Country New Zealand Area 14,111 km² Population 155,300 (2011) University Eastern Institute of Technology | ||
Points of interest Te Mata Peak, National Aquarium of New Zealand, Splash Planet, Taradale - New Zealand, Mahia Peninsula | ||
Hawkes Bay (Maori: ) is a region of New Zealand on the east coast of the North Island. It is recognised on the world stage for its award-winning wines. Hawkes Bay Regional Council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings. It derives from Hawke Bay which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke who decisively defeated the French at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759.
Contents
Map of Hawkes Bay Region
Geography
The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island. It bears the former name of what is now Hawke Bay, a large semi-circular bay that extends for 100 kilometres from northeast to southwest from Mahia Peninsula to Cape Kidnappers.
The Hawkes Bay region includes the hilly coastal land around the northern and central bay, the floodplains of the Wairoa River in the north, the wide fertile Heretaunga Plains around Hastings in the south, and a hilly interior stretching up into the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges.
Five major rivers flow down into the coast of Hawkes Bay. From north to south, they are the Wairoa River, Mohaka River, Tutaekuri River, Ngaruroro River and Tukituki River respectively. Lake Waikaremoana is situated in northern Hawkes Bay roughly 35 km from the coast. It is the largest lake in Hawkes Bay, 4th largest in the North Island and 16th largest in New Zealand.
The region consists of Wairoa District, Hastings District, Napier City, and Central Hawkes Bay District, as well as the town of Taharua in Taupo District and the town of Ngamatea in Rangitikei District. The regions boundaries vary somewhat from the former provincial boundaries of Hawkes Bay, and some towns in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region to the southwest, such as Dannevirke and Woodville, have a historical association with Hawkes Bay.
The region has a hill with the longest place name in New Zealand, and the longest in the world according to the 2009 Guinness Book of Records. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is an otherwise unremarkable hill in southern Hawkes Bay, not far from Waipukurau.
History
Hawkes Bay Province was founded in 1858 as a province of New Zealand, after being separated from the Wellington Province following a meeting in Napier in February 1858. The Province was abolished in 1876 along with all other provinces in New Zealand. It was replaced with a Provincial District.
On February 3, 1931, Napier and Hastings were devastated by New Zealands worst natural disaster, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale, which killed 256 people. Napier rebuilt and now the city is world famous for its Art Deco buildings, and celebrates its heritage each February with the Art Deco Weekend. MTG Hawkes Bay, formerly Hawkes Bay Museum and Art Gallery, has an exhibition on the earthquake, its causes and impact.
Economy
The GDP of the Hawkes Bay region was estimated at US$4.3 billion in 2003, 3% of the national GDP.
Culture
The region is served by a variety of radio stations including Radio Kahungunu, Classic Hits 89.5, More FM, access station Radio Kidnappers and local station Bay FM. As well, most of the national commercial and non-commercial operators have transmitters covering the region. Hawkes Bay also has its own TV station, TVHB, which provides a mix of news and information programmes hosted by local personalities.
Hawkes Bay produces some of New Zealands finest wines and once a year Harvest Hawkes Bay celebrates the fact by offering a three day wine and food festival. This event attracts many thousands.
Napier is home to the Mission Concert held early each year since 1993. The event, held at the Mission Estate Winery in Taradale, has attracted performers such as Kenny Rogers, Shirley Bassey, Rod Stewart, The B-52s, Belinda Carlisle, Ray Charles, and Eric Clapton. The 2009 concert attraction was to be Lionel Richie, but the concert was cancelled because of rain.