Hawke's Bay Region
Hawke's Bay Region is a region of New Zealand on the east coast of the North Island. It is governed by Hawke's Bay Regional Council, which sits in the city of Napier. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke.
Geography
The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island. It bears the former name of what is now Hawke Bay, a large semi-circular bay that extends for 100 kilometres from northeast to southwest from Mahia Peninsula to Cape Kidnappers.The Hawke's Bay Region includes the hilly coastal land around the northern and central bay, the floodplains of the Wairoa River in the north, the wide fertile Heretaunga Plains around Hastings in the south, and a hilly interior stretching up into the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges. The prominent peak Taraponui is located inland.
Five major rivers flow to the Hawke's Bay coast. From north to south, they are the Wairoa River, Mohaka River, Tutaekuri River, Ngaruroro River and Tukituki River. Lake Waikaremoana, situated in northern Hawke's Bay, roughly 35 km from the coast, is the largest lake in Hawke's Bay, the 4th largest in the North Island and the 16th largest in New Zealand.
The regional council area consists of the territorial authorities of Wairoa District, Hastings District, Napier City, and its southernmost district, Central Hawke's Bay District, plus the localities of Taharua in the Taupo District and Ngamatea in the Rangitikei District. It does not include the Tararua District, Dannevirke, Woodville or Norsewood, which have been under the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council since the 1989 local government reforms. In June 2015, the Local Government Commission proposed the amalgamation of the four territorial authorities in the region with the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, but this was rejected in a poll of residents.
The region has a hill with the longest place name in New Zealand, and the longest in the world according to the 2009 Guinness Book of Records. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is an otherwise unremarkable hill in southern Hawke's Bay, not far from Waipukurau.
Demography
The region's population is, percent of New Zealand's population. Around percent of the region's population lives in the Napier-Hastings conurbation.Hawke's Bay Region had a population of 166,368 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 15,189 people since the 2013 census, and an increase of 18,585 people since the 2006 census. There were 60,237 households. There were 81,054 males and 85,314 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female. Of the total population, 34,935 people were aged up to 15 years, 29,202 were 15 to 29, 71,841 were 30 to 64, and 30,390 were 65 or older. Figures may not add up to the total due to rounding.
Of those at least 15 years old, 21,417 people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 27,633 people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $28,300. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 63,999 people were employed full-time, 19,605 were part-time, and 4,710 were unemployed.
Below is a list of urban areas that contain more than 1,000 population.
| Urban area | Population ( | % of region |
| Napier | % | |
| Hastings | % | |
| Havelock North | % | |
| Waipukurau | % | |
| Wairoa | % | |
| Clive | % | |
| Waipawa | % |
Other towns and settlements in Hawke's Bay include:
- Tuai
- Frasertown
- Nuhaka
- Mahia Beach
- Whirinaki
- Whakatu
- Haumoana
- Te Awanga
- Waimārama
- Tikokino
- Ongaonga
- Takapau
- Otane
- Porangahau
Culture and identity
The percentage of people born overseas was 15.9, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 48.5% had no religion, 37.4% were Christian, and 7.2% had other religions.
A major local Māori tribe is Ngāti Kahungunu.
History
Bay whaling stations operated on the shores of the bay in the nineteenth century.Hawke's Bay Province was founded in 1858 as a province of New Zealand, after being separated from the Wellington Province following a meeting in Napier in February 1858. The Province was abolished in 1876 along with all other provinces in New Zealand. It was replaced with a Provincial District.
On February 3, 1931, Napier and Hastings were devastated by New Zealand's worst natural disaster, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter magnitude scale, which killed 256 people. Napier rebuilt and now the city is world-famous for its Art Deco buildings, and celebrates its heritage each February with the . MTG Hawke's Bay, formerly Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery, has an exhibition on the earthquake, its causes and impact.
Economy
The subnational gross domestic product of Hawke's Bay was estimated at NZ$8.67 billion in the year to March 2019, 2.9% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per capita was estimated at $50,251 in the same period. In the year to March 2018, primary industries contributed $1.14 billion to the regional GDP, goods-producing industries contributed $1.84 billion, service industries contributed $4.56 billion, and taxes and duties contributed $707 million.Agriculture
The region is renowned for its horticulture, with large orchards and vineyards on the plains. In the hilly parts of the region sheep and cattle farming predominates, with forestry blocks in the roughest areas.Hawke's Bay has of horticultural land, the third largest area in New Zealand behind Canterbury and Marlborough. The largest crops by land area are apples, wine grapes, squash, and peas and beans.
