Great Barrier Island (Māori: Aotea) lies in the outer Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand, 100 kilometres northeast of central Auckland. With an area of 285 square kilometres. it is the sixth-largest island of New Zealand and the fourth-largest in the main chain. Its highest point, Mount Hobson, is 627 metres (2,057 ft) above sea level.
The island was initially exploited for its minerals and kauri trees and saw only limited agriculture. In 2013, it was inhabited by 939 people, mostly living from farming and tourism. The majority of the island (around 60% of the total area) is administered as a nature reserve by the Department of Conservation. In 2009 the island atmosphere was described as being "life in New Zealand many decades back".