Bay of Plenty
Encyclopedia
| Bay of Plenty Te Moana-a-Toi |
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| Country: | New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
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| Regional Council | |
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| Name: | Environment Bay of Plenty |
| Chair: | John Cronin John Cronin (New Zealand) John Michael Cronin MNZM is a New Zealand politician. he is the chairperson of the Bay of Plenty regional council, one of four councillors elected by the city of Tauranga... |
| Deputy Chair: | Philip Sherry |
| Population: | |
| Land Area: | 12,231 km² |
| Website: | www.EnvBoP.govt.nz |
| Constituent Territorial Authorities Territorial authorities of New Zealand Territorial authorities are the second tier of local government in New Zealand, below regional councils. There are 67 territorial authorities: 13 city councils, 53 district councils, and the Chatham Islands Council... |
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| Names: | Tauranga City Part of Rotorua District Whakatane District Western Bay of Plenty District Western Bay of Plenty District 200px|rightThe Western Bay of Plenty District Council is a municipality in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. The seat of the district council is at Greerton in Tauranga City... Kawerau District Opotiki District Part of Taupo District Taupo District The Taupo District covers 6,350 km² of land, as well as a further 610 km² of lake area, both in Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake, and also in the smaller Lake Rotoaira. The district stretches from the small town of Mangakino in the northwest to the Tongariro National Park in the... |
| Cities and Towns | |
| Cities: | Tauranga Tauranga Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963... , Rotorua Rotorua Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns... , Whakatane Whakatane Whakatane is a town in the eastern Bay of Plenty Region, in the North Island of New Zealand, and is the seat of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Whakatane is 90 km east of Tauranga and 89 km north-east of Rotorua, at the mouth of the Whakatane River.The town has a population of , with... |
| Towns: | Te Puke Te Puke Te Puke is a town located 28 kilometres southeast of Tauranga in the Western Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. It is particularly famous for the cultivation of kiwifruit... , Taneatua Taneatua Taneatua is a small town in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is officially defined as a "populated area less than a town". The 2001 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings found its population to be 750, a 14.7% decline since the previous census in 1996... , Edgecumbe Edgecumbe, New Zealand Edgecumbe is a town in the Bay of Plenty of the North Island of New Zealand, 15 kilometres to the west of Whakatane and eight kilometres south of the Bay's coast. It is the main service town for the agricultural region surrounding the plains of the Rangitaiki River, which flows through the town... , Opotiki Opotiki Opotiki is a town in the eastern Bay of Plenty in the North Island of New Zealand. It houses the headquarters of the Opotiki District Council and comes under the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.-Population:* of the town: 4176 - Male 1,989, Female 2,187... , Kawerau, Murupara Murupara Murupara is a town located in the North Island of New Zealand. The town is situated in an isolated part of the Bay of Plenty region between the Kaingaroa Forest and Te Urewera National Park, on the banks of the Rangitaiki River, 65 kilometres southeast of Rotorua, along SH38. Murupara is the... , Matata Matata, New Zealand Matata is a town located in the North Island of New Zealand. The town is 24 kilometres to the north-west of Whakatane. The population of Matata in the 2001 Census was 666.... , Maketu Maketu Maketu is a small town on the Bay of Plenty Coast in New Zealand. It is located on Okurei point and has an estuary from which the Kaituna River used to flow out of, it is also adjacent to Newdicks Beach located on the south eastern side of Okurei point. The name is sometimes informally abbreviated... , Mount Maunganui Mount Maunganui Mount Maunganui is a town in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, located on a peninsula to the north of Tauranga. It was independent from Tauranga until the completion of the Tauranga Harbour Bridge in 1988.... , Ngongotaha Ngongotaha Ngongotaha is a town on the western shores of Lake Rotorua in New Zealand's North Island.It is located 10 kilometers northwest of Rotorua city, and is often regarded as an outer suburb of the larger centre. However, most locals would be adamant that Ngongotaha is an independent village in its own... |
The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region
Regions of New Zealand
The region is the top tier of local government in New Zealand. There are 16 regions of New Zealand. Eleven are governed by an elected regional council, while five are governed by territorial authorities which also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are known as unitary authorities...
in the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
situated around the body of water of the same name
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...
