Motuhoa Island is in the western Bay of Plenty of New Zealand's North Island, in Tauranga Harbour, over long, up to high and about southeast of à Âmokoroa, with of low cliff, which on the north is up to high, with almost no vegetation. A boat ramp is near the east tip of the island, on the north shore. For the 2018 census, the island had a population too small to record. Shore skinks live on the beaches.
The rocks of Motuhoa Island have come out of local volcanic vents within the last 2.26 million years. The youngest rocks are Te Ranga Ignimbrite (an unconsolidated light grey, or cream, sand, with 5-25% pumice, 1-5% lithics of obsidian and rhyolite, and 7-12% crystals of plagioclase, hypersthene, ilmenite, quartz, hornblende and augite), of the Chimp Formation. They overlie, in a wavy erosional contact, Te Puna Ignimbrite, of the Pakaumanu Group, which sits unconformably on an erosional contact with Pahoia Tephras (probably part of the Kauroa Ash Formation, a sequence of very weathered, clay-rich, rhyolitic tephra), part of the Matua Subgroup of the Tauranga Group, which are exposed in coastal terraces of the island.
NgÃÂti Ranginui and NgÃÂi Te Rangi had pÃÂ on the island. 17 archaeological sites have been recorded, including middens and urupÃÂ. Motu Hoa in 1838 was the place where NgÃÂti HauÃÂ chief, Te Waharoa, was living, when he became ill. In 1840 the Catholic Bishop, Jean-Baptiste Pompallier, and priest Philippe Viard visited, a trip which was reenacted in 2016. They reported in 1841 that there was a chapel on the island.
An 1864 census found 12 of Te Pohoera hapà « living on the island, when the names of places were shown as Kohomaru, Tutira, Matarangi, Matawharere and Ahimate. In 1866 the Crown paid ã11,700 for the KatikatiâÂÂTe Puna block (within the confiscation boundary). Out of this forced purchase, Motuhoa was included as one of the native reserves. NgÃÂi Te Rangi were paid ã7,700 for their interests in the land and allocated what was described as of âÂÂgood agricultural landâÂÂ. This purchase was compulsory in that Civil Commissioner Henry Tacy Clarke said the block was required by Government, but would be paid for. In 1912 the Native Land Court divided the island's between 8 owners in 3 lots of and one of , the remaining being a burial ground. Ngai Tuwhiwhia, of NgÃÂi Te Rangi, were awarded the whole island.
Tauranga MÃÂori have a mÃÂtaitai reserve, which includes the harbour around Motuhoa Island.
Much of the island was ploughed for wheat in 1892. It was also used for oats, maize and grazing.
A pier replaced the old jetty in 1945.
Plants growing on Motuhoa include Tetragonia tetragonoides (kà Âkihi, or New Zealand spinach), pà Âhutukawa, mamaku, karaka, cabbage tree, radiata pine, woolly nightshade, Mexican devil and brush wattle.
In 2000 about 3,600 avocado trees were planted. On reaching maturity in 2016-17 they yielded just over 3 tonnes/ha, in 2018-19 10.5 tonnes/ha and 2018-19 over 18 tonnes/ha. 1200 willow trees were planted as shelter when the orchard was established, but have since been mulched.