Coromandel Peninsula

Geographical location

The Coromandel Peninsula ( Māori: Te Tara -o -te- ika -o- Maui) is located on the North Island of New Zealand. It is 85 km long and 40 km wide. It is located west of the Bay of Plenty and borders the west in the Hauraki Gulf to the Firth of Thames in part on the Pacific.

The largest city in New Zealand, Auckland, lies on the opposite side of the Hauraki Gulf, 55 kilometers to the west. In good weather, especially in winter, the peninsula is clearly visible from the city.

The name comes from the trade ship HMS Coromandel (1820 ), which in turn was named after the Indian Coromandel coast.

Geography

The peninsula is very hilly and mostly covered by subtropical rainforest. The mountain range Coromandel Range rises to about 900 m and forms as the backbone of the peninsula. The northerly Great Barrier Island, separated from the peninsula by the Cradock Channel can be seen as a continuation of the mountain chain.

A large number of small islands off the coast, such as Motukawo Iceland in the northwest, the Aldermen Islands and slippers in southeast Iceland and Iceland Mercury in the Northeast.

The Karagangahake Gorge, the southern border of the peninsula; they separates the Coromandel Range of the Kaimai Ranges.

Resident

The peninsula is sparsely populated, which is surprising given the proximity to Auckland and Tauranga. Only five places have more than a thousand inhabitants ( Coromandel, Whitianga, Thames, Tairua and Whangamata ), only Thames has more than 5000 inhabitants. On the Firth of Thames in the southwest are several smaller villages. Other famous places in Coromandel are Whiritoa, Hikuai, Pauanui and Colville.

The peninsula is popular with people with alternative lifestyles, especially from Auckland. More and more rich people from the big city also settled there.

Economic and sights

The area was formerly for its mines and the wood processing industry ( Kauri tree ) is known, but now lives mainly from tourism. Particularly eco-tourists appreciate the peninsula. The rain forest covers much of the interior of the peninsula, on the coast there are beautiful beaches and stunning viewpoints.

Thermal springs prove the volcanic origin of the area. The most famous hot spring is located at Hot Water Beach on the east coast. This occurs directly on the beach water at 64 ° C from two sources, which are about 2 hours accessible at low tide. Many visitors try to dig wells on the sources so that you can swim in rallying, warm water.

The place Whangamata is a popular holiday resort and the Whitianga Mercury Bay is very popular among sailors. For divers have a lot to offer the waters around the island.

Traffic

The places on the Coromandel Peninusla are connected via the State Highway No. 25 (Pacific Coast Highway ) and 25A each other, which lead in a circle around the peninsula. The two towns Paeroa and Waihi are connected to a road through the Karangahake Gorge ( Karangahake Gorge ).