- Mount Maunganui
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For the adjacent mountain, see Mount Maunganui (mountain).
Mount Maunganui The town as viewed from The Mount
Location of Mount Maunganui in New Zealand
Mount MaunganuiCoordinates: 37°38′35″S 176°11′06″E / 37.643°S 176.185°ECoordinates: 37°38′35″S 176°11′06″E / 37.643°S 176.185°E Country New Zealand Named for Mount Maunganui (Mauao) Elevation 232 m (761 ft) Population (2001) - Total 30,387 Mount Maunganui is a town in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, located on a peninsula to the north of Tauranga. It was independent from Tauranga until the completion of the Tauranga Harbour Bridge in 1988.
Mount Maunganui is also the name of the extinct volcanic cone that rises above the town, which is now officially known by its Māori name Mauao, but is colloquially known in New Zealand simply as The Mount.
Contents
Geography
Mount Maunganui is located on top of a sand bar that connects Mauao to the mainland, a geographical formation known as a tombolo. Because of this formation, the residents of Mount Maunganui have both a harbour beach (Pilot Bay) and an ocean beach with great surf, within a short distance. At the base of Mauao, the distance between the harbour and ocean side is a couple of blocks.
The ocean beach has Mauao[1] or Mount Maunganui at its western end, and a man made land bridge connecting Moturiki Island at its eastern end.[2]
Mauao is an extinct volcanic cone which rises above the town, but is colloquially known in New Zealand simply as The Mount. According to Maori legend, this hill was a pononga [slave] to a mountain called Otanewainuku.[3] The conical headland which gives the town its name is 232 metres (761 ft) in height, and dominates the mostly flat surrounding countryside. It was formerly a Māori pā, and the remains of trenches can be seen in the ridges, as well as ancient shell middens. Today, it is open to the public year round, and is a popular place to either walk around, or climb up. From the summit, a good stretch of coastline can be seen in either direction, as well as the Kaimai Range to the west.
History
The name Mount Maunganui was a 'rebranding' by early developers, changing it from the previous name of Rakataura, a name chosen by the first town board. Mount Maunganui fought fiercely during the 1950s to retain independence from Tauranga, then failed with the completion of the harbour bridge in 1988.
Character
View from the summit of Mount Maunganui (Mauao).
The mountain in summer.
View from the mountain.Mount Maunganui is regarded as a coastal resort town, although Port of Tauranga, a major facility, is also partly located on the western (harbour) side. It is also well-known for the quality of its surfing conditions, though parts of the beach are notoriously dangerous. The harbour bridge was opened in 1988,[4] linking Mount Maunganui with Tauranga. The construction of a duplication bridge was completed in December 2009, forming a vital link in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui's growing motorway system.
A large container terminal and overseas wharf is located at Mount Maunganui. A branch railway from the East Coast Main Trunk railway runs between Te Maunga and Mount Maunganui.
Mount Maunganui also features the popular Bayfair shopping centre. The centre is one of the largest in the North Island outside Auckland and Wellington. It features a large Farmers, Kmart, Countdown, Woolworths, plus over 80 specialty stores and a food court all situated on 1 level.
The population of Mount Maunganui and suburbs was 30,387 in the 2001 census. It is a well known holiday spot over the Christmas and summer months with new year some 20,000+ gather to see in the new year on the main beach, which is popular with the young.
Tauranga has a good number of cruise ships visits (36 in the 2010/11 season); even though it is the port of Tauranga, the port is on the Mount side of the harbour.
Sporting events
Every year the Mt Maunganui beach hosts the Northern Regional Surf Championships (NRC's), and other events like the NZ Under 14 Ocean Athlete Championships and the Pro Volleyball Tour. The Port of Tauranga Half Ironman triathlon is held at Mt Maunganui.
Artificial reef
New Zealand's first artificial reef has been installed at the Mount.[5] Construction of the reef was hampered by lack of funds and ironically, too many waves.[6] Initially the public was told the reef would cost about $500k,[7] but costs escalated to $800k,[8] and could exceeded $1.5M.[9] Recently the media has reported that local surfers are disappointed with the waves produced by the reef.[10] The reef has also been blamed for creating rips and may yet have to be removed.[11]
Panorama of Mount Maunganui and the Main BeachClimate
The climate is mild subtropic:[12]
- Summer = 20°C / 30°C. ( Jan/Feb )
- Winter = 10°C / 15°C. ( Jun/Jul )
- Frosts Avg/Yr = 12 ( -1°C -2°C ).
- Rainfall = 1280mm/Yr.Avg
- Sunshine = Min 2200hrs/Yr.
- Beach Temp avg.
- Summer = 21°C.
- Winter = 14°C.
References
- ^ http://ourcity.tauranga.govt.nz/heritage/legends/
- ^ "Sightseeing". Oceanside Resort & Twin Towers. http://www.oceanside.co.nz/Area-Information/Sightseeing_IDL=1_IDT=251_ID=1310_.html. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ "Mount Maunganui: Mauao". AA Travel. http://www.aatravel.co.nz/101-must-dos-for-kiwis/Mount-Maunganui-Mauao.html.
- ^ Harbour Bridge Heritage
- ^ MountReef.co.nz
- ^ Rowan, Juliet (8 November 2005). "Mount reef builders battle big swells". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10354122. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ Macbrayne, Rosaleen (18 June 2003). "Artificial surf reef needs wave of cash". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3507948. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ Macbrayne, Rosaleen (20 March 2004). "Mount missing the wave with artificial reef project". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3555770. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ Rowan, Juliet (25 September 2006). "Surf's up at the Mount - almost". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10402787. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ Ford, Joel (22 February 2007). "Artificial reef fails to win surfers' approval". The New Zealand Herald. Bay of Plenty Times. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10425115. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ Rowan, Juliet (3 January 2006). "Reef at Mt Maunganui a headache for lifeguards". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10362225. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ Local weather stations
See also
- Mauao (Mount Maunganui)
- Mount Maunganui College
External links
Categories:- Populated places in New Zealand
- Peninsulas of New Zealand
- Surfing locations in New Zealand
- Tauranga
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