They are 33.6 km2 (13.0 sq mi)[3] in total area and uninhabited, except for the permanently staffed Raoul Island Station, the northernmost outpost of New Zealand.

[4] Their arrival is also evident in the presence of introduced taro and candlenut growing wild in certain areas of Raoul Island supported by its relatively warm climate.

British, American and Australian whaling vessels cruised offshore in the 19th century and often visited the islands in search of water, wood and food.

[7] European settlers have lived on the island for varying lengths of time, from the early nineteenth century until 1937, growing food for the whalers.

One of the Bell daughters, Bessie Dyke, recounted the family's experience to writer Elsie K. Morton who published their story in 1957 as Crusoes of Sunday Island.

The ridge eventually connects to White Island in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty, at the northern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone.

The eruption was not directly observed, but it was located using earthquake and remote sensing data after the pumice raft was spotted by aircraft and encountered by HMNZS Canterbury.

The forests have an understory of smaller trees, shrubs, ferns, and herbs, including Myrsine kermadecensis; Lobelia anceps, Poa polyphylla, Coprosma acutifolia, and Coriaria arborea.

[26] Areas near the seashore and exposed to salt spray are covered by a distinct community of shrubs and ferns, notably Myoporum obscurum, Coprosma petiolata, Asplenium obtusatum, Cyperus ustulatus, Disphyma australe, and Ficinia nodosa.

The group has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because of its significance as a breeding site for several species of seabirds, including white-necked and black-winged petrels, wedge-tailed and little shearwaters, sooty terns and blue noddies.

[31][32] In late September 2015, satellite tags were attached to 25 humpback whales around Raoul Island, which were tracked to feeding grounds in Antarctica and across to the Antarctic Peninsula.

[33] Vast numbers of southern right whales were historically seen in southwestern areas although only a handful of recent confirmations exist around Raoul Island.

[38] In 2016, Koha, a hawksbill turtle, which was originally found injured near Dargaville in September 2014, was released around the waters of Raoul Island and nursed back to health at Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium.

The release was from the deck of the RV Tangaroa, with land in sight to enable Koha to orientate itself to prevent the risk of getting lost in the open ocean.

Predation by rats and cats reduced the seabird colonies on the main islands from millions of birds to tens of thousands.

The islands are still known for their bird life, and seabird colonies presently inhabit offshore islets, which are safe from introduced rats and cats.

The department allows visits to Raoul by volunteers assisting in environmental restoration or monitoring projects, and other visitors engaged in nature study.

[45] However, subsequently, fishing companies and iwi bodies filed legal action opposing it, and a coalition deal with the New Zealand First Party[46] has led to the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill[47] not passing its second reading as of 2019.

The marine mammal populations were examined to determine what animal and plant species are shared between mainland New Zealand and the Kermadec region.