. The bay was named by James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
after he noticed the abundant food supplies at several Māori villages there, in stark contrast to the earlier observations he had made in Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay is the largest of several small bays on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island to the north of Hawkes Bay. It stretches for 10 kilometres from Young Nick's Head in the southwest to Tuaheni Point in the northeast. The city of Gisborne is located on the northern shore of the bay...
.
In the 2006 Census, the Bay of Plenty had an estimated resident population of 257,379, making it the fifth-most populous region in New Zealand. The region also has the third-highest regional population density in New Zealand, with only the 11th-largest land area. The major population centres in the region are Tauranga
Tauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
, Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
and Whakatane
Whakatane
Whakatane is a town in the eastern Bay of Plenty Region, in the North Island of New Zealand, and is the seat of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Whakatane is 90 km east of Tauranga and 89 km north-east of Rotorua, at the mouth of the Whakatane River.The town has a population of , with...
. The Bay of Plenty is also one of the fastest growing regions in New Zealand: the regional population increased by 7.5% between 2001 to 2006, with significant growth along the coastal and western parts of the region, and is projected to increase to 277,900 by the year 2011.
Significant horticultural
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
industries are well established in the region. However, the Bay of Plenty is also the third-most economically deprived region in New Zealand, with the Eastern districts being among the least economically developed in the country.
History
According to local Māori traditionsMaori mythology
Māori mythology and Māori traditions are the two major categories into which the legends of the Māori of New Zealand may usefully be divided...
, the Bay of Plenty was the landing point of several migration canoes
Maori migration canoes
Various Māori traditions recount how their ancestors set out from their homeland in great ocean-going canoes . Some of these traditions name a mythical homeland called Hawaiki....
that brought Māori settlers to New Zealand. These include the Mataatua
Mataatua
In Māori tradition, Mataatua was one of the great voyaging canoes by which Polynesians migrated to New Zealand. Māori traditions say that the Mataatua was initially sent from Hawaiki to bring supplies of kūmara to Māori settlements in New Zealand...
, Nukutere
Nukutere
Nukutere was one of the Māori migration canoes that brought Polynesian migrants to New Zealand. Nukutere is one of the lesser known canoes. However, the descendants of the Nukutere migrants can be found in Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou and in other eastern Bay of Plenty iwi.According to Ngāti Awa...
, Tākitimu
Takitimu
In several Māori traditions, the Tākitimu was one of the great Māori migration canoes that brought Polynesian migrants to New Zealand from Hawaiki. It was one of the seven canoes in the "Great Fleet hypothesis" proposed by historian Stephenson Percy Smith .-Māori Traditions:The Tākitimu appears in...
and Arawa canoes, as well as the Tainui
Tainui (canoe)
In Māori tradition, Tainui was the name of one of the great ocean-going canoes in which Polynesians migrated to New Zealand, approximately 800 years ago. The Tainui waka was named for an infant who did not survive childbirth...
canoe. Many of the descendent iwi
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
maintain their traditional homelands (rohe
Rohe
Rohe is a word used by the Māori of New Zealand to describe the territory or boundaries of tribal groups. In traditional times, rohe were defined according to prominent geographical features, including mountains, rivers, and lakes. This is generally the case today as well....
) in the region, including Te Whānau-ā-Apanui
Te Whanau-a-Apanui
Te Whānau-ā-Apanui is a Māori iwi located in the eastern Bay of Plenty and East Coast regions of New Zealand's North Island. In 2006, the iwi registered 11,808 members, representing 13 hapu.-Early history:Apanui Ringamutu is the founding ancestor of the iwi...
