Matiu/Somes Island
We were fortunate this weekend that the weather was good enough to do some exploring around the Wellington area. Here is a link to some pictures I took on a trip to Matiu/Somes Island this weekend. The island is situated just outside Wellington Harbour. Matiu is its Maori name. It used to be a quarantine station for new immigrants - sort of like what Ellis Island was to New York. The immigrants were housed in a ship moored just off the island. During both world wars, it was used as a prison camp for German internees. During world War two, the New Zealand army installed anti-aircraft guns to fend off a Japanese invasion which never came. Post WWII, it was used as a quarantine station for animals. These days it’s an increasingly popular tourist attraction and wildlife sanctuary.