Snares Island
The main island of the Snares group, North East Island, as its name suggests, lies at the northeastern corner of the group. It has roughly the shape of a triangle, but with two concave edges, this causing both the southern and northwestern coast to be in the form of large irregular bays. Cliffs and reefs are found along the northeastern coast and part of the southern coast, with the islands highest point – rising to 130 metres – being located on the long westward-pointing finger which lies between them. In contrast, the east coast is relatively flat and sloping, and provides the only easy access-point for landing, close to Station Point. Several small bays dot the east coast, among them Punui Bay, Ho Ho Bay, and Mollymawk Bay. The island's northernmost and southernmost points are the prosaically named North Promontory and South Promontory. Several small islets, the Daption Rocks, lie off the tip of North Promontory, and are the island group's northernmost point.

The Auckland Islands have the richest flora of the five island groups – 233 taxa have been recorded, 196 of which are native.

The vegetation of the Auckland Islands subdivides by distinct altitudinal zones with the width of each changing as you get further south. In the salt spray zone there is often a herb turf. Above it, in exposed sites, you will find tussock land, with associated herbs. The only sizable dune area is Sandy Bay on Enderby Island.

Beyond the coastal zone, in more sheltered sites of the north and east, is a forest made up totally of southern rata (metrosideros) – the same species as in the South Island. The many twisted and gnarled stems of the rata give the forest a haunted atmosphere.

The soft tree fern also grows on the Auckland Islands – the most southern habitat for a tree fern.

Introduced animals have had a profound impact on the vegetation of the Auckland Islands. Pigs and goats on the Auckland Island, and rabbits and cattle on Enderby Island, have removed the megaherbs from accessible sites.

The most obvious sign of the influence of animals are the extensive grassland areas on Enderby Island and the rooted up areas on the Aucklands, where the pigs have been digging for worms and fly larvae. Only on Adams Island, and some of the other smaller offshore islands, can the full selection of megaherbs be seen at their glorious best.

Stilbocarpa polaris, Enderby Island