Quarantine Island / Kamau Taurua

Quarantine Island/Kamau Taurua is the largest island in Otago Harbour, close to the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. Historically the island has been known colloquially by a number of names, including Middle Island and St Martin Island.The island covers an area of 15ha, and is a publicly accessible recreation reserve. The major buildings on the island are listed with Heritage New Zealand and owned by Quarantine Island/Kamau Taurua Community.The island served as the quarantine station for Otago from 1863 until 1924. When ships arrived in Otago harbour with infectious diseases, passengers waited the requisite quarantine period for that disease, usually one to two weeks, at the quarantine station. Sick passengers stayed in the hospital on top of the island. There is a small cemetery on the island.Only one of the quarantine buildings from these years is still standing, and this Is now restored. It has a NZ Historic Places Trust Category 1 classification. After the quarantine station closed the island was leased. Now the area around the buildings is leased by Quarantine Island/Kamau Taurua Community, established in 1958 as St Martin Island Community, and the remainder jointly managed by the Community and the Department of Conservation. The resident Keeper manages the farm and St Martin Lodge (available for groups), and oversees a wide range of ecological, educational and cultural projects.In 1996 as part of the Ngai Tahu settlement the name of Kamau Taurua, meaning 'a place to set nets' was restored as part of the official name.