showed his ownership by calling Motueka Island "Te Kuraetanga-o-taku-Ihu." This means "the outward curve of my nose." People say he made this claim close to where the town of Hahei is today.
Famous on Screen!
Cathedral Cove is so beautiful that it has even appeared in movies and music videos!
The cave and beach were used in the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. It was the magical tunnel where the Pevensie children first returned to the land of Narnia.
More recently, the cove was a filming spot for the music video "Can't Hold Us". This popular song is by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, featuring Ray Dalton.
Images for kids
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View towards Cathedral Cove from the sea
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View from lookout near car park over Stingray Bay to Cathedral Cove
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View through rock arch towards Te Hoho Rock in Cathedral Cove
