Skip to content

Site Menu

For teachers

Great Barrier Island field trip

Auckland region

Beach at Whangapoua, Great Barrier Island

Map of New Zealand showing the Auckland region.

Great Barrier is one of New Zealand's largest offshore islands and over 60 percent of it is public conservation land.

It has diverse habitats, including kauri forest remnants, wetlands and estuaries, freshwater ecosystems, fiord-like inner harbours and exposed coast. It is a haven for many rare and unusual species like brown teal, black petrel, chevron skink, kaka and stag beetles.

The island is not suitable for day visits because of its remote location on the outer edge of the Hauraki Gulf (except for schools on Great Barrier Island).

Learning outcomes

Find learning areas and outcomes and curriculum links.

Teaching resource

View the Great Barrier Island teaching resource.

Learn more

Find links to related information.

Highlights:

Great Barrier Island Aotea

Great Barrier Island is the largest island off New Zealand's North Island and lies 100 kilometres north-east of Auckland. More than 60 per cent of the island is managed by DOC.

Hauraki Gulf islands

On Great Barrier Island you can explore a number of Maori and early European historic heritage sites.

Find out more

Publications

View and download all teaching resource publications

2012 Meridian sustainability calendar (PDF, 1100K)

Learn more

LEARNZ website Register for a conservation/biodiversity virtual field trip

Natural Heritage Collection website offers schools free images of NZ's native species

View the Wildtrack children's nature series on NZ on Screen

Contacts

For more information:

Contact your local DOC office

Or email conservED@doc.govt.nz