island's long, white sandy beach is popular with surfers. Surfers can either catch a water taxi from Mount Maunganui or paddle to the island across the mouth of Tauranga Harbour (depending on weather conditions). Matakana's surf side is a nesting site for a large number of sea birds, including the endangered New Zealand dotterel. In 2007 the New Zealand Fisheries Management Research Database recorded and estimated that there were 325 sting rays inhabiting the estuarial waters between Matakana Island and Rangiwaea Island. Education Te Kura o Te Moutere o Matakana is a co-educational Māori language immersion state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of as of . See also List of islands of New Zealand References External links Last step in Matakana Island pursuit Matakana Island Surf Report Barrier islands Western Bay of Plenty District Islands of the Bay of Plenty Region Populated places around the Tauranga Harbour