, Te Whakatōhea
Te Whakatohea
Te Whakatōhea are a Māori iwi located in the eastern Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. The iwi comprises six hapu: Ngāi Tamahaua, Ngāti Ira, Ngāti Ngahere, Ngāti Patumoana, Ngāti Ruatakena and Te Ūpokorehe. In the 2006 Census, 12,072 people claimed an affiliation with Te Whakatōhea.The iwi is...
, Ngāi Tai
Ngai Tai
Ngāi Tai is a Māori tribal group in the area around Tōrere in the East Coast area of the North Island, New Zealand, and also at Clevedon near Auckland....
, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa
Ngati Awa
Ngāti Awa is a Māori iwi centred in the eastern Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand.Ngāti Awa comprises 22 hapu , with 15,258 people claiming affiliation to the iwi in 2006. The Ngāti Awa people are primarily located in towns on the Rangitaiki Plain, including Whakatane, Kawerau, Edgecumbe, Te...
, Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Ngati Tuwharetoa
Ngāti Tūwharetoa is an iwi descended from Ngātoro-i-rangi, the priest who navigated the Arawa canoe to New Zealand. The Tūwharetoa region extends from Te Awa o te Atua at Matata across the central plateau of the North Island to the lands around Mount Tongariro and Lake Taupo.The iwi is identified...
ki Kawerau, Te Arawa
Te Arawa
Te Arawa is a confederation of Māori iwi and hapu based in the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty areas of New Zealand, with a population of around 40,000.The history of the Te Arawa people is inextricably linked to the Arawa canoe...
, Ngāi Te Rangi
Ngaiterangi
Ngāi Te Rangi is a Māori iwi, based in Tauranga.-External links:* Official website of...
, Ngāti Ranginui
Ngati Ranginui
Ngāti Ranginui is a Māori iwi centred in Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. Ngāti Ranginui is one of the three Tauranga Moana tribes, maintaining close ties with Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Pūkenga. In the 2001 census, 6,120 people claimed affiliation to the iwi, representing 9 hapu...
and Ngāti Pūkenga
Ngati Pukenga
Ngāti Pūkenga is a Māori iwi centred in Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. According to the 2006 census, 1,785 people claimed affiliation to the iwi. Ngāti Pūkenga is one of the three Tauranga Moana tribes, maintaining close ties with Ngaiterangi and Ngāti Ranginui. The Tauranga...
. Early Māori settlement gave rise to many regional town and city names used today.
The first recorded European contact in the Bay of Plenty came when James Cook sailed through the bay in 1769. Cook noted the abundance of food supplies, in comparison to Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay is the largest of several small bays on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island to the north of Hawkes Bay. It stretches for 10 kilometres from Young Nick's Head in the southwest to Tuaheni Point in the northeast. The city of Gisborne is located on the northern shore of the bay...
further back along the eastern coast of the North Island. Further reports of European contact are scarce prior to the arrival of missionary Samuel Marsden
Samuel Marsden
Samuel Marsden was an English born Anglican cleric and a prominent member of the Church Missionary Society, believed to have introduced Christianity to New Zealand...
to the Tauranga area in 1820. During the 1820s and 1830s, northern iwi including Ngā Puhi invaded the Bay of Plenty during their campaign throughout the North Island, fighting local Māori tribes in what became known as the Musket Wars
Musket Wars
The Musket Wars were a series of five hundred or more battles mainly fought between various hapū , sometimes alliances of pan-hapū groups and less often larger iwi of Māori between 1807 and 1842, in New Zealand.Northern tribes such as the rivals Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Whātua were the first to obtain...
. However, the 1830s and 1840s saw increased contact between Bay of Plenty Māori and Europeans through trade, although few Europeans settled in the region. Missionary activity in the region also increased during this time. In 1853, New Zealand was subdivided into provinces
Provinces of New Zealand
The Provinces of New Zealand existed from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. They were replaced by counties, which were themselves replaced by districts.Following abolition, the provinces became known as provincial districts...
, with the present-day region incorporated into Auckland Province
Auckland Province
The Auckland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-Anniversary Day:...
.
