 Mission Bay and its neighbour, Orakei, achieved national attention in 1977 when Māori protestors occupied vacant land at Bastion Point.Land which had formerly belonged to the Ngāti Whātua iwi had been acquired cheaply for public works many decades before, and members of the iwi occupied the land for 507 days demanding its return.The site was largely returned to the iwi after a long and not entirely bloodless occupation.