Pakatoa Island is one of many

islands An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

in the

Hauraki Gulf The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana is a coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. It has an area of 4000 km2,New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, covering . Purchased in the early 1900s by the

Salvation Army Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

it was used as an alcohol treatment centre for women, isolated from the Army's male rehabilitation facility on

Rotoroa Island Rotoroa Island is an island to the east of Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand. It covers . The Salvation Army purchased it for £400 in 1908 from the Ruthe family to expand their alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility at nearby ...

. The island was sold in 1964 and remains one of the few Hauraki Gulf Islands in private ownership. In 2014 was offered for sale for

NZD The New Zealand dollar ( mi, tāra o Aotearoa; currency sign, sign: $, NZ$; ISO 4217, code: NZD) is the official currency and legal tender of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Ross Dependency, Tokelau, and a British territory, the Pitcair ...

$35 million (approximately US$29 million). Regarded as sensitive coastal property, purchase by a foreign owner would require approval by the Minister of Finance and Minister of Lands under New Zealand's Overseas Investment Act of 2005. Development on the island includes a tourist resort, a landing strip and a nine-hole golf course. Actor

Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is an actor. He was born in New Zealand, spent ten years of his childhood in Australia, and moved there permanently at age twenty one. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maxi ...

once worked at the resort in his youth.

References

Islands of the Hauraki Gulf Private islands of New Zealand Islands of the Auckland Region Populated places in the Auckland Region Populated places around the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana {{Auckland-geo-stub