Turakirae Head

[3] Turakirae also marks the southernmost coastal boundary point for the Ngāti Kahungunu tribe which extends as far north as Paritu which is just south of Gisborne.

[4] In 1970 the government bought 240 acres of land at Turakirae Head from the Riddiford Estate, in order to protect and preserve the geologic record shown by the raised beaches along the shoreline which was in danger of being destroyed by further possible removal of rock for public works.

[6] The reserve is also home to skinks and geckos, and birds such as the banded dotterel, Caspian tern and variable oystercatcher.

The scuttling ground was an area approximately five kilometres south-east of the headland, where the water is about 700 metres deep.

The site is archaeologically significant because the vessels sunk there include a range of ships dating from the 1830s to the early twentieth century, built of wood or iron and powered by sail or steam and thus representing changes in technology.