Tauranga (Māori pronunciation:[ˈtaʉɾaŋa]ⓘ, Māori language for "resting place," or "safe anchorage")[6][7][8] is a coastal city in theBay of Plenty Region and thefifth-most populous city ofNew Zealand, with an urban population of 160,900 (June 2025),[5] or roughly 3% of the national population. It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century and colonised by Europeans in the early 19th century. It was constituted as a city in 1963.[9]
The city lies in the northwestern corner of the Bay of Plenty, on the southeastern edge ofTauranga Harbour. The city extends over an area of 141.91 square kilometres (54.79 sq mi), and encompasses the communities ofBethlehem, on the southwestern outskirts of the city;Greerton, on the southern outskirts of the city; Matua, west of the central city overlooking Tauranga Harbour; Maungatapu;Mount Maunganui, located north of the central city across the harbour facing the Bay of Plenty;Otūmoetai;Papamoa, Tauranga's largest suburb, located in the Bay of Plenty; Tauranga City;Tauranga South; andWelcome Bay.
Tauranga is one of New Zealand's main centres for business, international trade, culture, fashion and horticultural science. ThePort of Tauranga is New Zealand's largest port in terms of gross export tonnage and efficiency.[10] Tauranga is one of New Zealand's fastest-growing cities, with an 11% increase in population between the 2006 census and the 2013 census,[11] and 19% between the 2013 and 2018 census. Due to its rapid population growth, Tauranga has become New Zealand's fifth-largest city, overtakingDunedin and theNapier-Hastings urban areas.
In December 1826 and again in March 1827, theHerald travelled to Tauranga from theBay of Islands to obtain supplies of potatoes, pigs and flax.[15][16] In 1835 aChurch Missionary Society mission station was established at Tauranga by William Wade. Rev.Alfred N. Brown arrived at the CMS mission station in 1838.[17] John Morgan also visited the mission in 1838.[18]
View of waterfront in 1924
Europeans trading inflax were active in the Bay of Plenty during the 1830s; some were transient, others married local women and settled permanently. The first permanent non-Maori trader wasJames Farrow, who travelled to Tauranga in 1829, obtaining flax fibre for Australian merchants in exchange formuskets andgunpowder. Farrow acquired a land area of 2,000 square metres (1⁄2 acre) on 10 January 1838 atOtūmoetai Pā from the chiefsTupaea, Tangimoana and Te Omanu, the earliest authenticated land purchase in the Bay of Plenty.[19]
In 1840, aCatholic mission station was established.Bishop Pompallier was given land within the palisades of Otūmoetai Pā for a church and apresbytery. The mission station closed in 1863 due to land wars in theWaikato district.[20]
The Battle of Gate Pā was an attack on the well fortifiedPā and its Māori defenders on 29 April 1864 by British forces made up of approximately 300 men of the 43rd Regiment and a naval contingent. The British casualties were 31 dead (including 10 officers), and 80 wounded – the highest loss of life suffered by the British military in the New Zealand Wars. The Māori defenders abandoned the Pā during the night with casualties estimated at 25 dead and an unknown number of wounded.[21]
Tauranga is located around a large harbour that extends along the westernBay of Plenty, and is protected byMatakana Island and the extinct volcano ofMauao (Mount Maunganui).Ngāumuwahine River is located 19 kilometres southwest of Tauranga.
Tauranga and theBay of Plenty are situated along a faultline and so experience (infrequent) seismic activity. There are a fewvolcanoes around the area (mainly dormant). The most notable of these areWhite Island and Mauao, nicknamed "The Mount" by locals.
During the summer months the population swells as holidaymakers descend on the city, especially along the popular white coastal surf beaches fromMount Maunganui toPapamoa.
Climate data for Tauranga (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1913–present)
In 1976 Tauranga was a medium-sized urban area with a population of around 48,000. The completion of a harbour bridge in 1988 brought Tauranga and The Mount closer (they amalgamated in 1989) and re-energised the economies of both parts of the enlarged city.By 1996 Tauranga's population had grown to 82,092 and by 2006 had reached 103,635.[30] By 2023, it had reached 152,844.[31]
In 2008 Tauranga overtookDunedin to become thesixth-largest city in New Zealand by urban area, and theninth largest city byTerritorial Authority area. With continuing growth it has now surpassed the Napier-Hastings area to become New Zealand's fifth-largest city.
