The Auckland Islands

In the Maori tongue Murihiku means the "the last joint of the tail" and was the name given by the original inhabitants of New Zealand’s southern islands.

Hello, my name is Paul Hulford, and I was the leader of an expedition that visited the Auckland Islands in the southern hemisphere summer of 1999 to carry out research on the historic relics on and around the Islands.

The Auckland Islands are situated in the Sub-Antarctic ocean, 465 km south of New Zealand in the "furious 50s". The Islands have a fascinating history of shipwrecks and maritime relics, not to mention the wildlife, geography and cultural history which are equally rich. Due to the sensitive ecology of the Islands, access is tightly controlled by the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

Our expedition aimed to capture a snapshot of the historical artifacts that still remain at the Islands. Each year, the impact of man and the harsh environment slowly erode and damage these valuable remnants. Since the Islands were discovered in 1806, their history of shipwrecks, death and survival have remained relatively unexplored. Over time, many remnants of these events have been damaged or lost. Natural elements, compounded by individuals seeking personal souvenirs, have contributed to losses. Fortunately, total loss has been prevented through the efforts of various heritage organizations such as The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

In the last 200 years of the Auckland Islands' history, there have been eight known shipwrecks. A large proportion of the expedition's time will be spent diving on wrecks, photographing them and documenting their condition. See the History of the Islands and the Itinerary.

These organisations, while making an invaluable contribution toward preserving New Zealand history, are faced with limited resources. As a result, they must depend on the work of private groups and individuals who pursue historical research for personal or patriotic reasons. This is especially true in the case of the Auckland Islands. The physical isolation and extreme weather conditions demand qualified professionals and considerable effort to produce useful forays of any kind.

The primary goal of our trip was to document, in detail, the current state of historic artifacts still residing at the Islands. Prior to the expedition research was conducted documenting artifacts in the possession of numerous heritage organizations around New Zealand. It is hoped that combining these two audits will produce a fairly comprehensive database of Auckland Island artifacts.

Unlike relics in Museums, those on the Islands or around its coast remain the most unprotected. This is particularly the case with the sub-marine relics. Since so much of the Islands history stems from shipwrecks, the underwater work was an important part of the effort.

A White-capped Mollymawk peers back at the photographer from its perch on a cliff-top. The Auckland Islands have seen little human contact, so the birdlife is extremely tame. In the background, you can see the fjord-like channels of Carnley Harbour.

After two years of research, preparation, and the help of experienced colleagues the Auckland Islands Expedition became a reality. Hope you enjoy this website and if you have a moment we would love to hear from you. You can get our contact details via the “Email Us” button at the top of the page.

 

Photographers' credits appear on the bottom right corner of their respective images. Some of the pictures on this site are Copyright © Andris Apse (Phone +64 3 355 9769, Fax +64 3 355 9768). Some pictures are Copyright © Paddy Ryan.