Contents Craggy Range Winery Welcome to Hawke’s Bay 1 Our Seasons 2 Getting Here 4 A Short History 5 Our M ori Heritage 5 Napier 6 Ahuriri & Westshore 8 Hastings 9 Havelock North 10 Haumoana & Te Awanga 11 Northern Hawke’s Bay 12 Central Hawke’s Bay 14 Architecture 16 Art & Culture 17 Food & Wine 18 Family Fun 20 Our Great Big Backyard 21 Cycling 22 Hawke’s Bay Trails Map 23 Walking 24 Golf & Fishing 25 Beaches 26 Weddings & Conferences 27 Seasonal Work & Study 28 Where to Sleep 29 What to See & Do 33 Where to Eat & Drink 41 Cover image by: Kirsten Simcox Events 2016 45 Photography kindly supplied by Richard Brimer, Eva Bradley, Hawke’s Bay Regional Map Back Brian Culy, Matt Dwen, John Miles & Tim Whittaker. Welcome to Hawke’s Bay ‘Te Matau a Maui’ Hawke’s Bay is a region of diverse and magnificent landscapes, from mountains and hill country to inland and coastal plains, occupying around 14,000 square kilometres on the eastern side of New Zealand’s North Island. Sharks Tooth, Cape Kidnappers From M hia in the north to Porangahau in the south, In M ori mythology, the formation of Hawke’s Bay’s Hawke’s Bay’s 360 kilometres of coastline and beaches geography is found in the story of Maui, the most famous hugs the vast Pacific Ocean. of the M ori gods, who hauled up the North Island while out fishing one day with his brothers. Annoyed by the Blessed with fertile soils, an ideal contour, and a warm favouritism shown to Maui by the other gods, the brothers temperate climate, Hawke’s Bay’s prosperity is founded tried to sabotage his fishing efforts by refusing him a on its land-based economy. With its thousands of acres fishhook or some bait. of farms, orchards, and vineyards, along with the local industries that have grown up in support, there is good But the resourceful Maui produced his own hook, made reason why the region is held in such high regard as New from the jawbone of his grandmother, he punched himself Zealand’s agricultural powerhouse, and why life here beats in the nose, coated his hook with the blood that flowed, to a seasonal drum. and cast it into the depths where it was soon taken by something very large. The forces of nature that gifted Hawke’s Bay with its most notable landmarks, including Lake Waikaremoana, After heaving the North Island to the surface, Maui’s Te Mata Peak, and Cape Kidnappers, have also wreaked hook was instantly transformed into the cape that forms havoc on the local population to reshape and define the the southernmost tip of Hawke Bay – otherwise known as region we know today. Most infamous is the Hawke’s Bay Cape Kidnappers. Viewed from above, you can still see Earthquake of 1931, an event that changed the cityscapes its hooked shape, which is why Hawke’s Bay is sometimes of Napier and Hastings and the lives of their inhabitants referred to as ‘Te Matau a Maui’ – The Fishhook of Maui. forever. hawkesbaynz.com 1 Our Seasons Summer is holiday time. Longs have given way to shorts, and the locals are in full outdoor swing. With longer days and warmer temperatures come fresh offerings – think outdoor concerts, twilight cricket, and new potatoes. There’s the Christmas and New Year influx of course, with a well-spaced succession of long weekends to follow. It’s the start of the wedding season, when every day is a big day it seems, and the shores are asplash with swimmers and surfers. The early pre-starts of outboards sing a new dawn chorus in the settlements along the coast, as boaties prepare for another day on the ocean. Cruise ships begin their daily visits and Art Deco enthusiasts from around the world are all in a frenzy about their February Summer pilgrimage to Napier for the annual Art Deco Festival. Spring Spring is made for walking. Temperatures are on the rise, tracks are drying out, and the visible signs of nature waking up are on show everywhere with bursts of blossoms, flushes of daffodils, and fresh green grass. Squadrons of male gannets have ensconced themselves in their headland sanctuaries at Cape Kidnappers, feathering their nests in anticipation of the arrival of their mates, asparagus shoots have completed their first push through the soils, early strawberries are making their colourful appearance on the shelves, and lawnmowers are Taniwha Daffodils, Central Hawke’s Bay firing up for another busy season. 