Bay of Plenty

Rotorua is a city located on the southern shore of Lake Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is located 60 kilometres south of Tauranga, 105 km south-east of Hamilton and 82 km northeast of Taupo. Rotorua is a spa resort, well-known for its geothermal activity in the area. There are a number of geysers (notably the 20 metre Whakarewarewa geyser) and hot mud pools located in the city that owe their presence to the Rotorua caldera.

The name Rotorua comes from the Maori language. The full name is Rotorua nui a Kahu. Roto means lake and rua meaning two. Literally translated Rotorua means second lake. It was named by the Maori chief Ihenga, as it was the second major lake that he discovered.

The lake is the largest of a multitude found to the north and east of the city, all connected with the Rotorua Caldera and nearby Mount Tarawera. Rotorua is home to not only geothermal interests, but botanical gardens and some interesting historical architecture. It is known as a spa town and major tourist resort for close to a century. Many of the buildings hint at this history. The formal Government Gardens close to the lakeshore at the eastern end of the town are particularly worth of note. Kuirau Park, to the west end of the central city, is also remarkable for its natural features. Hot, bubbling mud pools dot the park, lending a surreal air to the setting. Thermal activity is at the heart of much of Rotorua's tourist appeal. Geysers and bubbling mud-pools, hot thermal springs and even a buried village are all located within easy reach of the city.

Tauranga is the major city of the western Bay of Plenty on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is 105 km east of Hamilton and 85 km north of Rotorua. Tauranga is located at the head of a large harbour which extends along the western Bay of Plenty and is protected by Matakana Island. The town and headland of Mount Maunganui stand at the entrance to the harbour, five kilometres north of Tauranga. "The Mount" as it is known, is often regarded as a satellite town of Tauranga. The name Tauranga comes from Maori, it roughly translates to "a shelted anchorage." Due to its sheltered position on the east coast, Tauranga enjoys a warm, dry climate. This has made it a popular location to retire to. During the summer months the population swells as the holidaymakers descend on the city.

Tauranga is the fastest growing city in New Zealand. The population increase is due mostly to retirees settling in the city, particulary the suburb of Papamoa, and sun and surf seekers. It is also a popular lifestyle city. Although the population has increased dramatically, the city is proportionally underrepresented in businesses, and the central business district reflects a city of less than half the population as that of Tauranga.

Te Puke is a town located 28 kilometres southeast of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. The warm, moist climate and fertile soils of the region make it a very favourable horticultural district, with conspicuous production of many citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges. The town markets itself as the "Kiwifruit capital of the world". Livestock are also farmed, notably dairy cattle. Te Puke means "the hill."

Waihi is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. The town is at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula, close to the western end of the Bay of Plenty. The nearby resort town of Waihi Beach, ten kilometres to the east is often regarded as the westernmost point of the Bay of Plenty region. To the west are the hills of the Kaimai Ranges. Road access from this direction is through the winding Karangahake Gorge road. A large gold mine, the Martha Mine is the major employer in the area. In recent times the town has suffered from the effects of the mining in other ways. In the late 1990s several properties had to be condemned after the land under them subsided as a result of the collapse of disused mineshafts.

Whakatane is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located in the eastern Bay of Plenty, 90 kilometres to the east of Tauranga and close to the mouth of the Whakatane River. The town's main industries are diverse; forestry, dairy farming, and manufacturing are all well established. The site of the town has long been populated. Maori pa sites in the area date back to the first Polynesian settlements, estimated to have been around 1200 CE. Maori tradition suggests that they may be even earlier, and was the first settlement in New Zealand. According to some legends travellers from this settlement back to the Pacific Islands triggered the great migration fleet of waka (canoes) to New Zealand.