Little Barrier Island lies at the outer edge of the Hauraki Gulf, off the northern coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is 80 kilometres to the north of Auckland. The island is separated from the mainland to the west by Jellicoe Channel, and from the larger Great Barrier Island to the east by Cradock Channel. The two aptly named islands shelter the Hauraki from many of the storms of the Pacific Ocean.

Little Barrier is a steeply sloping island, rising to 720 metres. Roughly circular in shape, it covers 28 km². It is uninhabited, and is used as a nature sanctuary. The island and its larger neighbour were named by Captain James Cook on November 23 1769.