Hawke's Bay Te Matau-a-Māui (Māori) | |
|---|---|
      | |
 Hawke's Bay within New Zealand | |
| Coordinates:39°25′S176°49′E / 39.417°S 176.817°E /-39.417; 176.817 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Island | North Island |
| Seat | Napier |
| Government | |
| • Type | Regional council |
| • Body | Hawke's Bay Regional Council |
| • Chair | Sophie Siers |
| • Deputy Chair | Jerf van Beek |
| Area | |
| • Land | 14,139.15 km2 (5,459.16 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation (Kaweka J) | 1,724 m (5,656 ft) |
| Population (June 2025)[2] | |
• Total | 179,700 |
| • Density | 12.71/km2 (32.92/sq mi) |
| GDP | |
| • Total | NZ$ 11.385 billion (2021) (8th) |
| • Per capita | NZ$ 61,977 (2021) |
| ISO 3166 code | NZ–HKB |
| HDI (2023) | 0.92[4] very high ·11th |
| Website | www |
Hawke's Bay (Māori:Te Matau-a-Māui)[5] is aregion on the east coast ofNew Zealand'sNorth Island. The region is named afterHawke Bay, which was named in honour ofEdward Hawke. The region's main centres are the cities ofNapier andHastings, while the more rural parts of the region are served by the towns ofWaipukurau,Waipawa, andWairoa.
Hawke's Bay is named after the bay to its east,Hawke Bay, which was named in honour ofEdward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke byCaptain James Cook during one of his voyages along the coasts of New Zealand.
The Māori language name for Hawke's Bay isTe Matau-a-Māui (lit. the fishhook belonging toMāui). This name comes from a traditional story in which Maui lifted the islands of New Zealand from the waters. The story says that Hawke's Bay is the fishhook that Māui used, withPortland Island and Cape Kidnappers being the northern and southern barbs of the hook, respectively.[6]
Hawke's Bay is one of only two places in New Zealand with a possessive apostrophe in its name, the other beingArthur's Pass.[7] Captain Cook originally used an apostrophe in the name for the bay, but was inconsistent and wrote the name without an apostrophe a day later. Many New Zealanders spell the name without an apostrophe.[8]
Bay whaling stations operated on the shores of the bay in the nineteenth century.[9]
Hawke's Bay Province was founded in 1858 as aprovince of New Zealand, after being separated from theWellington 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 theRichter 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 theArt Deco Weekend.MTG Hawke's Bay, formerly Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery, has an exhibition on the earthquake, its causes and impact.
During theSecond World War, theGerman submarineU-862 entered the waters around Napier undetected, surfacing by the Sound Shell. The submarine fired a torpedo at thePukeko, a steamer leaving the Port of Napier, but narrowly missed.[10]
On the 13th and 14 February 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle caused extensive damage in Hawke's Bay as it passed over the North Island. Power, phone service and internet access was cut to over 16,000 properties when the main Redcliffe substation was damaged in floodwaters after theTutaekuri River burst its banks. Downstream, 1,000 people were evacuated from low-lying plains surrounding the river, where significant parts of Taradale, Meeanee and Awatoto were submerged.
The floodwaters destroyed 4 bridges, including Redcliffe Bridge, a major crossing just south of Taradale. SH2 and SH51 bridges were heavily damaged, but did not collapse. A span of thePalmerston North-Gisborne Line crossing the Tutaekuri River also collapsed. TheNgaruroro River also breached its banks, flooding the town of Omahu where 20 people required evacuation via helicopter.
In Wairoa, theWairoa River breached its banks, flooding approximately 15 percent of the town. Access to Wairoa was cut off after extensive damage on SH2's Mohaka River Bridge in the south, and landslides also closing SH2 to the north. Water supply in Central Hawke's Bay failed, and a mandatory evacuation was ordered for eastern Waipawa after the Waipara river rose to record levels. The total cost and damages are unknown at this time.[11][12]
The region is situated on the east coast of theNorth Island. It bears the former name of what is nowHawke Bay, a large semi-circular bay that extends for 100 kilometres from northeast to southwest fromMāhia Peninsula toCape Kidnappers.
The Hawke's Bay Region includes the hilly coastal land around the northern and central bay, the floodplains of theWairoa River in the north, the wide fertileHeretaunga Plains aroundHastings in the south, and a hilly interior stretching up into theKaweka andRuahine Ranges. The prominent peakTaraponui is located inland.
