Matiu / Somes Island
Matiu
A predator-free scientific reserve in the middle of Wellington Harbour, once a quarantine station and a WWI internment camp, with tuatara, parrots and sweeping harbour views.
Managed by the Department of Conservation, the island was historically used as a quarantine station for people and animals, and as an internment camp for enemy nationals during both world wars. Today you can see tuatara, red-crowned parakeets, giant wētā and nesting seabirds on the loop walk, and the lighthouse at the summit overlooks the entire harbour.
Take the East by West ferry from Queens Wharf for about 20 minutes. It stops here on the way to Days Bay, but not every sailing does. Bags and shoes are inspected before landing to keep rats and seeds off the island. There are no shops on the island, so bring your own food.
Opening hours
Daytime, depending on ferry schedule
Nearby sights
- Days Bay
- Wētā Workshop
- Mount Victoria Lookout
- Katherine Mansfield House & Garden
- Old St Paul's
- Harbourside Market
- Embassy Theatre
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa