33882
Paul Cuming Collection
Date2011Collection Summary185 wildlife images taken by Paul Cuming during the Rena Recovery Programme.
On the morning of 5 October 2011 the cargo vessel 'Rena' struck Otaiti (Astrolabe Reef) just north of Mōtītī island. As a result of this severe maritime disaster a significant amount of heavy fuel oil leaked into the waters of Tauranga Moana. Volunteers, the New Zealand Army and other trained responders from around New Zealand spent days cleaning up oil from the beaches. More than 1000 dead birds were found and 400 birds (mainly little blue penguins) were rescued and taken to the wildlife oil spill recovery facility. The Paul Cuming collection provides an insight into what became New Zealand's worst maritime environmental disaster.DescriptionCollection comprises:
Photo 21-287: 2 baby penguins beneath rocks
Photo 21-280: 2 penguins
Photo 21-034: 20 year old Grey-faced Petrel, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-118: 49 penguins arrive, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-115: 49 penguins released, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-078: All black cockroach, Oiled Wildlife Response Team
Photo 21-087: Awaiting dusk, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-286: Baby penguins beneath rocks
Photo 21-070: Baby seal, Pāpāmoa, Tauranga
Photo 21-044: Backing in boat, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-028: Base track, Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-032: Bird shelter, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-107: Black-backed gull nest, Mauao, 2 Nov 2011
Photo 21-160: Blinking petrel, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-082: Blood moonrise, Oiled Wildlife Response Team
Photo 21-008: Blue Penguin adult incubating, Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-006: Blue Penguin adult sitting on chick, Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-010: Blue Penguin chick just out of nest, Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-045: Boat and rocks, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-053: Boat to Mōtītī, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-102: Boxed for hospital, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-283: Boxes on beach at Motuotau (Rabbit island)
Photo 21-162: Brent Stephenson debriefing at Te Maunga, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-129: Brett takes care of last penguin to leave
Photo 21-072: Buller's Shearwater, Oiled, Pāpāmoa Beach, Oct 12 2011
Photo 21-099: Bush cover, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-041: Chopper and pump, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-079: Clean and twinked penguin, Oiled Wildlife Response Team
Photo 21-073: Clean penguin ashore, Mauao, 12 October 2011
Photo 21-106: Clean Penguin on nest, Mauao, 2 Nov 2011
Photo 21-035: Cliff edge, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-054: Cliffside camp, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-104: crab on rock, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-172: Cruiseliner near Mauao rocks
Photo 21-069: Day end debrief, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-148: Debris on Pāpāmoa Beach
Photo 21-033: Decamping, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-127: Demonstration debrief, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 11
Photo 21-111: Demonstration debrief, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-166: Descending cliff path, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-046: Disembarking island, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-277: Diving Petrel
Photo 21-105: Diving petrel on rocks, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-091: Diving Petrel tree nest, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-093: Diving petrel, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-047: DoC Staff, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-167: Dog tracks and oil globules, Pāpāmoa Beach, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-109: Final chance, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-021: Fledgling penguin chick on Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-077: Flipper-banded Penguin, Oiled Wildlife Response Team, Mauao
Photo 21-063: GPS Survey of NZ Dotterel, potential Oiled Wildlife
Photo 21-015: Grey-faced Petel, Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-085: Grey-faced Petrel adult, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-026: Grey-faced Petrel and Reece Irving, Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-017: Grey-faced Petrel chick about to fledge, Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-042: Gull and tern check, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-116: Heading home to Motuotau, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-060: Hi viz works, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-133: How to open a penguin box instruction
Photo 21-128: Inserting microchip in penguin, Mauao November 2011
Photo 21-064: Island boats, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-065: Kaituna River Mouth, Bay of Plenty
Photo 21-049: Karewa and rock stack checking, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-018: Karewa from Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-117: Kerri happy, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-122: Kerri Morgan and Simon Bridges, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-108: Kerri Morgan, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-090: kina, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-080: Kirsty and clean penguin, Oiled Wildlife Response Team
Photo 21-031: Landing area, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-098: Landing beach, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-030: Landing on Motuotau, Rewa, DOC Boat, to Motuotau, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-037: Last day oil free for Mauao, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-114: Last goodbyes, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-110: Last group, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-119: Last minute decisions, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-027: Little Blue Penguins coming ashore, Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-050: Little Blue, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-132: Lone last bird released
Photo 21-275: Maketū estaruy
Photo 21-019: Mauao at dawn from Waikareao, Tauranga
Photo 21-023: Mauao at sunset, Tauranga
Photo 21-025: Mauao Eastern slopes with pōhutukawa blooms, Tauranga
Photo 21-022: Mauao from Moturiki, Tauranga
Photo 21-009: Mauao from Pilot Bay during drought, Tauranga
Photo 21-024: Mauao from Pilot Bay, Tauranga
Photo 21-020: Mauao Northern slopes, Tauranga
Photo 21-156: Mauao skies
Photo 21-056: Mauao slip damage, Matakana side
Photo 21-113: Microchipping penguin, Mauao November 2011
Photo 21-169: Morning Debriefing, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit
Photo 21-158: Mōtītī Blue and the Oil Spill - Tauranga City Library window display (2014)
Photo 21-092: Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-005: Moulting penguins on Mauao
