Hawke's Bay

Hawke's Bay ( _mi. Heretaunga) is a region of New Zealand. Hawke's Bay is recognised on the world stage for its award-winning wines. The regional council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings.

Geography

The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island. The region bears the former name of what is now Hawke Bay, a large semi-circular bay which extends for 100 kilometres from northeast to southwest from Mahia Peninsula to Cape Kidnappers.

The Hawke's 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.

The region's boundaries vary somewhat from the former provincial boundaries of Hawke's Bay, and some towns in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region to the southwest, such as Dannevirke and Woodville regard themselves as part of Hawke's Bay.

The region consists of Wairoa District, Hastings District, Napier City, and Central Hawke's Bay District, as well as the town of Taharua in Taupo District and the town of Ngamatea in Rangitikei District.

One trivial fact is that 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 unremarkable hill in southern Hawke's Bay, not far from Waipukurau.

History

Between 1858 and 1876, Hawke's Bay formed the Hawke's Bay Province as a Province of New Zealand, after being separated from the Wellington Province following a meeting in Napier in February 1858.

On February 3rd 1931, Napier and Hastings were devastated following New Zealand's worst natural disaster. An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale killed 256 people. Napier began re-building and now the city is world famous for its Art Deco buildings and celebrates its heritage each February with the [http://www.artdeconapier.com Art Deco Weekend] .

Population

The region's population at the 2006 census was 147,783. Of these, 55,359 lived in Napier City. The main urban areas are Napier and Hastings. Smaller communities include Wairoa, Havelock North, Tikokino, Waipawa, Waipukurau, and Takapau. The region has a significant Māori population (24% of the total population at the 2006 census). A major local Māori tribe is Ngāti Kahungunu.

Climate and agriculture

Hawke's Bay's long, hot summers and cool winters offer the best weather for growing grapes.The climate is dry and temperate. Hawke's Bay is renowned for its horticulture with large orchards and vineyards on the plains. In the hilly parts of the region sheep and cattle farming predominates, with forestry blocks in the roughest areas.

Culture

The region is served by a variety of radio stations with Classic Hits 89.5 Bay City Radio, and Newstalk ZB being the most popular local stations. Hawke's Bay also has its own TV station, TVHB, which provides a mix of news and information programmes hosted by local personalities.

Hawke's Bay produces some of New Zealand's finest wines and once a year "Harvest Hawke's Bay" celebrates the fact by offering a three day wine and food festival. This event attracts many thousands.Fact|date=December 2007

Napier is home to the annual Mission Concert held early each year. The event held at the Mission Estate Winery in Greenmeadows has attracted big names over the year's including Kenny Rogers, Shirley Bassey, Rod Stewart, B52's, Belinda Carlisle, Ray Charles, and Eric Clapton. Each concert is attended by around 25,000 people.Fact|date=December 2007

Medicine

Hawke's Bay has a useful and innovative approach to community-wide care of diabetes mellitus featuring shared records held in a web-based computer system.Fact|date=December 2007

External links

* [http://www.hbrc.govt.nz/ Official Regional website]
* [http://www.hawkesbay.com Official Hawke's Bay Tourism Portal]
* [http://www.napier.govt.nz/index.php?cid=council/com/com_mig_guide&mid=255 Official Newcomers Site] - Free Information Service for Newcomers to Hawke's Bay
* [http://www.napier.govt.nz/index.php?cid=napier/history/hi_gen Napier City Council Website]
* [http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/H/HawkesBayProvinceAndProvincialDistrict/HawkesBayProvinceAndProvincialDistrict/en Hawke's Bay Province and Provincial District" An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintoc , Welligton, 1966]