Whakatane

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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 less than 100 kilometres from two large cities, Rotorua and Tauranga. It is less than 4 hours drive from Auckland and Hawkes Bay and 2.5 hours from Gisborne, Hamilton and Taupo.

Whakatane is one of the most stunning areas in New Zealand. Sandy beaches cover 54 kilometres of coastline. Central areas include fertile lowlands and farming areas on the Rangitaiki Plains through to Murupara.

The climate is superb. Whakatane records the highest temperature in New Zealand about 55 days of each year. Average annual sunshine is 2332 hours with an average annual rainfall of 1207mm.

Whakatane has an amazing arts and cultural scene. In Whakatane you can easily find song, dance, sculpture, traditional Maori art practitioners and much more within the one town.

Whakatance is a huge outdoor playground from the packed fishing waters of the Bay, through to the unspoilt native bush of the Ureweras there is a vast variety of children's playgrounds, walking tracks and fun activities for everyone to enjoy.

History

The Whakatane District was settled by tangata whenua (people of the land) in a series of migrations over several hundred years.

Maori oral traditions have the first settlers arriving in the region more than 1,000 years ago. European settlement began in the 1830s when whalers, sealers and later missionaries and traders made their homes there.

Agriculture remains an economic mainstay, but since the 1950s, plantation forestry and wood processing have also become increasingly important. Tourism too has taken on an important role as more and more people have come to appreciate the region's riches and spectacular climate.

Main Towns in the Bay of Plenty Region

Other Towns in the Bay of Plenty Region