Conflict returned to the Bay of Plenty during the 1860s with the New Zealand Land Wars
New Zealand land wars
The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
. Initial conflicts in the region stemmed from Tauranga iwi supporting the Waikato iwi in their conflict with the government. In retaliation, British Crown and government-allied Māori forces attacked the Tauranga iwi, including at the famous Battle of Gate Pā
Gate Pa
Gate Pā was the name of a Māori Pā or fortress built in 1864 only from the main British base of Camp Te Papa at Tauranga, during the Tauranga Campaign of the New Zealand Land Wars...
in 1864. Further conflict with the government arose in 1865 when German missionary Carl Völkner and interpreter James Fulloon were killed by local Māori at Opotiki
Opotiki
Opotiki is a town in the eastern Bay of Plenty in the North Island of New Zealand. It houses the headquarters of the Opotiki District Council and comes under the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.-Population:* of the town: 4176 - Male 1,989, Female 2,187...
and Whakatane, respectively. The ensuing conflict resulted in the confiscation of considerable land
New Zealand land confiscations
The New Zealand land confiscations took place during the 1860s to punish the Kingitanga movement for attempting to set up an alternative, Māori, form of government that forbade the selling of land. The confiscation law targeted Kingitanga Māori against whom the government had waged war to restore...
from several Bay of Plenty iwi by the government.
Confiscated Māori land in the Bay of Plenty deprived local iwi of economic resources (among other things), and also provided land for expanding European settlement. The government established fortified positions across the region, including at Tauranga, Whakatane and Opotiki. European settlers arrived throughout the latter half of the 19th century, establishing settlements in Katikati
Katikati
Katikati is a town located on the Uretara Stream near the tidal inlet opened by Matakana Island in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. The nearest city is Tauranga, which is 40 kilometres to the southeast. Katikati lies 28 kilometres south of Waihi.Katikati was settled in 1875 by settlers from County...
, Te Puke
Te Puke
Te Puke is a town located 28 kilometres southeast of Tauranga in the Western Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. It is particularly famous for the cultivation of kiwifruit...
and the Rangitaiki area. In 1876, settlements were incorporated into counties
Counties in New Zealand
After New Zealand abolished its provinces in 1876, a system of counties similar to other countries' systems was instituted, lasting with little change until 1989 when they were reorganised into District Councils within a system of larger Regions.The "Counties Bill of 1876" was initiated to merge...
following the nationwide dissolution of the provincial system. Initial settlements in the region struggled: the regional climate was ill-suited to sheep farming and the geography was inaccessible, further hindered by a lack of infrastructure. By the end of the century the regional population had started to dwindle. However, after experimenting with different crops, local settlers found success with dairy production. Dairy factories sprang up across the Bay of Plenty in the 1900s, with butter and cheese feeding economic prosperity throughout the early 20th century; local Māori continued to live on the fringe of this prosperity. Timber also became a major export in the 1950s, and later, kiwifruit.
The present Bay of Plenty region was formed in 1989 after a nationwide review and shakeup of top-level local government in New Zealand. The new region incorporated the former counties of Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakatane and Opotiki.
Governance
The region is subdivided into territorial authoritiesTerritorial authorities of New Zealand
Territorial authorities are the second tier of local government in New Zealand, below regional councils. There are 67 territorial authorities: 13 city councils, 53 district councils, and the Chatham Islands Council...
, which include the Western Bay of Plenty District, Tauranga City, Whakatane District, Kawerau District and Opotiki District, as well as parts of Rotorua District and the town of Rangitaiki in Taupo District.
Environment Bay of Plenty, otherwise known as the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, is the administrative body responsible for overseeing regional land use, environmental management and civil defence in the region. The regional council also oversees local-tier governing councils for each of the territorial authorities. In 1989, Whakatane was selected as the seat for the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, as a compromise between the two dominant cities of Tauranga and Rotorua.
Public Health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
is broken into regions. Bay of Plenty and Lakes District Health Boards have public health provided by Toi Te Ora - Public Health.
