Bay Of Plenty New Zealand

The rural town of Katikati was founded by settlers from Ulster in Ireland, but the district was populated by Maori long before Europeans arrived. The volcanic soils and sunny climate were as suitable then for kumara as they are today for kiwifruit and avocados.

Every city, town and settlement has its stories to tell, but Katikati in the Bay of Plenty has found a special way to tell them. The town is decorated with art and paintings that depict the district's colourful history. More than 35 works of art in and around the main street - murals, sculptures and carvings - pay homage to the town's original Maori population, early settlement by Ulster pioneers, timber milling and farming heritage. There is also a magnificent tribute to the men and women who left the district to fight in overseas wars.

The local museum documents the growth of the town with photographs and displays of artefacts. In the harvest season, roadside shops and stalls are overflowing with fresh produce.

Mount Maunganui is a coastal resort town which enjoys great weather year round, and is a popular destination for those seeking sun, sand and relaxation.

Mount Maunganui takes its name from the large dormant volcano that dominates the local landscape. From the base of the mountain, a white sand surf beach stretches as far as the eye can see. It’s a spectacular place, which explains the wall-to-wall apartments and holiday homes that flow along Marine Parade.

On the harbour side of the town there is a sheltered bay, port and marina. There’s plenty to keep you occupied here – surfing, beach walks, big game fishing, dolphin watching, hikes up and around the mountain and swimming in the hot pools. Accommodation is sophisticated and there’s a wide range of restaurants.

For decades New Zealanders have been holidaying at the Mount. It's a place for surfing, fishing, beachcombing and lying around on the sand. The glorious surf beach is patrolled by lifeguards throughout the summer and by volunteers for the rest of the year. The busiest section of the beach is close to Mauao; if you walk eastward toward Papamoa you'll find fewer people and more sand to call your own. The beach's reputation as a surfing mecca recently moved up a level with the installation of an artificial reef.

The largest city in the Bay of Plenty, and one of the fastest growing population centres in the country, Tauranga has a busy export port serving a wide range of industries.

The large harbour is in evidence almost everywhere you go, providing the urban area with an attractive waterfront setting. Fishing, sailing, diving and dolphin tours are easy to arrange. Or you can check out one of the local beauty spots – McLaren Falls, the Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park or Puketoki Scenic Reserve. Tauranga has an excellent range of restaurants; plenty of shopping too. For those on a working holiday, kiwifruit pickers are always needed during May and June.

White Island is the summit of two overlapping stratovolcanoes and one of New Zealand's most active volcanic sites. It has had around 35 small to moderate eruptions since 1826. The Maori name for the island is 'Te Puia o Whakaari', which means 'the dramatic volcano'.

The island is roughly circular, about two kilometres in diameter and rises to a height of 321 metres above sea level. However, what you’re seeing is only the peak of a much larger submarine mountain - the main vent is below sea level but shielded from the ocean by high crater walls.

Scientists and volcanologists from around the world find White Island fascinating. On an eruption scale of one to five, the island is usually on an alert level of one or two. In March 2000, three small vents appeared in the main crater and began belching ash which covered the island in fine grey powder. An eruption later that year blanketed the island with mud and scoria and a new crater appeared. At most times the volcanic activity is limited to steaming fumaroles and boiling mud.

Although it's privately owned, White Island is a scenic reserve that can be visited by launch or helicopter. From Whakatane and Tauranga you can arrange a walking tour of the island, which leads right into the huge main crater. Hard hats and gas masks are provided for the walking tour - it's an extraordinary experience.

A surprising sight is the remains of a sulphur mining operation. Several attempts were made to mine sulphur on the island, but mining came to a sudden halt in September 1914, when a mudslide killed all the workers. They disappeared without trace; only the camp cat (named Peter the Great) survived.

There's virtually no vegetation on the island (a large pohutukawa forest was destroyed by eruptions during the early 1980s), instead yellow and white sulphur crystals grow around the edges of hissing, steaming fumaroles. It's possible to walk right inside the main crater, which has a spectacular lake and many steamy vents. Donald Duck and Noisy Nellie are two other craters that will demand the attention of your camera.

Te Puke owes its prosperity to kiwifruit – a natural delicacy that’s brown and furry on the outside; bright green and juicy on the inside. Hundreds of local growers produce millions of kiwifruit, which are exported worldwide.

You’ll also notice dairy, cattle, deer and sheep farms in the area. Honey and bee-related health products are produced here too. Te Puke’s visitor attractions include a kiwifruit theme park, a vintage car museum and an adventure park where you can drive 4WD vehicles and blast around in jet boats. The town has a comprehensive shopping centre, a good choice of eating places, motels and a camping ground.

The main centre for the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Whakatane is one of the sunniest towns in New Zealand. Just off shore is White Island, a spectacular active volcano that can be visited by launch or helicopter. Guided tours of the island necessitate a gas mask and hard hat.

Whakatane is also known for its fishing – more yellow fin tuna are caught here than anywhere else in the country. Other Whakatane attractions include the museum, an observatory and Maori historical sites. The Nga Tapuwae o Toi walkway leads to pa sites, native forest and seabird colonies. Dolphin tours, which can include swimming encounters, run all year.

If you’re interested in the timber industry, Kawerau is your kind of town. It is surrounded by pine forest and the main employer in the area is the huge Tasman pulp and paper mill. You can tour the mill, but you need to book first.

Behind the town is Putauaki (Mount Edgecumbe) – a dormant volcanic cone. If you obtain a permit, you can climb to the summit of the mountain. Kawerau has a high Maori population compared with New Zealand as a whole – more than 50% of the town’s people are of Maori descent. The cultural heritage of the town is evident at Rautahi Marae, where the carved whare nui (meeting house) represents all the nationalities and tribes of the community.