Rakino Island

Less than 150ha in area, Rakino Island sits off the north-western corner of Waiheke Island, just east of Motutapu Island. To its east lie the small group of islets and rocks known as The Noises.

Rakino is 1.5km long by about 0.75km. The wharf, where ferries from Auckland arrive, is at Sandy Bay, where there is also a public library and community hall. Rakino had the world's first solar-powered public phone.

The island was once owned by Governer George Gray, who also owned Kawau Island.

These days it has fewer than 50 permanent residents, though that number swells to a couple of hundred in summer.