They are the northernmost members of the Chatham Archipelago, located 800 kilometres (497 mi) east of New Zealand's South Island.

[4][5] The islands have the second largest breeding colony of the northern royal albatross, and provide breeding sites for Buller's albatross, northern giant petrel, fairy prion, broad-billed prion, sooty shearwater, common diving petrel, grey-backed storm petrel, white-faced storm petrel, pitt shag, subantarctic skua, red-billed gull, and white-fronted tern.

[3] The site has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because it supports Buller's albatrosses and northern giant petrels.

[6] A species of stag beetle called Geodorcus sororum is endemic to the islands.

This article about the geography of New Zealand's outlying islands is a stub.