East Coast new Zealand South Island

No matter whether you want to explore the marvels of New Zealand, soak up the liveliness of cafés, dining and shops or relax on the beach, the Bay of Plenty has it all.

The journey to the Bay of Plenty is an adventurous one in itself. Over 400 years passed before the Bay of Plenty received its name. He was the first resident merchant in the Bay of Plenty and came to Tauranga in 1829 to obtain linen fibres for Australia's trades.

Tauranga did not blossom immediately - it began slowly. Tauranga only became a community in 1882 with its first mayor George Vesey Stewart. Mister Stewart emigrated from Ireland to New Zealand after a unsuccessful deal. Tauranga's inhabitants were ekstatic, certain that the area' s prosperous development was secured in the long run.

One of the keys to the turning point in Tauranga's past came in 1950 when Tauranga was elected as the Bay of Plenty exporting harbour via Whakatane. Tauranga's inhabitants exceeded 20,000 in 1963 - and Tauranga became a town.

Then, as they say, the remainder is story! The Paparoa is a Marae run by the whole Marae. Its purpose is to be a center for the inhabitants of a number of different homes that can be traced back to the early settlement of the area in the fourteenth cenury. The entire Paparoa Marae estate is descended from two forefathers.

Many years into the years to come you can go back and still be part of Paparoa Marae. Students can study the Maori's wealth of stories, marae and wood carving explanation and see that the spoken tradition of story telling is very much alive now. There is a small variety of Tauranga routes that you can enjoy, among them Tauranga sightseeing and excursions to the neighbouring town of Rotorua and Hobbiton.