These islands were uninhabited at the time of European discovery, nonetheless, there is evidence of
Māori and/or
Polynesian visits to some of the island groups, and some were still known to Māori at the time of European contact. •
Antipodes Islands (Moutere Mahue)– Claims of a pottery shard found here in 1886, although this is contested. •
Auckland Islands (Motu Maha/Maungahuka) – Traces of Polynesian settlement, possibly dating to the 13th century, have been found by archaeologists on
Enderby Island. This is the most southerly settlement by Polynesians yet known. •
Snares Islands (Tini Heke) – The islands were already known to the Māori, who called one of the larger islands
Te Taniwha ("The sea-monster"). They are visible from near
Stewart Island in good conditions. European exploration took place in the 19th century, often involving exploiting the natural resources of the area for sealing and whaling etc. Some shipwrecks took place in the region, with crews being forced to live off the land.
Hardwicke on
Auckland Island represents one of the few serious attempts by Europeans to set up a settlement in the islands, subsequently abandoned. Until 1995, scientific research staff were stationed permanently at a meteorological station on
Campbell Island. Since then, the islands have been uninhabited, though they are periodically visited by researchers and tourists. Protection of reserves was strengthened in 2014, becoming the largest natural sanctuary in the nation. == Islands ==