Tauranga Travel Guide
Situated in the North of New Zealand, Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region. Living up to its namesake, this bay is New Zealands largest commercial port, handling large shipments of timber from the nearby forests.
Taurangas exporting history goes back to the 1800s, where traders specialised in the exportation of flax. The first permanent trader was James Farrow who traded flax with Australian merchants in exchange for muskets and gunpower.
Do not be fooled by this citys tranquil surroundings, Tauranga has had a particularly violent history. Towards the middle of the 19th century, British Imperial troops invaded the region of Waikato in order to establish a military base. However, this was responded to with violence by the nearby Maori tribes, known as the Kingites. This lead to the famous Land Wars, the most famous battle being The Battle of Gate Pa, where the British invaded a nearby Maori fortress only to be devastatingly defeated in 10 minutes. However, after this defeat, the British were able to dominate the Maoris measly defence using heavy artillery, bringing the Land Wars to an end.
In spite of its fierce military history, Tauranga is abundant with fascinating geography. The Bay of Plenty is situated along a fault line which gives the area seismic activity, although this is infrequent. As a result, there are a few volcanoes in the area. The most notable of which is the Mauao volcano, but has been dormant for many years.
Due to the citys geographical position, Tauranga enjoys a subtropical climate; its lows rarely getting below 35°. Thus the area is very popular with surfers and holiday makers.
Tauranga has a fascinating history as well having a beautiful coastline along the Bay of Plenty. With its top temperature hitting 75° in January, its easy to see why so many people flock there annually to beat the winter blues!