Māhia Peninsula
peninsula located on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island
Māhia Peninsula (Māori: Te Māhia) is located on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, in the Hawke's Bay region, between the towns of Wairoa and Gisborne.
It includes Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1, located near Ahuriri Point at the southern tip of the Māhia Peninsula, for launching its Electron rockets.
Since 2018, it has been used as a commercial launcher of small satellites in the range of 135–235 kg, and miniature satellites called CubeSats. New Zealand's first orbital space launch took place from Launch Complex 1 on 21 January 2018.
Geography
The peninsula is 21.7 kilometres (13.5 mi) long and 11.3 km (7 mi) wide. Its highest point is Rahuimokairoa, 397 m (1,302 ft) above sea level. The peninsula was once an island, but now a tombolo joins it to the North Island.
Demographics
Māhia Beach, which is on the northeast coast of the peninsula, is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 4.05 km2 (1.56 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 250 as of June 2025, with a population density of 62 people per km2. It is part of the larger Mahia statistical area.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Māhia Peninsula” is peninsula located on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Māhia, Peninsula and peninsula, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “peninsula located on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 26, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q838712. Authority coordinates are -39.150, 177.900. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2018 and 2025.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Māhia Peninsula”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Māhia Peninsula primary sources, Māhia Peninsula archive and Māhia research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Māhia Peninsula”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Māhia Peninsula” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.