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A crayfish lurks between rocks. Debate is intensifying over proposed quota increases and their impact on local marine life in the Hauraki Gulf. Photo / Jasus Edwards / CC

Residents Back New Bylaw to Cut Crayfish Daily Limits

Photo / Jasus Edwards

SeaLink ferry to Great Barrier Island: A costly voyage for islanders due to lack of subsidies and exemption from public transport regulations. Photo / Supplied

SeaLink fare hike hits Great Barrier residents ahead of summer

Island Roundup: Cross Country, Craft Beer, Summer Sailings and Local Jobs

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Fullers360 ferry departs Waiheke Wharf, carrying commuters and tourists across the Waitematā Harbour. Photo / Fullers

Community News

Time to Rethink Auckland’s Ferries?

EDITORIAL: The news that Fullers360 is up for sale ought to be a wake-up call for Auckland. Not because Auckland…

Aotea Health’s rongoā Māori skincare range on display at the new Auckland International Airport concept store.

Aotea Expands its Rongoā Māori Reach with New Airport Concept Store

Kidnapping survivor returns to Barrier to film documentary

Nathan Boulter appearing at the Auckland District Court. Photo / NZME

Blood moon as dark skies reveal the total lunar eclipse.

Blood Moon Set to Rise Over Aotea on Monday Morning

Aotea Life

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A native New Zealand bee (probably Leioproctus sp.) visits a manuka flower (Leptospermum scoparium). Photo taken on Tiritiri Matangi Island.

A native New Zealand bee (probably Leioproctus sp.) visits a manuka flower (Leptospermum scoparium). Photo taken on Tiritiri Matangi Island.

Aotea Green

Mānuka Honey: What Is It Good For? Absolutely Something.

Culture - Aotea Green

Tiki Taane to headline new January music festival on Aotea

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Aotea Winter Planting: A Comprehensive Guide

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Property

Decisions from a Distance: Auckland Council Headquarters, 90 Kilometers Away from Aotea. Photo / NZME

Property

Council offers webinar to explain ‘brutal’ rates hikes

Photo / AoteaGBI.news

Barrier Homeowners Face Rates Hike as Values Soar

Barrier Bach Wins Top Honours at 2025 Architecture Awards

Aotea Green

For growers, makers, tinkerers, and doers

A crayfish lurks between rocks. Debate is intensifying over proposed quota increases and their impact on local marine life in the Hauraki Gulf. Photo / Jasus Edwards / CC

Residents Back New Bylaw to Cut Crayfish Daily Limits

Aotea Health’s rongoā Māori skincare range on display at the new Auckland International Airport concept store.

Aotea Expands its Rongoā Māori Reach with New Airport Concept Store

Blood moon as dark skies reveal the total lunar eclipse.

Blood Moon Set to Rise Over Aotea on Monday Morning

More News

A Barrier Air Cessna Grand Caravan — the airline says government loans will help, but rising costs and a weak Kiwi dollar remain major challenges.

Barrier Air welcomes Government support but warns costs still biting

Barrier Air chief executive Grant Bacon says the Government’s $30m package for regional airlines is welcome news for a sector under pressure. The loan scheme, announced this week…

Southern Lights could put on a show over Great Barrier skies this week — locals are urged to look south with cameras ready. Photo / Tristan Pokornyi

Community News

Aurora Alert: Southern Lights Could Dance Over Barrier Skies

Great Barrier Island stargazers might be in for a rare treat this week, with the Aurora Australis expected to make an appearance…

Community News

Government steps in with $30m loan scheme for regional airlines

The Government has unveiled a $30 million loan fund to prop up struggling regional airlines — and signalled it expects Air New…

Tourist trap: why charging entry fees at iconic NZ natural attractions could have hidden costs

By Stephen Espiner, Lincoln University, New Zealand Recent calls from sections of the tourism industry to cut the international visitor levy (IVL)…

Hunter Edwards all smiles as his hand is raised after a unanimous decision win at Unbroken 4. Photo / CSN Watch

Community News

Hunter Edwards Claims Victory in Auckland Bout

Hunter Edwards all smiles as his hand is raised after a unanimous decision win at Unbroken 4. Photo / CSN Watch

Boaties caught red-handed: Police seized 21 Packhorse Crayfish, some undersized, from an 8.8m vessel off Great Barrier Island. Photo / NZ Police

Community News

Barrier Considers Rules to Shut Out Crayfishers

Great Barrier is weighing new local protections that would stop boats from Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf shifting to Aotea to target crayfish, after the Government closed mainland…

Hunter Edwards hasn’t forgotten where he comes from. The young kickboxer grew up on Great Barrier and is now carving out a name for himself in the K-1 scene with Balmoral Lee Gar in Auckland.

Community News

Barrier boy Hunter Edwards set for the big stage at Unbroken 4

Hunter Edwards hasn’t forgotten where he comes from. The young kickboxer grew up on Great Barrier and is now carving out a…

An adult black petrel cruises over the waters of the Hauraki Gulf. Photo / Dan Burgin / WMIL

Thirty Years on Hirakimata: What We’ve Learned About the Black Petrel

A new report released this month marks 30 years of black petrel monitoring on Great Barrier Island, the only place in the…

Community News

Island Gin up for People’s Choice at Business Awards

Island Gin, the boutique distillery run entirely off-grid on Aotea (Great Barrier Island), has been named a finalist in the People’s Choice…

The Great Barrier Island Ambulance Station in Tryphena. Photo / Supplied

Community News

Urgent Funding Appeal to Keep Aotea’s Ambulance Running

Aotea’s ambulance service is facing a funding cliff, with support set to run out in September 2025. Without new backing, St John’s…

About the Barrier & Aotea, Great Barrier Island News

Aotea Great Barrier Island is a large, rugged island located in the outer Hauraki Gulf of Aotearoa, New Zealand. It is known for its stunning natural beauty, diverse wildlife, and unique Māori culture.

Aotea/GBI has a rich history, dating back over a thousand years to when Māori first settled here. Today, the island is home to around 1,000 permanent residents, many of whom are involved in fishing, farming, and tourism.

Great Barrier Island is renowned for its stunning scenery and outdoor activities. Visitors can explore the island’s pristine beaches, native forests, and rugged hills, which offer a range of hiking, mountain biking, and wildlife viewing opportunities. The island is also a popular destination for water sports, including swimming, snorkeling, and diving, with offshore reefs and even wrecks to explore.

Despite its remote location, Great Barrier Island has a range of accommodation options, including DOC camping grounds, baches and holiday homes, and luxury lodges. Aotea is accessible by ferry, which departs from Auckland’s viaduct Harbour several times a week, or by private boat or commercial aircraft departing several of the country’s airports including Auckland, North Shore, Whitianga, Ardmore, and Tauranga.