Whanganui A Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve

Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve
Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve
	Cathedral Cove in 2019
Location	New Zealand
Coordinates	[ ⚑ ] : 36°49′42″S 175°47′24″E / 36.82833°S 175.79°E
Area	840 ha
Established	1992
Governing body	Department of Conservation

Short description: Beach and marine reserve in New Zealand

Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve is in the southern part of Mercury Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand covering an area of 840 hectares (2,100 acres).^[1] On the coast of the mainland, it stretches from Cook Bluff in the north-west to the northern end of Hahei Beach in the south-east. Its offshore extremes run from Motukorure Island through Waikaranga Island to Okorotere Island and the northern end of Mahurangi Island (Goat Island).

Part of the marine reserve lies off the Cathedral Cove Recreation Reserve, which runs from the northern end of Hahei Beach in the south-east to beyond Cathedral Cove in the north-west. With attractions such as a natural rock archway and neighbouring beaches at Cathedral Cove, the area is very popular with tourists, and receives around 150,000 visitors per year.^[2]

The walkway to the cove was closed due to damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.^[3] In January 2024 the Department of Conservation said they were "not confident" the track would reopen due to significant damage to the stability of the ground in the area.^[4] An alternative viewing point has been established, and the cove can be viewed from boats, but access to the beach remains restricted.^[5]

Etymology

The Māori name for Mercury Bay, Te Whanganui-A-Hei (meaning the Great Bay of Hei), refers to Hei, a tohunga from the Te Arawa waka. According to tradition, Hei chose the area around Mercury Bay as home for his tribe, proclaiming ownership by calling Motueka Island "Te Kuraetanga-o-taku-Ihu" (the outward curve of my nose). It is said he made this claim near the present-day town of Hahei.^[6]

Popular Culture

The cave and beach were used as the tunnel through which the Pevensie children first re-enter Narnia in the movie version of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.^[7] More recently the cove was used as one of the locations in the music video for the song "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton.