ABOUT GISBORNE
Gisborne, the first city in the world to see the sun each day, is located on the sunny East Coast of the North Island.

The Maori name for the district is Tairawhiti which means "The coast upon which the sun shines across the water". Kaiti Beach, near the city, was where the Maori immigrational waka, Horouta, landed; and is also the first European landing place in New Zealand.

Captain Cook first set foot here in 1769. European settlement was established in 1831 and the town which developed was named after Hon. William Gisborne, the Colonial Secretary, in 1870.

Prior to this the settlement was known as Turanga but confusion with Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, led to the name change. To the early Maori the Poverty Bay area was known as Turanganui-a-Kiwa, "The stopping place of Kiwa". Gisborne became a borough in 1877 and a city in 1955.

Climate

The Gisborne district (population 45,000 with about 30,000 residing in the city) generally has warm summers and mild winters. Gisborne is one of the sunniest places in New Zealand with average yearly sunshine of around 2200 hours. The region's annual rainfall varies from about 1000mm near the coast to over 2500mm in the higher inland country. Temperatures of 38°C have been recorded and an average 65 days a year have a maximum of over 24°C.

Farming

The Poverty Bay plains contain 20,200 ha of rich, alluvial river flats which, combined with mild temperatures, make this district an ideal area for the growing of maize, grapes, kiwifruit, citrus and subtropical fruits. The district is mainly hill-country, well-suited to grazing. Sheep, cattle, deer and goats are farmed. Pinus radiata forests have been planted throughout the region with forestry now a major landuse.

Vineyards

Gisborne is one of New Zealand's largest grape growing regions with just over half its 2000 hectares of vineyards planted to Chardonnay. A Mediterranean climate and suitable soils are the key factors in the success of wine production in this region which regularly produces unique, full-flavoured, award winning wines of international standard. 

You may need to phone ahead to make appointments for tasting as not all wineries are open to the public at all times. All the vineyards and wineries listed here are within a 15km radius from Gisborne City. 

Transport

Gisborne is serviced by daily passenger and freight, air and bus connections to other main centres in the North Island. There is also a rail freight service and a busy overseas shipping and local fishing port. 

Accomodation
See the New Zealand Tourism Board, PureNZ Website for great information on Gisborne, and East Cape. On this page, click the Accomodation category on the left side of the page, and search for Gisborne. There are also great links here to other local web sites.

The Gisborne New Zealand Web Site also looks pretty good.

Maps of Gisborne and East Cape

For an interactive map of the area, check out Wise's New Zealand Maps, the yacht club is on Kaiti Beach Road towards the bottom of the picture.

Click here to download a Travel Map of the Eastland region. File size: 1.6 MB - approx 4.4 mins on 56K modem

Getting to Gisborne

Road - Self Drive

Auckland to Gisborne via the Waioeka Gorge - a distance of 504 km - makes for a good day’s drive. Another option from Auckland is to follow the scenic Pacific Coast Highway touring route around the East Cape, overnighting in the area and then continuing on to Gisborne.

Driving distances and times to and from and around the Eastland region
Km Miles Approx Drive Time
Gisborne - Auckland (via East Cape) 630 391 10 hours, 30 minutes
Gisborne - Auckland (via Waioeka Gorge - SH2) 499km, 6 hours 20 minutes
Gisborne - Tauranga (via Waioeka Gorge - SH2) 298km, 4 hours
Gisborne - Napier 215km, 3 hours
Gisborne - Wellington 538km, 8 hours 15 minutes

These times are based on driving at 80 to 100 km per hour on open stretches of road, with a small allowance for traffic delays, petrol stops and refreshments.

Air

Gisborne airport is the only airport servicing the Eastland region. The following airline offers services to and from Gisborne:

* Air New Zealand – www.airnewzealand.co.nz

Getting to and from the airport

* Location: Gisborne airport is approximately 10-12 minutes drive from the town centre
* Cost of taxi to city centre: approximately $8.00 - $10.00

(Prices are quoted in $NZ and are current as at the time of production of this module, June 2002)

Approximate flying times between domestic destinations
Gisborne - Auckland 1 hour
Gisborne - Wellington 1 hour 10 minutes
Gisborne - Christchurch 2 hours 25 minutes

These are approximate flying times, including connection times, and will differ depending on the airline and type of aircraft used.

Scheduled coach services

InterCity Coachlines and Newmans Coachlines offer a range of scheduled services throughout the North Island.

* Intercity Coachline Services www.intercitycoach.co.nz
* Newmans Coachlines www.newmanscoach.co.nz

Other local companies operate services to and from the Wellington region. Visit this region’s website www.gisbornenz.com or visit travel.newzealand.com and click on Transport.

WHALE RIDER
Directed by Niki Caro, and based on the novel by writer Witi Ihimaera, Whale Rider was filmed in and around the tiny beachside township of Whangara on the Gisborne and Eastland coastline. This haunting tale of Maori myth and leadership won the People's Choice Award at the 2002 Toronto Film Festival and the World Cinema Audience Award at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, bringing the region's rugged beauty and rich Maori heritage to international attention.

Steeped in tradition and legend, the Gisborne and Eastland region has been settled by Maori for more than 1000 years, and offers a wealth of attractions and activities for visitors to experience, from vineyards and marae visits to adventure options such as fishing, riding, surfing and whitewater rafting. The region embraces Poverty Bay - Captain Cook's first landing in New Zealand - the historic city of Gisborne, with its thriving wineries, and the remote East Cape, which marks New Zealand's most easterly point.

The Story of Whale Rider

Whale Rider reworks the legend of Witi Ihimaera's people at Whangara, which tells how their ancestor, Paikea, arrived at the East Coast on the back of a mighty whale. Ihimaera was inspired to write his book during his years in New York, when he lived in an apartment overlooking the Hudson River. The sight of a whale spouting on the river in 1985 reminded Ihimaera of his people's legend, and led to his story about young Paikea and her grandfather, Koro. Koro is seeking a male heir to succeed him as a leader for the people at Whangara, and young Paikea is determined to prove herself worthy. To do so, she must embark on a demanding spiritual journey to win her grandfather's understanding and acceptance.