Whakatane

Whakatane ( Whakatane written in Māori and [ ɸakata ː ne] pronounced) is a little over 15,000 inhabitants, in the Bay of Plenty on the North Island of New Zealand. It is the administrative capital of the same named Whakatane District.

Geography

The town of Whakatane is located right at the mouth of the Whakatane River in the Pacific Ocean. Up to Tauranga in the West there are 94 kilometers of roads and Opotiki in the east is 55 km away. The city center lies below the spur of the Raungaehe Range, ending at the coast in the reaching into the lake Kohi Point. The rocks that represent the visible rejection of the Whakatane Fault interrupt at this point to nearly 100 km long sandy beach of the Bay of Plenty.

History

The Bay of Plenty is one of the first settlements of the Māori in New Zealand and the legends tell us that the mouth of the Whakatane River was one of the first landing areas. 1340-1375 AD should have landed here coming in from the large fleet of Hawaiki Polynesians of the tribe of Matatua and settled down. From the testimonies of numerous Pā 's ( villages) is Toi 's Pā, on the plateau of the Kohi Point Scenic Reserve one of the best known. The land confiscated in 1866 by the British Army, was the iwi Ngāti Awa returned based on a parliamentary decision of 24 March 2005 again on 22 April 2005.

The first Europeans to put their foot on land in Whakatane, were missionaries who came in 1828 with the schooner Herald to Whakatane. 1831 was followed by a company from Sydney, which opened a store for the sale of flax, the first deal at all. Ten years later it was the settler Thomas Anderson, who first bought land from Ngāti Awa and was settled in Whakatane. As in 1865, the missionary Volkner was killed by Māori and shortly afterwards also the Commissioner Fultoon James, who had been entrusted with the investigation of the murder, was confiscated the land of the Māori and British Redcoats sent to Whakatane. The settlement of the army was burned down in 1869 by the Māori leader Te Kooti and established the military post on the other side of the river again. Tensions left many dealers the place. Whakatane was in 1874 near the village of Māori only have two shops, a flat mill, a military station and a school in 1878 and was one of only 29 Europeans.

In 1914, Whakatane was declared a city on 25 August 1917 and got his first city council. In 1921, the place just 428 inhabitants. 1922, the first electricity network of the city was put into operation in 1925 and expanded the harbor by blasting. The big boom came, however, when the government released the wetlands of the Rangitaiki Plain to manage. Leaps and bounds the population increased and Whakatane counted 1941 inhabitants in 1960. In 1958, the population had almost tripled. 1976, the city lost its independence and was incorporated into the new structure of the Whakatane District Council.

Edgecumbe earthquake

Earthquakes are nothing special for the Whakatane town and its surrounding areas, but is the city with the Whakatane Fault in the northern foothills of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, one of the most geologically active regions of New Zealand. The Edgecumbe earthquake on 2 March 1987 caused despite its ( relatively small ) average thickness of 6.3 significant damage in the region, as also in Whakatane. However, were particularly affected places Edgecumbe, Te Teko, Kawerau, Matata and Thornton. Blessing in disguise: A foreshock measuring 5.2 minutes before the main quake sent people to the streets, which were lost no lives.

Economy

The town of Whakatane is, despite its peripheral location, the economic and service center for the district. Two shopping centers provide city and surrounding area, which is focused on agriculture and dairy farming.

In industry there are in the city only a paper factory. With access to the ocean flourishing the business of deep sea fishing. In 1970, Whakatane was zwölftgrößter fishing port of New Zealand; Today fishing is mainly operated as a recreational sport.

In the 1990s, the commercial fishery has collapsed, now the fishing slowly recovers. With a fleet of six ships tuna and crab are being caught.

The region has become more open in recent years, tourism, wins economically important. A special day trips by boat or by helicopter offered the most active volcano off New Zealand coasts on White Iceland. Scenic Flights from Whakatane airport are also possible.

As an attraction for scuba divers of trawlers Seafire was scuttled before Whale Iceland in October 2008. He is as an artificial reef habitats provide for the abundant marine flora and fauna.