Photo 21-112: Nick Smith, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-155: Observing released penguins, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-161: Offloading dinghy, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-062: Oil globule and dog tracks, pāpāmoa Beach, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-278: Oil on beach
Photo 21-153: Oil on Mauao's Northern rocks
Photo 21-282: Oil on penguin
Photo 21-074: Oil on rocks, Mauao, 12 Oct 2011
Photo 21-086: Oil on rocks, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-089: oil patch, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-071: Oiled rocks, Mauao, 12 October 2011
Photo 21-171: Oiled wildlife mobile unit
Photo 21-076: Oiled Wildlife Response team makes live bird boxes up, Mt Maunganui, Rena Oil Spill
Photo 21-075: Oiled Wildlife Response team, oiled penguin on Mauao in capture box
Photo 21-279: Oiled wildlife response unit
Photo 21-168: Oiled Wildlife Response Unit Quad bike, Kaituna River Mouth, Tauranga
Photo 21-066: Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Kaituna River Mouth, Tauranga
Photo 21-151: Ōmanu Mobile Wildlife unit on standby
Photo 21-150: Ōmanu surf club mobile unit
Photo 21-040: On dry land, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-083: On the boat to hospital, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-149: Pāpāmoa surf club
Photo 21-088: Paperwork, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-001: Penguin and chick Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-288: Penguin at Motuotau (Rabbit island)
Photo 21-290: Penguin at Motuotau (Rabbit island)
Photo 21-285: Penguin beneath rocks
Photo 21-135: Penguin box opening lesson
Photo 21-101: Penguin burrow, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-096: Penguin field hospital, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-281: Penguin inside hole/cave
Photo 21-081: Penguin nest and eggs, Oiled Wildlife Response Team
Photo 21-103: Penguin oiled, ashore, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-084: Penguin on nest, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-123: Penguin release day, Mount Maunganui, early morning debrief
Photo 21-137: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 10
Photo 21-136: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 11
Photo 21-142: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 12
Photo 21-145: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 2
Photo 21-147: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 3
Photo 21-140: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 4
Photo 21-141: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 5
Photo 21-138: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 6
Photo 21-139: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 7
Photo 21-144: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 8
Photo 21-146: Penguin release Dec 13 2011 Moturiki 9
Photo 21-157: Penguin release group, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-057: Penguin sign, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-126: Penguins arriving prior to release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-173: Penguins heading to sea at Moturiki, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-131: Penguins released
Photo 21-004: Pied Shag on Tauranga Harbour
Photo 21-014: Pied Shag, Tauranga Harbour
Photo 21-013: Pied Shags, young in front, Tauranga Harbour
Photo 21-029: Pigeon chicks, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-059: Pigeon nest, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-134: Preparing for release of penguins
Photo 21-120: Pre-Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-068: Processing tent, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-121: Reading penguin microchip inside penguin, Mauao, November 2011
Photo 21-097: Recce team, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-003: Red-billed Gull on Mauao
Photo 21-051: Rena from Motuotau, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-152: Rena from Pāpāmoa
Photo 21-039: Report writing, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-276: Rewa boat
Photo 21-284: Rewa boat at Motuotau (Rabbit island)
Photo 21-165: Rewa, DOC Boat, to Motuotau, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-100: Rockpool fish, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-163: Salisbury Wharf to Motuotau, Rewa, DOC Boat, to Motuotau, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-130: Schoolkids arriving at penguin release
Photo 21-095: Seal pup, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-094: Seal pups, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-289: Signage at Maketū
Photo 21-164: Slip and Shag guano, Mauao, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty
Photo 21-036: Slip on Mauao, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty
Photo 21-124: Slow penguin, Penguin release, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-061: Small Oil globule on Pāpāmoa Beach, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-016: South Island Pied Oystercatcher juvenile, Whangamatā
Photo 21-154: Taylor Reserve Pāpāmoa
Photo 21-170: Too much oil, Motuotau Island, Mount Maunganui
Photo 21-007: Tourist feeding Red-billed Gull, Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-011: Tūī in banksia tree, Greytown
Photo 21-125: TV1 camera captures penguins getting released, Shark Alley, Mt Maunganui Nov 2011
Photo 21-048: Twinked petrel, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-012: Variable Oystercatcher, Mauao, Tauranga
Photo 21-067: Washing room, Oiled Wildlife Response Unit, Tauranga
Photo 21-058: Wave on landing area, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-055: Wave taller than boat, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-043: Weather deteriorates, Oiled Wildlife Response team trip to Motuotau Island, Rena Oil spill, Tauranga
Photo 21-002: White-fronted Tern on Tauranga Harbour

CreatorCuming, PaulLevelCollection
On the morning of 5 October 2011 the cargo vessel 'Rena' struck Otaiti (Astrolabe Reef) just north of Mōtītī island. As a result of this severe maritime disaster a significant amount of heavy fuel oil leaked into the waters of Tauranga Moana. Volunteers, the New Zealand Army and other trained responders from around New Zealand spent days cleaning up oil from the beaches. More than 1000 dead birds were found and 400 birds (mainly little blue penguins) were rescued and taken to the wildlife oil spill recovery facility. The Paul Cuming collection provides an insight into what became New Zealand's worst maritime environmental disaster.DescriptionCollection comprises:

Stories - Events
Image Copyright Paul Cuming
Asset Location
RoomOriginal not held
Usage
Kaitiakitanga StatementWe ask that, in addition to normal copyright and privacy considerations, users of our heritage resources uphold the mana and dignity of the people, communities and places depicted within.CopyrightCuming, Paul
Cuming, Paul, Paul Cuming Collection (2011). Pae Korokī, accessed 25/03/2026, https://paekoroki.tauranga.govt.nz/nodes/view/33882






