Mokopuna Island
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mokopuna (the 'grandchild') Island is a small island in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand. It is about 200 metres on its long axis and about 80 metres across. It lies immediately north of the much larger Matiu/Somes Island, from which it is separated by a channel about 50 metres wide.
A number of water-cut arches and caves line the shore. For about 3 months in 1904 one of these caves was the home of one Kim Lee, a Cantonese fruiterer who had been diagnosed (possibly mistakenly) as a leper. Even though Matiu/Somes was the human quarantine station at the time, Lee was exiled to Mokopuna, where he was supplied with food and water by a flying fox from Matiu/Somes.
Lee died on Mokopuna on 14 March 1904, and was buried on Matiu/Somes. Today Mokopuna is a bird reserve where gulls and Blue Penguins nest, and no landings are allowed.
[edit] Source
McGill, D., The Pioneers of Port Nicholson, 1984, A. H. & A. W. Reed, Wellington, N. Z. ISBN 0-589-01531-1
