Gisborne Street Map
Gisborne i-Site Visitor Information Centre: 209 Grey Street, Gisborne.
Ph 06 868-6139. Fax 06 868-6138. Open 7 days. 18 hole mini golf course.
Bookings taken for accommodation, travel & tourist activities.
Email: info@gisbornenz.com Internet: www.gisbornenz.com
Ph 06 868-6139. Fax 06 868-6138. Open 7 days. 18 hole mini golf course.
Bookings taken for accommodation, travel & tourist activities.
Email: info@gisbornenz.com Internet: www.gisbornenz.com
Gisborne City is a city of some 33,000 inhabitants with the Gisborne region being home to a 47,000 population. Gisborne City is the first city in the world to see the sun of each new day, due to its close proximity to the International Date Line. Captain James Cook made his first New Zealand landfall at Kaiti Beach in 1769 and it is here that New Zealand’s European history began. The Cook Landing Site National Historic Reserve boasts a granite memorial which marks the spot. The Maori name “Tairawhiti”, which means “the coast where the sun shines across the water” is much more appropriate for the region, but disillusioned by his violent contact with the local Maori and inability to take on board refreshments, Captain Cook called the area Poverty Bay.
Make your way up to the Kaiti Hill Lookout for a birds eye view of Gisborne and the surrounds. There is a statue of Captain Cook at the mouth of the Turanganui River (New Zealand’s shortest river at just 900 metres) near Waikanae Beach and also one of Nicholas Young, the cabin boy who first saw land. Across the bay are visible the white cliffs that now bear his name Young Nicks head.
Apart from the City beach the Gisborne Region has an absolutely stunning selection of uncongested beaches – swimming surfing or just relaxing on the sand - coupled with great weather and good wine, this all combines with the many cafe's, restaurants and bars to attract both local as well international tourists. The Tairawhiti Museum and Art Gallery in Gisborne has a reputation as one of the very best and innovative regional museums in New Zealand. In recent years, the complex has undergone significant changes including major building extensions and redevelopment of all exhibition spaces. Eastwoodhill Arboretum is a short drive from Gisborne. This is the National Arboretum of New Zealand and well worth checking out. The Poverty Bay flats are highly fertile and the Gisborne climate, allows land use here to be extremely varied. Many forms of agriculture, horticulture and market gardening are now viable. This has to some extent taken over from the more traditional use of fattening lambs on the flats. Lambs are just part of the agriculture scene throughout the region. Agriculture here is dominated by combined sheep and beef cattle farms with most properties averaging 40% cattle and 60% sheep. Romney, Coopworth and Perendales are the main sheep breeds in the area, raised both for wool and meat markets. Angus and Hereford cattle are also bred specifically for export.
Make your way up to the Kaiti Hill Lookout for a birds eye view of Gisborne and the surrounds. There is a statue of Captain Cook at the mouth of the Turanganui River (New Zealand’s shortest river at just 900 metres) near Waikanae Beach and also one of Nicholas Young, the cabin boy who first saw land. Across the bay are visible the white cliffs that now bear his name Young Nicks head.
Apart from the City beach the Gisborne Region has an absolutely stunning selection of uncongested beaches – swimming surfing or just relaxing on the sand - coupled with great weather and good wine, this all combines with the many cafe's, restaurants and bars to attract both local as well international tourists. The Tairawhiti Museum and Art Gallery in Gisborne has a reputation as one of the very best and innovative regional museums in New Zealand. In recent years, the complex has undergone significant changes including major building extensions and redevelopment of all exhibition spaces. Eastwoodhill Arboretum is a short drive from Gisborne. This is the National Arboretum of New Zealand and well worth checking out. The Poverty Bay flats are highly fertile and the Gisborne climate, allows land use here to be extremely varied. Many forms of agriculture, horticulture and market gardening are now viable. This has to some extent taken over from the more traditional use of fattening lambs on the flats. Lambs are just part of the agriculture scene throughout the region. Agriculture here is dominated by combined sheep and beef cattle farms with most properties averaging 40% cattle and 60% sheep. Romney, Coopworth and Perendales are the main sheep breeds in the area, raised both for wool and meat markets. Angus and Hereford cattle are also bred specifically for export.
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