Cape Kidnappers

David versus Goliath plus the Council

- Liz Remmerswaal

About Cape Kidnappers

Cape Kidnappers is one of the most picturesque and instantly recognisable coastal landscapes on the East Coast of the North Island. What Mitre Peak is to Fiordland, what the Port Hills are to Christchurch, what Cape Reinga is to Northland – so is Cape Kidnappers to the East Coast.

The Cape stands out as a tall, white line of cliffs reaching out to sea at the southern end of Hawke’s Bay. It is one of the most strikingly beautiful landscapes in the region. Part of the Cape’s beauty is in its remoteness. There are no formed roads to Cape Kidnappers. Access is possible only by either an overland farm track or by travelling along the beach route, which is passable only at low tide.

But for those who make the effort, the trip is well worth it. The place has a natural simplistic beauty. And from the head of the Cape are breathtaking views back toward Napier and the rest of Hawke’s Bay. The headland is also home to the world’s largest mainland colony of Australasian gannets. They congregate on the Cape each year and are a major attraction for visitors to Hawke’s Bay.

The name of the Cape derives from an incident here in 1769 during Captain James Cook’s first voyage to New Zealand. As the Endeavour passed around the headland it was approached by a group of canoes that had set out from the shore. Cook had with him a Tahitian man who had joined the crew of the Endeavour on its southward journey through the Pacific. Tahitian is a very similar language to Maori. Cook asked the Tahitian to communicate to the Maori warriors who were by now gathering around the Endeavour. During the course of this exchange, however, he was suddenly grabbed by one of the party of warriors and flung in to a waiting canoe. The abduction was nearly successful. A volley of shots from the Endeavour however brought down one of the assailants and allowed him to escape back to the safety of the ship. To mark the incident Cook named the headland "Cape Kidnappers". It is a name that has remained ever since. Among Maori, however, the Cape was always known and is still known, as te Matau o Maui or "the hook of Maui". The sharp-pointed and curving shape of the headland identifies this as the hook that Maui used – baited with his own blood – to fish up the North Island.

The Cape Is Bought By American Billionaire, Julian Robertson

The head of the Cape is reserve land held by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and is freely accessible to all. But all of the rest of the land in this area (including that containing one of the three gannet colony sites) is privately owned as part of what was formerly known as Summerlee Station.

In 2001 Summerlee Station was bought by American billionaire Julian Robertson. Robertson has since re-branded the property as "Cape Kidnappers" and recently transformed part of the farm in to a major new international golf course. The golf course, which is located a comfortable four kilometres away from the main Cape headland was generally well received by the people of Hawke’s Bay. It has provided a new source of employment, a further attraction for overseas visitors, and has kept a respectful distance from the main headland.

Robertson Proposes To Build A Luxury Hotel At The Cape

But with the golf course now complete, Robertson has turned his attention on Cape Kidnappers itself. His vision is to build a 24-unit luxury lodge hotel there. The site he has chosen can be clearly seen from the Cape headland and DOC-run gannet reserve and will occupy a total area of about four hectares. It is less than 100 metres away from one of the three main nesting areas for the Cape’s gannets. Robertson plans to further enhance the view for his hotel guests by carving a tunnel through to the Cape Kidnappers cliff face. This will be the so-called sunset room – a place for patrons to relax and sip their gin and tonics while looking back westward to the Bay.

Hastings District Council Grants Consent To The Hotel

Robertson sought consent for his lodge from the Hastings District Council in 2003. Because of the great significance of the area (Kidnappers is officially identified as an "outstanding natural landscape"), under the Resource Management Act, a resource consent was required from the Council.

Over 20 submitters fronted up to express their opposition to the propose lodge, including the NZ Historic Places Trust, the NZ Archaeological Association, and the Forest and Bird Protection Society, as well as neighbouring landowners, local tour operators, and members of the wider public – all calling on the Council to turn down the application so that Cape Kidnappers might be kept in its remote and wild state.

Maori reaction to the proposal has been divided. The Hawke’s Bay taiwhenua organisation has supported Robertson, but many of the people from local hapu (subtribes) – including those from the Cape area itself – have been strongly opposed. Among them is Hawea Moananui – a direct descendant of the original chief of the Kidnappers area. Despite these appeals, the Council determined to grant consent to the lodge. It was however a close-run decision, with just four councillors in favour of the proposal and three against.

Opponents Appeal To The Environment Court

Opponents of the lodge have now banded together as the Cape Kidnappers Protection Society and will be taking the case to appeal before the Environment Court. This will be an expensive exercise for them. Unlike Mr Robertson, for whom legal expenses will be merely small change (Robertson’s personal wealth is such that, in interest alone, he earns more than the equivalent of winning Lotto every day) – the difficulty for the objectors in raising the necessary funds to run a case are considerable.

The group has applied for legal aid assistance to the Ministry for the Environment, but will still need to make up a lot of their legal expenses by fund raising. Donations have already started to pour in and fundraising events are being held. Anyone who wishes to support the group can send donations to Cape Kidnappers Protection Society (Te Matau O Maui), Box 1463, Hastings. More information will be available on www.gannets.com Watch this space!


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Foreign Control Watchdog, P O Box 2258, Christchurch, New Zealand/Aotearoa. August 2003.

Email cafca@chch.planet.org.nz

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