Five major rivers flow to the Hawke's Bay coast. From north to south, they are theWairoa River,Mohaka River,Tutaekuri River,Ngaruroro River andTukituki River.Lake Waikaremoana, situated in northern Hawke's Bay, roughly 35 km from the coast, is the largest lake in Hawke's Bay, the fourth largest in the North Island and the 16th largest in New Zealand.
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 fromWaipukurau.[13]
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Hawke's Bay Region covers 14,139.05 km2 (5,459.12 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 179,700 as of June 2025,[2] 3.4 percent of New Zealand's population, with a population density of 13 people per km2. Around 74 percent of the region's population lives in theNapier-Hastings conurbation.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 138,342 | — |
| 1996 | 142,791 | +0.64% |
| 2001 | 142,950 | +0.02% |
| 2006 | 147,783 | +0.67% |
| 2013 | 151,179 | +0.33% |
| 2018 | 166,368 | +1.93% |
| 2023 | 175,074 | +1.03% |
| Source:[14][15] | ||
Hawke's Bay Region had a population of 175,074 in the2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 8,706 people (5.2%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 23,895 people (15.8%) since the2013 census. There were 85,497 males, 89,055 females and 516 people ofother genders in 63,735 dwellings.[16] 2.3% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 40.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 34,641 people (19.8%) aged under 15 years, 30,249 (17.3%) aged 15 to 29, 76,266 (43.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 33,918 (19.4%) aged 65 or older.[14]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 73.3%European (Pākehā); 28.6%Māori; 6.2%Pasifika; 6.5%Asian; 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.4% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.5%, Māori language by 7.2%, Samoan by 1.9% and other languages by 8.2%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 17.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.
| Nationality | Population (2018) |
|---|---|
| England | 6,840 |
| Australia | 2,625 |
| India | 2,076 |
| Samoa | 1,665 |
| South Africa | 1,473 |
| Philippines | 942 |
| Scotland | 876 |
| China | 765 |
| Netherlands | 738 |
| United States | 657 |
The major local Māori tribe isNgāti Kahungunu.
Religious affiliations were 33.6%Christian, 0.9%Hindu, 0.5%Islam, 3.3%Māori religious beliefs, 0.6%Buddhist, 0.5%New Age, 0.1%Jewish, and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they hadno religion were 52.5%, and 6.5% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 20,490 (14.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 77,136 (54.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 36,423 (25.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,300, compared with $41,500 nationally. 12,315 people (8.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 69,846 (49.7%) people were employed full-time, 18,585 (13.2%) were part-time, and 3,948 (2.8%) were unemployed.[14]
Below is a list of urban areas that contain more than 1,000 population.
| Urban area | Population (June 2025)[2] | % of region |
|---|---|---|
| Napier | 66,400 | 37.0% |
| Hastings | 49,800 | 27.7% |
| Havelock North | 15,000 | 8.3% |
| Waipukurau | 4,750 | 2.6% |
| Wairoa | 4,720 | 2.6% |
| Waipawa | 2,430 | 1.4% |
| Clive | 2,040 | 1.1% |
| Haumoana | 1,160 | 0.6% |
Other towns and settlements in Hawke's Bay include:
The subnational gross domestic product (GDP) 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 (13.9%) to the regional GDP, goods-producing industries contributed $1.84 billion (22.3%), service industries contributed $4.56 billion (55.3%), and taxes and duties contributed $707 million (8.6%).[18]
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 17,886 ha (44,200 acres) of horticultural land, the third largest area in New Zealand behindCanterbury andMarlborough. The largest crops by land area areapples (4,750 ha), wine grapes (3,620 ha),squash (3,390 ha), andpeas andbeans (1,360 ha).[19]
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.[20] The wine region is the second largest after theMarlborough wine region, with 4,681 hectares (11,570 acres) of vineyards and 91 operating wineries in 2018.[21]
Hawke's Bay is home toRocket Lab'sLaunch Complex 1, New Zealand's first orbital launch site, onMāhia Peninsula.Wairoa District is home toSpace Coast New Zealand, a stretch of coastline from which space launches can be viewed.[22] Rocket Lab launches itsElectron rockets several times a year, after its first successful launch ofHumanity Star in January 2018.
