Papamoa
Encyclopedia
Papamoa is the largest suburb of Tauranga
in the Bay of Plenty
region on the northeastern coast of the North Island
of New Zealand
.
Papamoa has miles of white sandy beach stretching from Mount Maunganui
in the west to the Kaituna River
in the east. Widespread settlement of the area did not start until the early 1980s. Prior to this Papamoa had been largely a rural area. The town is now one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand
due to the increase in popularity of coastal communities, close proximity to Tauranga and recent local shopping developments. Once a small and tight knit community, many of Papamoa's sweeping paddocks have been swallowed up by urban development. Real Estate prices have also sky-rocketed in recent times.
Papamoa is also renowned for its fishing, surfing and the Papamoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park. As a surfing spot, the area is underrated and has often been seen as the 'poor cousin' to Mount Maunganui.
and Whakatane
.
.
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...
in the Bay of Plenty
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...
region on the northeastern coast of 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...
.
Papamoa has miles of white sandy beach stretching from 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....
in the west to the Kaituna River
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...
in the east. Widespread settlement of the area did not start until the early 1980s. Prior to this Papamoa had been largely a rural area. The town is now one of the fastest growing areas 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...
due to the increase in popularity of coastal communities, close proximity to Tauranga and recent local shopping developments. Once a small and tight knit community, many of Papamoa's sweeping paddocks have been swallowed up by urban development. Real Estate prices have also sky-rocketed in recent times.
Papamoa is also renowned for its fishing, surfing and the Papamoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park. As a surfing spot, the area is underrated and has often been seen as the 'poor cousin' to Mount Maunganui.
New Development
The town has increased in population by over 800% since 1981, mostly thanks to new subdivisions developed on previously rural land. Papamoa used to be under serviced in shopping terms relative to its population; however, the expansion of the "Palm Beach Plaza" and "Fashion Island" shopping centres in recent years has created a popular town centre. With the opening of the Domain Road/State Highway 2 roundabout, travel times to Mount Maunganui and Tauranga have been reduced. The $455m Tauranga Eastern Link and associated interchanges due to be completed in 2016 will further reduce travel times to Tauranga, RotoruaRotorua
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...
.
Name Issues
The town of "Papamoa" as we know it today is actually situated at "Papamoa Beach." Strictly geographically speaking, "Papamoa" is actually located closer inland towards the Papamoa Hills. Papamoa (situated at Papamoa Beach) can be split into two areas: Papamoa East and Papamoa West. Legally speaking Domain Road separates Papamoa West from Papamoa East, although to many locals Papamoa East starts on the Eastern side of Parton Road. Papamoa East (of Parton Road) in the 1970s and 1980s used to be seen as more of an alternative place to live, a bit like the Coromandel PeninsulaCoromandel 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...
.