East Cape Region

This eastern most extremity of the North Island is bounded by a steep coastline rising from a rocky shoreline to the northwest and long flat beaches set between headlands to the east. Inland, the heart of the East Cape is dominated by the rugged expanse of the mighty Raukumara Range, part of an almost continuous chain of mountains that stretches northwards all the way from Wellington. The main river in the region is the Motu, which cuts its way through to the coast from the hill country down through forests and deep gorges in some of the most rugged and trackless parts of the land. Along the coast between Opotiki and the East Cape, the beaches attract swarms of holidaymakers in summer, but in winter this is still an excellent trip to make on a fine day, long after the holiday crowds have departed.

East Cape Whakatane

1whakatane

The trip starts from Whakatane on SH30 in the Bay of Plenty.
This laidback coastal town is a centre for deep sea fishing charters as well as tripos out to the smouldering volcanic cone of White Island (Whakaari) where you can take a guided tour of steaming vents and visit the old sulphur mine. You can also try swimming with the dolphins or go whale watching on tours organized from the town. Located at the mouth of the Whakatane River, which forms a sizeable harbour, Whakatane is the main centre on the Rangitaiki Plains which border the Bay of Plenty. On the highest point of the headland southeast of the town is Toi's pa, claimed to be the oldest in New Zealand. Toi is said to have left Hawaiki in search of his grandson Whatonga, when he arrived and settled here in 1150. It was to be another 200 years before a later chief, Hoaki, decided to return to their original homeland of Hawaiki and his reports of this new land led to a great fleet of canoes, the Te Arawa, Tainui, Mataatua and Aotea, making their legendary voyage to Aotearoa. On the harbour front stands a statue of Wairaka, the daughter of Turoa, captain of the Mataatua. A replica of the Mataatua canoe can be seen at Pohaturoa Rock, near the Strand and Commerce Street, close to a sacred archway. There are a number of walking tracks leading around archaeological sites on the Kohi Point Walkway with views of Ohope beach before it heads down to Otarawairere Bay. The Whakatane Museum and Gallery, on Boon Street, holds a wealth of historical information on the early settlement of the area as well as an exhibit on White Island.

2ohope

From the Strand down on the waterfront at Whakatane, drive southeast on Hillcrest Road onto Ohope Road and Pohutukawa Ave 8.5 km over the hill to Ohope.
Ohope lies at the western end of a long peninsula made up od beautiful white sand, stretching across the Ohiwa Harbour. This is a popular beach resort with safe swimming and excellent fishing. From the western end of the beach you can take a 20 minute walk over the hill to the secluded beach at Orarawairere Bay. From the Ohope Opotiki road you can also take a walk out onto the site of Tauwhare Pa which dates back to around 1700. This pre European Maori occupation site features numerous terraces, the lower ones which would have been defended with palisades. About 30 people would have lived here, probably building cooking houses and drying fish on the lower levels, while the occupation houses and marae were built on the higher levels of the site.

 

On the coast near Opotiki

3opotiki

Drive south 15.2 km on Wainui Road from Ohope along the Ohiwa Harbour to SH2. Turn left and follow SH2 for 27 km northeast to Opotiki.
Opotiki is the gateway to the East Cape and from here you can take a jetboat tour up the Motu River. The Opotiki Agriculture and Heritage Museum is located on Church Street, along with St Stephen's Church, built by the Rev. Carl Volkner who was killed outside the church in a Hauhau attack in 1865. The Shalfoon & Francis grocery and hardware store was originally opened in the late 1800s and is now a museum. The century old shelves are packed with grocery tins and jars while old posters and original advertising signs made out of tin, promote dozens of historic brands.

 

4hawai beach

From Opotiki continue on SH35 and drive east for 11.3 km to Omarumutu where you can see some excellent examples of Maori carving in the War Memorial Hall. Continue east 10 km on SH35 to Torere, with its steeply shelving pebble beach, then continue a further 6 km northeast on SH35 to Hawai Beach.
Hawai Beach is an interesting place to take a quick stop and explore the coast on a shore that is literally piled high with driftwood. Most of the timber has come from inland forests and been washed down from the Motu and the many other rivers along the coast.

 

5te kaha

Continue 20.6 km northeast on SH35 to Te Kaha.
Te Kaha means 'to stand firm', a name which refers to the many times that the local defenders withstood sieges by invading tribes. Today you will find the remains of an old redoubt along with a beautifully carved meeting house at Te Kaha Tukaki. This was one of the old whaling settlements on the coast which lasted through into the 1920s and also an area of early missionary activity. Today it’s a great place to go kayaking along a stunning stretch of coastline.

The tiny Anglican church beside the sea at Raukokore on the way to Whangaparaoa

6whangaparaoa

Continue northeast 47 km on SH35 to Whangaparaoa.
This stretch of the journey leads through some of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the area. According to Maori legend the first two canoes, the Arawa and Tainui arrived here from Hawaiki in about 1350 AD. The captains of the canoes argued over who had arrived first in order to claim a stranded whale found on the beach, the captain of the Arawa eventually conceding both the whale and the land to the Tainui before sailing off to settle elsewhere. The highway passes a series of picturesque bays, including Whanarua Bay, which has one of the best beaches on the East Cape. A distinctive Anglican church built in 1895 at Raukokore nestles among Norfolk pines on a promontory west of Orete Point. You can still often see horses tied up outside the general store at Waihau Bay where the old post office dates back to the 1870s. As you near Cape Runaway you pass the beautiful sandy stretch of Oruati Beach, which is an ideal place to stop for a swim. At Whangaparaoa there is a restored pa site as well as a Maori meeting house. Cape Runaway itself is not accessible by road.

