Nature & Wildlife

Te Whanganui-o-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve was established in 1992 to protect and restore the diversity of the marine environment. The reserve protects nine square kilometers of shore and sea on the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula between Hahei and Cooks Beach. Reefs of hard rock, soft sediments, intricate caves and underwater arches provide habitat for plants, crustaceans, molluscs and fish, many of which can be seen on the snorkel trail at Gemstone Bay.