Geography
Coromandel Peninsula
The Coromandel Peninsula lies in the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Waikato Region and Thames-Coromandel District and extends 85 kilometres north from the western end of the Bay of Plenty, forming a natural barrier to protect the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames in the west...
in the west to Cape Runaway
Cape Runaway
Cape Runaway is the eastern extremity of the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand's North Island. It is located 90 kilometres northeast off Whakatane and 50 kilometres west of East Cape....
in the east. It extends 12 nautical miles from the mainland coastline, and also extends from the coastlines of several islands in the bay, notably Mayor Island/Tuhua
Mayor Island/Tuhua
Mayor Island is a dormant shield volcano located off the Bay of Plenty coast of New Zealand's North Island. It lies north of Tauranga and covers . The island is quite steep along its coast and rises to about sea level. A saddle about deep separates it from the North Island, while the other...
, Motiti Island
Motiti Island
Motiti Island is located off the Bay of Plenty coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is north-east of Tauranga and north-east of Papamoa. There were 18 homes occupied by 27 people on the island in the 2006 Census....
, Whale Island
Whale Island, New Zealand
Moutohora Island or Whale Island is a small uninhabited island located off the Bay of Plenty coast of New Zealand's North Island, about north of the town of Whakatane. The island is a remnant of a complex volcano which has eroded, leaving two peaks...
and the active volcano of Whakaari/White Island
Whakaari/White Island
Whakaari/White Island is an active andesite stratovolcano, situated from the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, in the Bay of Plenty. The nearest mainland towns are Whakatane and Tauranga....
. The region extends inland to the sparsely populated forest lands around Rotorua and Murupara
Murupara
Murupara is a town located in the North Island of New Zealand. The town is situated in an isolated part of the Bay of Plenty region between the Kaingaroa Forest and Te Urewera National Park, on the banks of the Rangitaiki River, 65 kilometres southeast of Rotorua, along SH38. Murupara is the...
.
The geographical bay
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...
is defined by 259 km of open coastline used for economic, recreational and cultural purposes. The coastline from Waihi Beach
Waihi Beach
Waihi Beach is a coastal town at the western end of the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand's North Island. It lies 10 kilometres to the east of the town of Waihi, at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula. Waihi Beach has 10 kilometres of white sand linking it to the small settlement of Bowentown...
in the west to Opape is defined as sandy coast, while the coast from Opape to Cape Runaway is rocky shore. Sizeable harbours are located at Tauranga, Whakatane and Ohiwa. Major estuaries include Maketu
Maketu
Maketu is a small town on the Bay of Plenty Coast in New Zealand. It is located on Okurei point and has an estuary from which the Kaituna River used to flow out of, it is also adjacent to Newdicks Beach located on the south eastern side of Okurei point. The name is sometimes informally abbreviated...
, Little Waihi, Whakatane, Waiotahi and Waioeka
Waioeka River
The Waioeka River is found in the north of New Zealand's North Island. It flows north for 65 kilometres from Te Urewera National Park to reach the sea at Opotiki. It shares its estuary with the Otara River.-History:...
/Otara
Otara River
The Otara River is found in the north of New Zealand's North Island. It flows north for 35 kilometres, reaching the sea at Opotiki in the eastern Bay of Plenty. It shares its estuary with the Waioeka River....
. Eight major rivers empty into the bay from inland catchments, including the Wairoa
Wairoa River
Wairoa is the name of several rivers and streams in New Zealand. Wairoa is Māori for long water.* Wairoa River * Wairoa River * Wairoa River * Wairoa River * Wairoa River...
, Kaituna
Kaituna River
The Kaituna River is located in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the outflow from Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti, and flows northwards for 45 kilometres, emptying into the Bay of Plenty near Te Puke...
, Tarawera
Tarawera River
The Tarawera River is in the Bay of Plenty Region in the North Island of New Zealand.It flows from Lake Tarawera, northeastwards across the northern flanks of the active volcano Mount Tarawera, and past the town of Kawerau before turning north, reaching the Bay of Plenty six kilometres to the west...