Tauranga covers 141.91 km2 (54.79 sq mi)[4] and had an estimated population of 161,000 as of June 2025,[5] with a population density of 1,135 people per km2.
Tauranga had a population of 152,844 in the2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 15,714 people (11.5%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 37,683 people (32.7%) since the2013 census. There were 73,821 males, 78,558 females and 462 people ofother genders in 55,929 dwellings.[33] 2.5% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 39.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 29,604 people (19.4%) aged under 15 years, 26,316 (17.2%) aged 15 to 29, 66,786 (43.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 30,138 (19.7%) aged 65 or older.[31]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 78.7%European (Pākehā); 19.3%Māori; 3.6%Pasifika; 10.3%Asian; 1.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.2%, Māori language by 4.5%, Samoan by 0.4% and other languages by 12.5%. No language could be spoken by 2.1% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 25.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Of those at least 15 years old, 22,431 (18.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 64,740 (52.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 29,052 (23.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $42,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 14,001 people (11.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 61,218 (49.7%) people were employed full-time, 17,007 (13.8%) were part-time, and 3,252 (2.6%) were unemployed.[31]
Tauranga is located in the administrative area of theTauranga City Council. The council consists of theMayor of Tauranga and nine councillors. The mayor is elected by the cityat-large, while the councillors are elected from nine wards (constituencies), each ward electing a single councillor. Elections are held viasingle transferable vote.[42]
The present nine wards were first established for the 2024 local elections. There are eight general wards (Mauao/Mount Maunganui, Arataki, Pāpāmoa, Welcome Bay, Matua-Otūmoetai, Bethlehem, Tauriko and Te Papa) and oneMāori ward (Te Awanui, covering the entire city).[43]
Council elections are usually held every three years, most recently in2024. The next local election for Tauranga is scheduled for 2028.[44]
In December 2020, theMinister of Local GovernmentNanaia Mahuta announced that, due to alleged "dysfunction" within the elected council, the council would be replaced by commissioners until the 2022 local elections.[45][46] However, then Tauranga MPSimon Bridges said the appointment of commissioners was unnecessary and a "dramatic and draconian step."[47] An independent review by law firmRussell McVeagh found that Mahuta's decision may have been unlawful.[48] Her decision to reappoint thecrown commission for a second term in 2022 through to July 2024 was subject to a legal review byDentons Kensington Swan who found her decision was challengeable on the grounds of unlawfulness and unreasonableness.[49]
Much of the countryside surrounding Tauranga is horticultural land, used to grow a wide range of fresh produce for both domestic consumption and export. There are manykiwifruit andavocados orchards as well as other crops.
ThePort of Tauranga is New Zealand's largest export port. It is a regular stop for both container ships and luxury cruise liners.
Port of Tauranga on the Mount Maunganui side, looking south.Tauranga harbourPicturesque sunrise over the Tauranga harbour
Tauranga's main shopping malls are Bayfair, in Mount Maunganui and Tauranga Crossing in Tauriko. Most of the city's shopping centres are located in the suburbs. They include Fraser Cove, Tauranga Crossing, Bethlehem Town Centre,Papamoa Plaza, Fashion Island,Bayfair Shopping Centre, Bay Central and Greerton Village.
Tauranga has the following business innovation centres
New Year celebrations at the Mount inMount Maunganui are one of Tauranga's main events, bringing people from all around the country.
In 2014 Tauranga City Council granted permission for an annual Sikh parade to celebrateGuru Gobind Singh's birthday. 2500 people took part in 2014, while in 2015, the number increased to 3500.[59]
Tauranga has a large stadium complex in the Mount Manganui suburb,Baypark Stadium, rebuilt in 2001 after a similar complex closed in 1995. It hostsspeedway events during summer andrugby matches in winter.