Hawke's Bay is served byHawke's Bay Airport (also known as Napier Airport). 452,000 travellers passed through the terminal in the 12 months to June 2013. This increased to 652,426 in the 12 months to June 2017.[23]
Hastings Aerodrome is a smalleruncontrolled airport inBridge Pa near Hastings.
Inter-regional travel into and out of Hawke's Bay is served byState Highway 2 andState Highway 5, as well as theTaihape-Napier Road also known as "The Gentle Annie".State Highway 38 also connects inter-regionally, although it is less used due to being partially unsealed.
State Highway 2 enters the region coming south from Gisborne, connecting the East Cape region to Hawke's Bay. It continues through Nūhaka and then Wairoa, crossing over the Mohaka River near theMohaka Viaduct. It then winds through the hills of northern Hawke's Bay, passing byLake Tūtira. It meets the ocean and then passes through Whirinaki where it intersects with the end of State Highway 5. After cutting byBay View, it passes by Hawke's Bay Airport as it enters Napier next toPandora Pond. As it goes through Napier it is concurrent withState Highway 50 passing by Taradale. TheHawke's Bay Expressway forms the next section of the road as it crosses over theTutaekuri andNgaruroro rivers. The road then bisects Hastings and Flaxmere. The road continues through theHeretaunga Plains into Central Hawke's Bay, connecting the towns of Ōtāne, Waipawa, and Waipukurau. It then heads towards Takapau where it meets the other end of State Highway 50. After Takapau it heads into the Tararua District and through the towns ofNorsewood andDannevirke. State Highway 2 is the main route heading south from Napier-Hastings to get to major centres such asPalmerston North andWellington.
State Highway 5 enters Hawke's Bay from the north-west as the Napier-Taupo Road. It serves as the main connection between Hawke's Bay and the main centres up north – including Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, and Taupō. It travels through the hilly interior of the region. It meets up with State Highway 2 after passing through Eskdale.
The Taihape-Napier Road serves as an inland route between Hawke's Bay and theRangitikei andRuapehu districts, creating a connection to the towns ofTaihape,Waiouru, andOhakune.
State Highway 50 starts inAhuriri in Napier and after being concurrent with State Highway 2, splits off and connects the more interior sections of the region – including the settlements ofFernhill,Maraekakaho,Tikokino,Ongaonga, andAshley Clinton. The road terminates at an intersection with State Highway 2 near Takapau.
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The region is governed by Hawke's Bay Regional Council, which has its main office and council chamber in Napier. The council consists of eleven elected members and holds elections every three years. As of 26 October 2022 the councillors are:[24]
| Councillor | Constituency |
|---|---|
| Hinewai Ormsby (chair) | Ahuriri/Napier general |
| Will Foley (deputy chair) | Tamatea-Central Hawke's Bay general |
| Xan Harding | Heretaunga-Hastings general |
| Neil Kirton | Ahuriri/Napier general |
| Charles Lambert | Māui ki te Raki Māori |
| Jock Mackintosh | Heretaunga-Hastings general |
| Di Roadley | Wairoa general |
| Sophie Siers | Heretaunga-Hastings general |
| Hokianga Thompson | Māui ki te Tonga Māori |
| Jerf van Beek | Ngaruroro general |
| Martin Williams | Ahuriri/Napier general |
Between 2013 and 2015 theLocal Government Commission considered amalgamating Hawke's Bay Regional Council, its four constituent territorial authorities (Napier City Council,Central Hawke's Bay District Council,Hastings District Council andWairoa District Council), and the small parts of theRangitikei District Council (the rural community ofNgamahanga) andTaupo District Council (the rural community ofTaharua) that fall within the Hawke's Bay Region into a unitary authority that would hold all local decision-making powers for the region. This proposal was initiated by an application from a group called "A Better Hawke's Bay"[25] and followed theGovernment-led amalgamation of eight local authorities into the newAuckland Council in 2010 and a 2012 "prosperity study" that found a similar amalgamation in Hawke's Bay could save up to $25m per year.[26] A previous proposal to merge Napier and Hastings, though supported by Hastings residents, was defeated in a public referendum in 1999.[27]
