Great Barrier Island — Aotea | The Complete Guide

About the Island

Great Barrier Island — Aotea — sits 100 kilometres northeast of Auckland in the Hauraki Gulf. It's New Zealand's sixth-largest island and home to around 1,100 permanent residents, no traffic lights, no mains power, no big supermarkets.

175° East takes its name from the 175th meridian east — the line of longitude that runs from the North Pole through Great Barrier Island to the South Pole.

The island runs entirely on solar, hydro, wind and generated power. Water is collected from rooftops. Cell coverage is patchy — and that's become its greatest selling point. In a world that never switches off, Great Barrier Island is the place where you can.

In 2017, Aotea was designated an International Dark Sky Sanctuary — one of only a handful in the world. On a clear night, the Milky Way is so vivid it looks artificial.

The Beach

All houses at 175° East are an 8-minute walk to Medlands Beach — a spectacular 1.5-kilometre stretch of white sand ideal for swimming, surfing, and long walks. It takes about 40 minutes to stroll from one end to the other.

Medlands is the kind of beach that makes you forget about the other 364 days of the year.

Nearby

Claris 6 min drive — Grocery store, bottle shop, post shop, laundrette, and café.

Tryphena 10 min drive — Grocery store, bottle shop, café, and pub.

Aotea Brewing Co · 5 min walk downhill A solar-powered craft brewery in a converted shipping container on a farm paddock, five minutes down the road from 175° East. Zero-waste philosophy — no bottles, no cans. Bring a flagon or buy one there and fill it fresh from the keg. The Solar Charged APA is the island staple; the Daily Grind coffee stout (made with beans from next-door Aotea Roast) is worth seeking out. One of those places that feels completely right for where it is.

Aotea Roast · 5 min walk downhill New Zealand's first off-grid coffee roastery, operating next door to Aotea Brewing at the Mason Rd Hub. Small-batch, fair trade, organic — roasted on renewable energy on a remote island in the Hauraki Gulf. You can order online and have it delivered to the mainland, but it tastes better here.

Island Gin · By appointment Started at a small bach at Medlands Beach, where founder Andi Ross spent summers experimenting on a copper pot still with local ingredients. The result is an internationally awarded gin built around Great Barrier Manuka and bush honey — solar distilled, rain-water filtered, and bottled in a kina-inspired vessel made from recycled New Zealand glass. Tastings available by appointment for groups of up to six (call 0274 752 637). Bottles available at The Rocks bottle shop and Stonewall Store. A genuinely local thing.

Things to Do

Beaches Medlands, Kaitoke, Awana Bay, Whangapoua. Each one different, all stunning — and none of them on Waiheke.

Surfing Medlands Beach has reliable left and right handers and works on most swells. One of the best surf beaches in the Hauraki Gulf. Full surfing guide →

Bush Walks Mount Hobson summit, Kaitoke Hot Springs, Windy Canyon, Tramline Track through kauri dams. Full walks guide →

Stargazing International Dark Sky Sanctuary. No light pollution. Read what that actually does to your mind.

Fishing & Diving World-class. Charter boats available from Tryphena.

Kayaking Explore the coastline by kayak — great for coastal exploring and fishing the bays.

History NZ's first mine (1842), kauri milling, the world's first regular airmail service by pigeon post (1897–1908).

The complete guide to what to do on Great Barrier Island

Beaches, surf, hot springs, walks, dark skies, fishing, food and drink — everything worth knowing, in full detail.

Read the full guide →

The Pace

You'll feel it change the moment you step off the ferry or the plane. Not sure how to get there? Read our complete guide to getting to Great Barrier Island or see full directions. The island doesn't rush. People wave at you. The shop might close early because the surf's up.

Not so long ago, Great Barrier could have been called backwards. No mains power, no reticulated water, no streetlights. Now, with its solar-powered homes, rainwater collection, dark sky sanctuary status, and a community that was regenerating native bush long before it was fashionable — the island isn't behind the times. It's ahead of them.

Ready to Experience the Island?

Three houses. Fourteen acres. Eight minutes to the beach.

Pītokuku House Ruru House Tree House