7hicks bay

From Whangaparaoa continue inland on SH35 for 34 km east to the coast at Hicks Bay.
Named after one of Captain Cook's crew members on the Endeavour, the magnificent Hicks Bay was the home of Tuwhakairiora, a famous Ngati Porou fighting chief. Tuwhakairiora whare runanga is one of the finest meeting houses in the area, featuring outstanding century old carvings. The mangopare kowhaiwhai design on the rafters depicts the hammerhead shark, a species which is extremely hard to kill and has become a symbol that represents bravery. There are a number of historic pa sites in the area including a number on Matakaoa Point that were modified for gun fighting during the Hauhau uprising of the 1860s. The volcanic peaks around Hicks Bay and west towards Cape Runaway are all part of a series of Matakaoa volcanoes that erupted under the sea before being uplifted. There are two well preserved marine benches on Matakaoa Point which provide evidence of recent uplift and numerous shell fossils can be seen in the limestone and grey papa rocks along this part of the coast.

8tikitiki

Continue southeast 10.5 km from Hicks Bay over a hill and down across Tokata Flats to Te Araroa, where you can see an ancient 6oo year old pohutukawa tree, Te Waha o Rerekohu, standing in the school grounds. From here, SH35 head inland away from East Cape, which is the first mainland area in the world to see the sunrise. Continue south on SH35 for 23.5 km through farmland to Tikitiki.
A distinctive landmark at Tikitiki, Saint Mary's Anglican Church is one of the finest Maori churches in the country. Built in 1924, it was consecrated in 1926 as a memorial to the soldiers of Ngati Porou who died in the First World War.  The church combines elements of both Maori and European cultures, its structure, typically European, but with an extensively carved and decorated interior that is typically Maori. Sir Apirana Ngata had begun a personal crusade to revive the dying art and craft skills of the Maori and the Ngati Porou in particular in the 1920s. He was the driving force behind the construction of the church which used local Ngati Porou carvers and weavers. The ornate pulpit was a gift to the church from the Te Arawa tribe.  The flat hilltop above the town was an ancient pa site occupied in pre-European times and later fortified with additional trenches during the New Zealand Wars.

 

9te puia springs

Drive south 45 km on SH35 to Te Puia Springs.
Sir Apirana Ngata, a prominent Maori politician from 1905 to 1943, and Lieutenant Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwi Ngarimu, a posthumous winner of the Victoria Cross, were both raised in this district. The historic Te Puia Hotel is the centre of the small, attractive settlement of Te Puia Springs with its natural thermal pools nearby.

10tokomaru bay

Continue 11 km south on SH35 to Tokomaru Bay.
With its warm summers and mild winters, this picturesque town has become the craft centre for the East Coast, attracting many musicians, artists and potters who now live in the area. Tokomaru Bay is a centre for crayfishing and features a large carved meeting house, opened in 1934 at the Pakirikiri Marae. There are rugged cliffs at the southern end of the bay and the excellent long sandy beach is a popular place for swimming and fishing.

 

The Tolaga Bay Wharf, the longest in the southern hemisphere.

11tolaga bay

Continue south 36 km on SH35 which leads inland to emerge on the coast at Tolaga Bay.
The huge old wharf that stretches 660 m out to sea is the longest in the country and one of the first things you will see as you arrive at Tolaga Bay. There was a thriving flax trade in the area in the 1830s and by 1875 Tolaga Bay had become the largest European town on the East Coast with 52 residents. The isolation of the settlements along the coast led to the establishment of a surf landing service that was run by seamen, many of them ex-whalers or navy men who knew how to handle small boats. The farmers would drive a loaded bullock wagon into the surf to create a temporary jetty for the surf boats which would carry cargos back and forth from ships anchored further out. The service lasted into the twentieth century but it wasn’t until 1926 hat construction began on the current wharf which was opened in 1929 to provide safer access into the shallow bay. No longer used by coastal trading ships the wharf is now a popular fishing spot for both locals and tourists. The town has a colonial style hotel and its streets are named after members of the crew of Captain Cook's sailing ship the Endeavour.

12dive tatapouri

Continue South 41 km on SH35 to Tatapouri. The road passes the small settlement of Whangara, which was the setting for Witi Ihimaera's novel The Whale Rider. Guided trips can be organized to the area from Gisborne.
Dive Tatapouri run boat trips along the coast to Whangara Island and the marine reserve Te Tapuwae O Rongokako, where you can see seals, dolphins and numerous seabirds. On the shoreline you can try feeding the stingrays and watch the reef fish go into a feeding frenzy as well as observing the locals catching crayfish in ankle deep water. Thrill seekers canhead out to sea and try Shark Cage Diving. You can stand chest deep in the water in a floating cage or use a regulator and mouth piece to watch Mako sharks taking live bait right outside the steel mesh.

Continue south 12.5 km on SH35 to Gisborne.