The Local Government Commission released an initial proposal in November 2013.[28] After taking public submissions on the proposal, the Commission issued a final proposal in June 2015. The final proposal was that Hawke's Bay would be governed by a unitary council comprising a governing body (one mayor elected at-large and eighteen councillors elected across five wards) with subsidiary decision-making made by five local boards (each with six to nine elected members).[29]
Under theLocal Government Act, the public had the right to demand a binding referendum on whether the amalgamation should proceed; such a demand would be valid if it was signed by at least 10% of the affected electors in one of the affected districts. Two days after the final proposal was issued, a valid referendum demand signed by more than 10% of the affected electors in the Rangitikei district was received[30] (there were only twelve affected electors in that district, therefore only two signatures were required to trigger the poll[27][31]). The referendum was held by post. Voting concluded on Tuesday 15 September 2015. Because 66% of electors opposed the change,[32] the proposal was defeated and did not progress further. Results broken down to the council level showed that only Hastings district electors favoured amalgamation (52% in favour). Napier (84% opposed), Wairoa District (88% opposed) and Central Hawke's Bay (58%) were opposed. Only four votes were returned from Rangitikei (two each way); no votes were returned from Taupo district.[32]
| Council area | For | Against | Informal | Blank | Total | Turnout | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hastings District | 15,639 | 51.54% | 14,614 | 48.16% | 8 | 0.03% | 84 | 0.28% | 30,345 | 56.71%. |
| Napier City | 4,632 | 15.83% | 24,553 | 83.92% | 5 | 0.02% | 67 | 0.23% | 29,257 | 67.29%. |
| Central Hawke's Bay District | 2,629 | 41.55% | 3,684 | 58.23% | 2 | 0.03% | 12 | 0.19% | 6,327 | 65.50%. |
| Wairoa District | 457 | 11.62% | 3,465 | 88.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 10 | 0.25% | 3,932 | 69.35%. |
| Rangitikei District | 2 | 50.00% | 2 | 50.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 4 | 33.33%. |
| Taupō District | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Total | 23,359 | 33.43% | 46,318 | 66.30% | 15 | 0.02% | 173 | 0.25% | 69,865 | 62.18% |
Government at the level below regional is organised intoterritorial authorities, consisting ofHastings District,Wairoa District,Central Hawke's Bay District, andNapier City. The localities of Taharua in theTaupo District andNgamatea in theRangitikei District are also within the boundaries of the region. It does not include theTararua District,Dannevirke,Woodville orNorsewood, which have been under theManawatū-Whanganui Regional Council (also known as Horizons Regional Council) since the1989 local government reforms.[33][34]
| District | Mayor | Year Elected |
|---|---|---|
| Central Hawke's Bay | Will Foley | 2025 |
| Hastings | Wendy Schollum | 2025 |
| Napier | Richard McGrath | 2025 |
| Wairoa | Craig Little | 2013 |
Hawke's Bay is covered by fivegeneral electorates – namelyNapier,Tukituki,Wairarapa,Rangitīkei, andTaupō.[35] The bulk of the region is contained within the Napier and Tukituki electorates, the former comprising most of the northern part of the region (including Napier and Wairoa), whilst the latter comprises much of the central parts of the region and the area around Hastings, including Havelock North and Clive. Wairarapa, which extends across parts ofGreater Wellington and Manawatū-Whanganui, includes much of Central Hawke's Bay District, including Waipukurau and Waipawa. The Rangitīkei and Taupō electorates do not contain much of any population within the region.
Napier and Tukituki are often called 'bellwether' electorates.[36][37] Since the introduction ofMixed-Member Proportional elections in New Zealand, both electorates have been held by bothLabour andNational members of parliament, often shifting in a way similar to that of the nation as a whole.
Hawke's Bay is also covered by threeMāori electorates – namelyIkaroa-Rāwhiti,Waiariki, andTe Tai Hauāuru.[38] The vast majority of the population of the region is within the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate.
| Electorate | Main centres | MP | First elected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napier | Napier, Wairoa | Kate Nimon | 2023 | |
| Tukituki | Hastings, Havelock North, Clive | Catherine Wedd | 2023 | |
| Wairarapa | Waipukurau, Waipawa | Mike Butterick | 2023 | |
| Ikaroa-Rāwhiti | All | Cushla Tangaere-Manuel | 2023 | |
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Hawke's Bay Anniversary Day is an annual day of celebration held on the Friday before Labour Day. It is celebrated throughout the old provincial boundaries of Hawke's Bay.