Wine
The climate is dry and temperate, and the long, hot summers and cool winters offer excellent weather for growing grapes. Missionaries in the mid 19th century planted the first vines in Hawke's Bay and it is now an important place for full bodied red wines. The wine region is the second largest after Marlborough, with of vineyards and 91 operating wineries in 2018.Aerospace
Hawke's Bay is home to Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1, New Zealand's first orbital launch site, on Mahia Peninsula. Wairoa District is home to Space Coast New Zealand, a stretch of coastline from which space launches can be viewed. Rocket Lab launches its Electron rockets several times a year, after its first successful launch of Humanity Star in January 2018.Seismicity
Hawke's Bay is one of the most seismically active regions in New Zealand and has experienced many large and often damaging earthquakes. More than 50 damaging earthquakes have rocked the region since the 1800s. Some of the more notable are listed below.| Date | Location | Magnitude | Depth | Fatalities | More information |
| 8 Jul 1843 | 25 km west of Tikokino | 7.6 | 12 km | 2 | |
| 22 Feb 1863 | Waipukurau | 7.5 | 25 km | 1863 Hawke's Bay earthquake | |
| 14 Sep 1875 | Mahia Peninsula | 5.8 | 25 km | ||
| 9 Aug 1904 | Porangahau | 7.0 | 16 km | ||
| 28 Jun 1921 | Kaweka Forest Park | 6.7 | 80 km | ||
| 12 Feb 1930 | Porangahau | 6.2 | 33 km | ||
| 3 Feb 1931 | 20 km north of Napier | 7.8 | 20 km | 256 | 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake |
| 3 Feb 1931 | 25 km north east of Napier | 5.8 | 25 km | ||
| 8 Feb 1931 | Wairoa | 6.4 | 60 km | ||
| 13 Feb 1931 | 50 km east of Napier | 7.3 | 30 km | ||
| 5 May 1932 | 50 km east of Napier | 5.9 | 12 km | ||
| 16 Sep 1932 | Wairoa | 6.9 | 12 km | ||
| 5 Mar 1934 | Pongaroa | 7.2 | 12 km | ||
| 15 Mar 1934 | Wairoa | 6.3 | 25 km | ||
| 26 Feb 1940 | Hastings | 6.0 | 25 km | ||
| 1 Mar 1950 | Lake Waikaremoana | 5.8 | 60 km | ||
| 10 Feb 1951 | Porangahau | 6.2 | 33 km | ||
| 6 Oct 1980 | Hastings | 5.7 | 30 km | ||
| 19 Feb 1990 | Porangahau | 6.2 | 34 km | ||
| 13 May 1990 | Porangahau | 6.4 | 30 km |
Council
The Hawke's Bay regional council consists of nine elected members and holds elections every three years. As of the 2016 election the current council is:| Member | Constituency |
| Rex Graham - Chair | Hastings |
| Rick Barker - Deputy Chair | Hastings |
| Hinewai Ormsby | Napier |
| Craig Foss | Hastings |
| Charles Lambert | Wairoa |
| Will Foley | Central Hawke's Bay |
| Jerf van Beek | Ngaruroro |
| Neil Kirton | Napier |
| Martin Williams | Napier |
Culture
The region is served by a variety of radio stations including Radio Kahungunu, The Hits 89.5, More FM, access station Radio Kidnappers and local station Bay FM. As well, most of the national commercial and non-commercial operators have transmitters covering the region. Hawke's Bay also has its own TV station, TVHB, which provides a mix of news and information programmes hosted by local personalities.The Hawke's Bay wine region produces some of New Zealand's finest wines, celebrated together with local cuisine twice a year with the Food And Wine Classic festivals. These take place over several weekends in winter and ten days in summer, attracting thousands of visitors, many from overseas.
Napier is home to the Mission Concert held early each year since 1993. The event, held at the Mission Estate Winery in Taradale, has attracted performers such as Kenny Rogers, Shirley Bassey, Rod Stewart, The B-52's, Belinda Carlisle, Ray Charles, and Eric Clapton. The 2009 concert attraction was to be Lionel Richie, but the concert was cancelled because of rain.
UK music artist Tycho Jones was staying in Hastings, Hawkes Bay when he was inspired to write the track Don't Be Afraid, produced by Jonathan Quarmby.