I camped on Matiu Island with friends some years ago.

The ferry runs between Wellington Central and Eastbourne (and sometimes Seatoun) but stops at Matiu on the way.

Upon disembarking, security was tight, with all visitors getting a safety briefing and a gear check for uninvited stowaways. A walkway runs around the island for daytime exploration and IIRC there is a separate smaller island where a poor guy was quarantined for the long term some years ago.

Staying on the island offers a very different perspective on the nearby city and it was a very peaceful experience. I especially enjoyed watching the slow blinking from lighthouses marking the shipping corridor. I would definitely go back again.

Reviewed over 4 years ago and experienced in January 2015