Settlement 

Source: History & Culture section, Kermadec Islands (doc.govt.nz), Department of Conservation, New Zealand [accessed 23 November 2023] 

Polynesian heritage

Raoul island was settled by early Polynesians between 600 and 1,000 years ago. [...] Settlement of the island appears to have been intermittent, possibly failing for want of resources or due to volcanic activity. Evidence of occasionally extensive ancient settlements remains, mainly on the northern coast of Raoul at Low Flat, the Farm Terrace, and Coral Bay. It is likely that the Denham Bay Caldera beachfront was also occupied at times. There is evidence of communities based on coastal fishing. This includes the harvesting of seabirds and marine mammals as well as tools production and other artefacts from local basalt and obsidian. 

European heritage 

Early European voyagers also based activities, particularly whaling, on the islands and much of their early eighteenth and nineteenth century contact with Aotearoa resulted from this. From the early to mid nineteenth century, Raoul and Macauley islands were used extensively for provisioning by whaling vessels operating in the French Rock and Vasquez grounds near the Kermadec Islands. From 1836 onwards, there were a number of European attempts to settle Raoul, focused mainly on Denham Bay and to a lesser extent at Low Flat and the Terraces. Exotic plants and animals were introduced and areas cleared for pasture and cultivation. 

The New Zealand Government annexed the Kermadecs in 1887. Provision depots for shipwrecked sailors were established on the main islands in the southern Kermadecs in 1888. In 1934 most of Raoul Island and all of the other islands in the group were set aside as a flora and fauna reserve, later to become a nature reserve. The rest of Raoul (111ha) was set aside for a meteorological station on the island in 1938, when the last independent settlers left the island. DOC acquired this block of land in 1991.

The Bell Family

Digital copy of Crusoes of Sunday Island available from NZETC (New Zealand Electronic Text Collection): Crusoes of Sunday Island | NZETC (victoria.ac.nz) 

Authors's note

Crusoes of Sunday Island is a factual account of the experiences and adventures of the Bell family on Sunday Island presented in story form. It is neither a documentary recital of their misfortunes and achievements, nor a personal history of the family, but is based on the actual happenings as related to me by Mrs. Bessie Dyke, Thomas Bell's's oldest surviving daughter, co-heroine of the story with her elder sister Hettie, the late Mrs. G. Gelderd. 

Flora and fauna

Scientific Expeditions 

Active volcano & earthquakes 

Additional Resources

• Wikipedia entry: Raoul Island
• Department of Conservation: Kermadec Islands 
• Te Ara Encyclopedia entry: Kermadec Islands
• Te Ara Encyclopedia entry: Raoul Island 
• New Zealand Geographic has created a special focus collection: Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary | New Zealand Geographic  
• Protecting Rangitāhua. Radio New Zealand interview. 24 September 2020 
• The Geology of the Kermadec Islands. W. Reginald B. Oliver. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 43, 1910, Page 524. 

[All resources accessed 08 November 2023] 

This DigitalNZ story was created November 2023, and updated January 2025.