, Rangitaiki
Rangitaiki River
The Rangitaiki River is the longest river in the Bay of Plenty region in New Zealand's North Island. It is 155 kilometres in length, and rises inland from northern Hawke Bay to the east of the Kaingaroa Forest....
, Whakatane
Whakatane River
The Whakatane River is a major river of the Bay of Plenty Region in the North Island of New Zealand.It flows north from near the small town of Ruatahuna through Te Urewera National Park, reaching the Bay of Plenty through the town of Whakatane. The river is 95 kilometres in length....
, Waioeka
Waioeka River
The Waioeka River is found in the north of New Zealand's North Island. It flows north for 65 kilometres from Te Urewera National Park to reach the sea at Opotiki. It shares its estuary with the Otara River.-History:...
, Motu
Motu River
Motu River is a major waterway in the eastern portion of the North Island of New Zealand. It rises on the slopes of Maungahaumi on the southern side of the Raukumara Range south of Opotiki, heads east and cuts its way through the range and empties into the Bay of Plenty to the north.The Māori name...
and Raukokore
Raukokore River
The Raukokore River is a river in the northeast of New Zealand's North Island. it flows north from the slopes of Mount Hikurangi, reaching the sea at Papatea Bay close to the small settlement of Raukokore....
rivers.
Taupo Volcanic Zone
The Taupo Volcanic Zone is a highly active volcanic V shaped area in the North Island of New Zealand that is spreading east -west at the rate of about 8mm per year...
, which extends from the centre of the North Island northwards to Whakaari/White Island. Volcanic mountains and lakes, geothermal areas and geological fault lines all dot the landscape. The geothermal region around Rotorua is a major tourist site, while many hot springs in the region are used as swimming areas. The geothermal field near Kawerau is the site of a geothermal power plant that will reportedly meet up to one third of residential and industrial electricity demand in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Whakaari/White Island, the site of a former sulfur-mining operation, is an active volcanic island popular with tourists. The eruption of Mount Tarawera
Mount Tarawera
Mount Tarawera is the volcano responsible for New Zealand's largest historic eruption. Located 24 kilometres southeast of Rotorua in the North Island, it consists of a series of rhyolitic lava domes that were fissured down the middle by an explosive basaltic eruption in 1886, which killed over...
in 1886 and the 1987 Edgecumbe earthquake
1987 Edgecumbe earthquake
The Edgecumbe earthquake of 1987 was an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale that struck the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand on 2 March 1987 just after 1.42 pm, centred on the town of Edgecumbe. The earthquake was very shallow, being centred approximately 8 km from the Earth's...
were two disasters related to geological activity in the volcanic plateau.
Prominent mountains in the region include Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui is a town in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, located on a peninsula to the north of Tauranga. It was independent from Tauranga until the completion of the Tauranga Harbour Bridge in 1988....
, Mount Tarawera and Mount Edgecumbe/Putauaki, which also have cultural significance to local Māori. The Kaimai
Kaimai Ranges
The Kaimai Range is a mountain range in the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of a series of ranges, with the Coromandel Range to the north and the Mamaku Ranges to the south. The Kaimai Range separates the Waikato in the west from the Bay of Plenty in the east.The highest point of the range...
and Mamaku
Mamaku Ranges
The Mamaku Ranges are a range of rugged hills in the North Island of New Zealand. Located to the west of Lake Rotorua and north of Lake Taupo, they lie to the immediate south of the Kaimai Range and can be thought of as an extension of it, in much the same way that the Kaimai Range can be...
mountain ranges lie at the western border of the region. Swamp land was formerly concentrated around a number of rivers in the region, but much of this was dredged in the early part of the 20th century to increase land for settlement and other uses. Large native and foreign (planted) forest areas are found in the inland parts of the region. The Kaingaroa Forest
Kaingaroa Forest
Kaingaroa Forest is the largest forest in the North Island of New Zealand, and the largest plantation in the southern hemisphere.The forest covers 2900 km² in the inland East Cape and Bay of Plenty regions, and stretches south past the east coast of Lake Taupo...
is the world's largest planted forest, comprising Radiata Pine mainly used for timber.