2 hawke’s bay visitor guide 2016 Autumn is a photographer’s dream. The last apple has been picked, the grapes are all but off the vines, and the landscape is a blaze as deciduous leaves turn gold, red, yellow and brown. With the sinking of the sun, the harder light of summer transforms into the golden syrupy light of autumn, illuminating the hills and filtering down through the trees to create long shadows and a magnificent three- dimensional spectacle. There’s no better way to witness the magic than an early morning or late afternoon hike along the tree-lined trails leading to the summit of Te Mata Peak. Autumn Te Mata Peak Walking Track Winter F.A.W.C! Winter is the season for hunkering down, but Hawke’s Bay is not dormant by any means. Early season there is a crisp stillness in the air, with blue skies and shortening sunny days. With the first dustings of snow on the ranges, life outside simply carries on indoors – wood supplies are brought in, fires are lit, hearty meals prepared. There are deals to be had at luxury lodges and boutique hotels for an intimate escape or a weekend rendezvous, and in June there is F.A.W.C! – the winter series of the now famous Food and Wine Classic. With a local spin on winter fare and a flurry of new vintage releases, food lovers and wine drinkers have plenty of reasons to be happy. In winter, families begin their Saturday trudge around the sports parks and stadiums, and the roar from McLean Park tells us Winter the Magpies are at it again. hawkesbaynz.com 3 By Air Getting Here Hawke’s Bay Airport is 10 minutes’ drive from Napier’s City Centre and 25 minutes from Hastings. Air New Zealand operates Roads to Hawke’s Bay flights from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Flights to Auckland and Wellington take an hour, while Christchurch is If you’re coming from the north, there are two main routes into an hour and half away. From December 2015, Jetstar will offer Napier. The Thermal Explorer Highway takes you down the flights from Auckland to Napier. centre of the North Island and through the historic geothermal areas of Waitomo, Rotorua, and Lake Taupo. Finding your way Or you can take the road less travelled along the Pacific Coast Travelling independently by car or by campervan gives you Highway through Coromandel, Tauranga and Whakatane, the freedom to discover Hawke’s Bay. It’s easy to find your way around East Cape and down through Gisborne and Wairoa. This around the main towns but for more detailed exploration of the is one of the great campervan journeys and highly recommended outlying beaches, wineries, and other attractions it’s best to pick for anyone wanting to experience some of New Zealand’s most up a map from one of the i-SITE Visitor Information Centres beautiful and remote coastal parts. Mid to late December is a in Wairoa, Napier, Hastings, Havelock North or Waipukurau. perfect time to make the journey – the native Pohutukawa (a.k.a. Hawke’s Bay also has a variety of camping grounds and the Kiwi Christmas tree) are in full bloom and the coast is alight designated areas for freedom camping – these are all mapped with fiery red flowers. out at www.camping.org.nz To find out more about these two northern routes, visit www.explorecentralnorthislandnz.com If you’re driving to Hawke’s Bay from Wellington either take SH1 up the Kapiti Coast and head inland at Levin, or head out through the Hutt Valley, over the Rimutaka Hill and through Drive Times the Wairarapa district. This latter route is part of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail that runs through the region’s famous If travelling by car, here’s a winegrowing pockets and provides plenty of opportunities to guide to how long you can stop and explore the cafés, antique shops, and galleries that have expect to be at the wheel. popped up in the small rural towns along the way. Auckland – Napier Auckland Hawke’s Bay is on the national coach route with daily services 5.5 hours from Auckland, Gisborne, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Taupo and Rotorua – Napier Wellington. For more information, visit www.intercity.co.nz or Rotorua Gisborne www.nakedbus.com 2.5 hours Taupo – Napier Taupo By Sea Napier 1.5 hours The Port of Napier is one of New Zealand’s busiest commercial Hawke’s Bay Gisborne – Napier ports and host to a growing number of cruise ships doing the coastal circuit during the warmer months. Cruise visitors are well 3 hours Wellington served with shuttles to and from the Napier i-SITE Visitor Centre Wellington – Napier and there are a number of tour companies who pick visitors up 4 hours from the port itself. For information and a cruise ship schedule, visit www.napierport.co.nz 4 hawke’s bay visitor guide 2016 A Short Hastings Our Maori History Heritage Waka Experience, Napier Ng ti Kahungunu is the largest iwi or tribe in Hawke’s Bay and the third largest tribal group in New Zealand.