The Hawke's Bay radio market is the seventh-largest in New Zealand, with 142,200 listeners aged 10 and over. The largest commercial stations by share as of May 2025 areNewstalk ZB (14.8%),Magic (12.4%),The Breeze (10.6%),The Rock (10.0%), andThe Hits (9.8%).[39]
The region is served by a variety of radio stations including Radio Kahungunu, The Hits 89.5, More FM, access station Radio Hawke's Bay (formally 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 is home to numerous parks, forests, beaches and various other natural attractions.
Napier and Hastings are home to many parks, with major parks including Cornwall, Frimley, and Windsor Parks in Hastings, and Anderson Park, Park Island, Taradale Park and the Botanical Gardens in Napier.
Located in Windsor Park isSplash Planet, anamusement andwater park that is open in the summer.
Cape Kidnappers, a headland at the south-eastern extremity of Hawke Bay, is a popular tourist attraction. The cape has been identified as anImportant Bird Area due to being a breeding site for over 6500 pairs ofAustralasian gannets.
TheHawke's Bay wine region produces some of New Zealand's finest wines, celebrated together with local cuisine twice a year with theFood And Wine Classic festivals. These take place over several weekends in winter and ten days in summer, attracting thousands of visitors, many from overseas.[40]
Napier is home to the Mission Concert held early each year since 1993. The event, held at theMission Estate Winery inTaradale, has attracted performers such asKenny Rogers,Elton John,Shirley Bassey,Rod Stewart,The B-52's,Belinda Carlisle,Ray Charles, andEric Clapton. The 2009 concert attraction was to beLionel 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 byJonathan Quarmby.[41]
TheHawke's Bay Rugby Union's representative team, theMagpies, plays in New Zealand's annual professional domesticrugby union competition, theMitre 10 Cup. The team represents the Hawke's Bay Region in provincial representative rugby, and draws its players from the constituent clubs who are affiliated to the provincial union. The team play their home matches inMcLean Park in Napier. Players representing Hawke's Bay are also eligible to play for theHurricanes in the annual transnationalSuper Rugby competition. Hawke's Bay has produceda number of All Blacks.
TheHawke's Bay Hawks compete in theNew Zealand National Basketball League.
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 been recorded in the region since the 1800s.
| Date | Location | Magnitude (ML) | Depth | Fatalities | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jul 1843 | 25 km west of Tikokino | 7.6 | 12 km | 2 | [42] |
| 22 Feb 1863 | Waipukurau | 7.5 | 25 km | 1863 Hawke's Bay earthquake[43] | |
| 14 Sep 1875 | Māhia Peninsula | 5.8 | 25 km | [44] | |
| 9 Aug 1904 | Pōrangahau | 7.0 | 16 km | [45] | |
| 28 Jun 1921 | Kaweka Forest Park | 6.7 | 80 km | [46] | |
| 12 Feb 1930 | Pōrangahau | 6.2 | 33 km | [47] | |
| 3 Feb 1931 | 20 km north of Napier | 7.8 | 20 km | 256 | 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake[48] |
| 3 Feb 1931 | 25 km north east of Napier | 5.8 | 25 km | [49] | |
| 8 Feb 1931 | Wairoa | 6.4 | 60 km | [50] | |
| 13 Feb 1931 | 50 km east of Napier | 7.3 | 30 km | [51] | |
| 5 May 1932 | 50 km east of Napier | 5.9 | 12 km | [52] | |
| 16 Sep 1932 | Wairoa | 6.9 | 12 km | [53] | |
| 5 Mar 1934 | Pongaroa | 7.2 | 12 km | [54] | |
| 15 Mar 1934 | Wairoa | 6.3 | 25 km | [55] | |
| 26 Feb 1940 | Hastings | 6.0 | 25 km | [56] | |
| 1 Mar 1950 | Lake Waikaremoana | 5.8 | 60 km | [57] | |
| 10 Feb 1951 | Pōrangahau | 6.2 | 33 km | [58] | |
| 6 Oct 1980 | Hastings | 5.7 | 30 km | [59] | |
| 19 Feb 1990 | Pōrangahau | 6.2 | 34 km | [60] | |
| 13 May 1990 | Pōrangahau | 6.4 | 30 km | [61] |
Four votes from Rangitikei were received in the referendum, with turnout from that being 33.33% showing that the total number of affected electors was approximately 12.
| North Island |  | |
|---|---|---|
| South Island | ||
* Governed by aunitary authority rather than a regional council | ||
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