Climate
The Bay of Plenty has a subtropical, temperate, maritimeOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
climate, with warm, humid summers and mild winters. The region is one of the warmest in New Zealand, particularly along the coastline, and most areas experience at least 2,000 hours of sunshine per annum. Average daily maximum temperatures in the region range from 9–16 °C in winter to 22–26 °C in summer. Rainfall occurs more frequently in winter than in summer, but tropical storms in summer and autumn can produce heavy rain with high winds. Central parts of the region can receive up to 2000 mm of rainfall annually, while the eastern and western areas can receive up to 4000 mm.
Economy
The sub-national GDP of the Bay of Plenty region was estimated at US$6.689 billion in 2003, 5% of New Zealand's national GDP.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, natural resource
Natural resource
Natural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts of biodiversity and geodiversity existent in various ecosystems....
s and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
are the major industries in the Bay of Plenty. 96 per cent of the region is defined as 'rural', with 22% of land usage representing farm land and 38% representing nature reserve land. The most common agricultural land uses in the region are horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
, grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
and sheep farming. Notable horticultural crops include kiwifruit
Kiwifruit
The kiwifruit, often shortened to kiwi in many parts of the world, is the edible berry of a cultivar group of the woody vine Actinidia deliciosa and hybrids between this and other species in the genus Actinidia....
, apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s and avocado
Avocado
The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
es. The region also has an abundance of coastal, forestry and geothermal resources. Forestry emerged as a vital industry in the 1950s, with Radiata Pine being planted during the early 20th century. Forestry in the region is commercially planted and managed, mostly using planted foreign tree species, and timber is sent to the Port of Tauranga
Port of Tauranga
Port of Tauranga is the port of Tauranga, New Zealand, the largest port in the country in terms of total cargo volume, and the second largest in terms of container throughput. with Port of Tauranga Ltd being the company operating it...
for export. Geothermal activity is a source of tourism in the region, and geothermal energy is emerging as a major regional source of electricity. Tourism is the other notable industry in the Bay of Plenty, accounting for 15% of the region's GDP from March 2000 to 2004. The Bay of Plenty received over 645,000 tourists in 2003, equivalent to one in three visitors to New Zealand
Tourism in New Zealand
Tourism is an important industry in New Zealand, contributing NZ$15 billion of the country's gross domestic product in 2010. It is also New Zealand's largest export industry, with about 2.4 million international tourists visiting per year , providing 18% of the country's export earnings...
coming to the region. Rotorua is a popular destination for international visitors, in particular the surrounding geothermal areas and Māori cultural centres. Tauranga is a popular domestic tourism destination, but becoming very popular internationally.
Overall economic growth in the Bay of Plenty averaged 2.1% between March 2000 and 2004, compared with the national rate of 3.5%, although per capita real GDP
Real GDP
Real Gross Domestic Product is a macroeconomic measure of the value of output economy adjusted for price changes . The adjustment transforms the money-value measure, called nominal GDP, into an index for quantity of total output...
growth in the region in the five years to March 2003 matched the national growth rate at an averaged 2.3%. In the 2006 Census, the median annual income in the Bay of Plenty was $22,600, below the national median of $24,400. Further, 45.4% of people aged 15 years or older earned an annual income of less than $20,000, compared with 43.2% of people nationally. Unemployment in the region was at 6.1% of people 15 years or older, compared with 5.1% nationally.
Transport
The Bay of Plenty has 227 km of rail network and 4,460 km of roads. The main rail line in the region is the East Coast Main Trunk Railway, which extends from HamiltonHamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
in the Waikato
Waikato
The Waikato Region is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato, Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupo District, and parts of Rotorua District...
region to Kawerau and Taneatua via Tauranga, with the Murupara Branch Railway extending the Kawerau terminus to Murupara. Rail networks in the region are used exclusively for freight. The hub of regional economic activity is the Port of Tauranga, with well-established rail and road connections to other parts of the region. Three commercial airports also operate in the Bay of Plenty: Tauranga Airport
Tauranga Airport
Tauranga Airport is a regional airport 2NM to the north east of Tauranga city in the Bay of Plenty on the North Island of New Zealand.Scheduled flights are operated by Eagle Airways and Air Nelson, divisions of Air New Zealand, using Raytheon Beechcraft 1900D and De Havilland Dash 8 Q-300 aircraft...
