Historic coast

Huriawa, or Karitane peninsula, about 35km north of Dunedin, shines in the sun just north of the settlement of Karitane. The Pacific Ocean is on the left and the Waikouaiti River on the right.

At its narrowest, the isthmus connecting the peninsula with Karitane is only 90m wide.

The name Huriawa means ‘‘turning river’’ in Maori. Huriawa Historic Reserve on the peninsula covers the area previously occupied by Huriawa pa, a major coastal Maori fortification, believed to have been established by Ngai Tahu chief Te Wera in the years immediately preceding Captain James Cook's visit to New Zealand in the late 18th century.

The title to Huriawa was returned to the Ngai Tahu iwi by the Crown in 1998 as part of the iwi's Waitangi Tribunal land claim settlement.