Club is a terrific venue and offers a full
menu for lunch and dinner, 7 days per
week.
WhakatƗne is one of the sunniest
towns in New Zealand. It basks in more
than 2000 sunshine hours every year. It
permanently attracts holiday makers,
especially in the hot summer months,
that coincide with great fishing/
diving and boating opportunities.
WhakatƗne, and indeed the Bay of
Plenty, has a reputation for blue skies,
mild temperatures and light winds due
to the unique topography and being
shaded by the nearby mountains,
and produces less rainfall than New
Zealand averages. The shelter of the
east/west coastline provides calmer
seas on average, and the warm ocean
currents of the east coast range from
around 14°C in August, up to 20-21°C
during February.
WhakatƗne also has dolphin and
seal tours, whale watching, massive
waterfalls, a variety of music and
entertainment festivals, and mountain
biking.ANCESTORAL HISTORY
Mataatua Wharenui is a fully carved
MƗrae (meeting house) that travelled
the world for over a century, beforereturning home to its people: the NgƗti
Awa MƗori tribe of the Eastern Bay
of Plenty. Here you can experience a
genuine insight into the MƗori history
and culture. It was originally built
in the 1870s as a symbol of “unity,
renewed strength and resilience and to
celebrate our ancestors”.
The 16 kilometre Nga Tapuwae o
Toi or the “Footprints of Toi” walkway
leads to historically significant pa sites
(fortified villages), native forest, sea and
forest bird colonies, iconic flora and
fauna features and magnificent coastal
views outdone only by rural vistas
leading to the mountains beyond. The
walkway is accessible to most people,
regardless of fitness level, because it
can be undertaken in sections or as a
16 km round trip.
Muriwai’s Cave is one of the most
sacred and historically significant sites
in the WhakatƗne region. The cave at
one time, could accommodate up to
sixty, and it was once extended some
122 metres into the hillside. It is located
in a central position in the township
and has been dedicated to Muriwai’s
memory and remains to this day a
special place.
The Lady on the Rock is a bronze
statue atop Turuturu Rock at themouth of the WhakatƗne River and
commemorates the bravery of Wairaka.
According to Wikipedia, “The
Mataatua waka first arrived at
WhakatƗne after making a perilous
voyage from NgƗti Awa’s ancestral
homeland of Hawaiki 700 years ago.
Hawaiki is the legendary Pacific
homeland of the MƗori people, from
which they are supposed to have
travelled to New Zealand and to where
their spirits are believed to return after
death. The men left the women alone
in the canoe while they went ashore.
When the canoe started to drift back to
sea, Wairaka defying the tapu (taboo)
that forbade women to handle a canoe,
seized the paddle and brought the waka
back to shore crying, ‘Kia WhakatƗne
au i ahau’ – I will act the part of a man.”
This cry is the origin of the town’s name
and the statue acts as a fitting greeting
to seafaring travellers – like me!
I’m sure I saw elf’s in the forest and
Gandalf on a mountain top!62 tradeaboat.com.auWhakatƗne, New Zealand