, Rotorua Airport and Whakatane Airport
Whakatane Airport
-External links:*...
.
Car travel remains the dominant form of transport in the region. In 2002, the number of vehicles owned in the region was 189,000, with an average of 1.51 vehicles per household. Significant public transport bus services exist only in Tauranga and Rotorua. Significant growth in the Western Bay of Plenty District has seen increased strain on road infrastructure, particularly with increasing traffic congestion in Tauranga. Due to this growth, a new highway network is being planned and constructed in Tauranga to join with its current network spanning on the western side of the city. Transit New Zealand
Transit New Zealand
Transit New Zealand was, from 1989 to 2008, the New Zealand Crown entity responsible for operating and planning the New Zealand State Highway network...
, in conjunction with Environment Bay of Plenty and the Tauranga City and Western Bay of Plenty District Councils, is planning to build an Eastern Motorway bypassing Te Puke, a Western Motorway bypassing Omokoroa
Omokoroa
Omokoroa is a small urban area in the Western Bay of Plenty District of New Zealand. The suburb is considered part of Greater Tauranga, , but is actually within the Coromandel Electorate...
and a smaller Southern Motorway.
Demographics
67.1% of the resident population in the Bay of Plenty identified with the European ethnic group, while 27.5% of people identified themselves as Māori. This compared with 67.6% of the national population identifying themselves as ethnic European and 14.6% identifying themselves as Māori. Other ethnic groups were under-represented in the region: 14.9% of the regional population was born overseas, compared with 22.9% nationally. English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is the most widely spoken language. Te Reo Māori is the most common minority language, spoken by 9.6% of the population, compared with 4.1% nationally.
Sport
The Bay of Plenty is represented in several domestic sporting competitions. The Bay of Plenty Rugby UnionBay of Plenty Rugby Union
The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union is the official governing body for rugby union in the Bay of Plenty, in the North-East of the North Island...
oversees the Bay of Plenty Steamers
Bay of Plenty Steamers
The Bay of Plenty Steamers are the top representative team under the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union in New Zealand. They compete in the ITM Cup. They have a total of 20 All Blacks, the latest being Tanerau Latimer in 2009...
, who play in the Air New Zealand Cup
Air New Zealand Cup
The ITM Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic Rugby union competition, taking place from late July through October . It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC...
. The Steamers are also a feeder club for the Chiefs who play in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
. The Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic
Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic
The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are a New Zealand netball team based in Hamilton that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was formed in 1999 during the Coca-Cola Cup as an amalgamation of two teams from the inaugural season, the Waikato Wildcats and the Bay of...
compete in the ANZ Championship
ANZ Championship
The ANZ Championship is the pre-eminent netball league in the world. The competition is held annually between April and July, comprising 69 matches played over 17 weeks. It is contested by ten teams, five from Australia and five from New Zealand...
in netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
, having previously played in the National Bank Cup
National Bank Cup
The National Bank Cup was the pre-eminent national netball competition in New Zealand between 1998 and 2007. From 2008, it was replaced by the ANZ Championship.-Format:...
. Bay of Plenty also makes up a part of the Northern Districts
Northern Districts Knights
The Yahoo!Xtra Northern Knights are one of six New Zealand first class cricket teams that make up New Zealand Cricket.It is based in the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand...
cricket region and the Midlands hockey region.
External links
- Environment Bay of Plenty
- Bay of Plenty Times – regional newspaper
- Bay of Plenty in Te Ara the Encyclopedia of New Zealand
- Bay of Plenty Area Information