Tauranga is the home to two rowing clubs – Tauranga Rowing Club inMemorial Park and Bay of Plenty Coast Rowing Club at the picturesqueWairoa River. Both clubs have had successful NZ representation over the years.
Tauranga has an all weather outdoor athletics ground atTauranga Domain.
Tauranga also has aHockey Association,[60] separate from the Regional Bay of Plenty body, which represents the city in domestic tournaments.
View over Greater Tauranga, taken from the top of Mauao
Greater Tauranga is a very popular lifestyle and tourism destination. It features many natural attractions and scenery ranging from popular beaches and harbour environments to lush bush-clad mountains with waterfalls and lakes.
View of The Strand, looking across Tauranga Harbour
Cultural attractions include the Tauranga Art Gallery, which opened in October 2007 and showcases local, national and international exhibitions in a range of media. On the 17th Avenue, the "Historic Village on 17th",[61] recreates a historic setting with original and replica buildings from early Tauranga housing arts and gift shops.
Aviation interests are well served with theClassic Flyers Museum and the Gyrate Flying Club where you can experience flying a modern gyroplane; the "motorbike of the sky".[62]
Tauranga has many parks: one of the largest isMemorial Park, and others include Yatton Park, Kulim Park, Fergusson Park and the large Tauranga Domain. TheTe Puna Quarry Park has become a regional attraction, known for being converted from a disused quarry into a community park.[63]
Due to the temperate climate, outdoor activities are very popular, including golf, tramping (hiking), mountain biking and white water rafting. The Bay of Plenty coastline has miles of golden sandy beaches, and watersports are very popular, including swimming, surfing, fishing, diving, kayaking and kitesurfing. Tourists also enjoy dolphin-watching on specially run boat trips.
The coastal suburbPapamoa and neighbouringMount Maunganui are some of the more affluent areas in Tauranga. The region's beaches attract swimmers, surfers, kayakers and kitesurfers throughout the year.
Tauranga has many outlying islands and reefs that make it a notable tourist destination point for travelling scuba divers and marine enthusiasts.[64] Extensive marine life diversity is available to scuba divers all year round. Water temperatures range from 12 degrees Celsius in winter to 22–24 degrees Celsius in summer. Tauranga houses two professional dive instructor training centres, training NAUI, PADI and SSI dive leader systems.
Tauranga Hospital is a public secondary regional hospital located in Tauranga South, with 360 beds including neonatal, geriatric, surgical, maternity and mental health care.[65] It provides elective and emergency healthcare across medical, surgical, paediatric, obstetric, gynaecological and psychiatric services. The main tertiary referral centre for Tauranga Hospital isWaikato Hospital, located inHamilton. As the site of the Bay of Plenty Clinical School, Tauranga Hospital provides training to medical students from theUniversity of Auckland, as well as selective and elective placements for nursing and midwifery students.[66]
Grace Hospital is Tauranga's only private specialist surgical hospital, located in Oropi. It accommodates 6 operating theatres, 48 inpatient beds, a two-bed HDU, a procedure room for minor surgery and two procedure rooms for endoscopy.[67]
Natural gas arrived in Tauranga in 1982, following the completion of the high-pressure pipeline from theMaui pipeline nearTe Awamutu to the city, now operated byFirst Gas.[69] First Gas also operates the gas distribution network within the city.
From 24 October 2024, theTauranga City Council beganfluoridating the city's water supply in response to a directive from the Director-General of Health.[70]
AKiwiRail train on the East Coast Main Trunk Railway which runs through the central city.
Tauranga City Council is currently responsible for approximately 530 km of roads, 700 km of footpaths, cycle ways and access ways.[71]
Tauranga City Council also has a bit of work under way with their Transportation and Roads strategy. Their aim for the future to change currenttravel behaviour from a focus on private cars to more sustainable modes such as buses, cycling and walking.
Main transportation in the city is provided by the BayBus, with twelve routes servicing the city's population. Bay Hopper buses depart the central stops in Tauranga's CBD, Ohauiti, Mount Maunganui and Bayfair every 15 minutes, with the routes to Papamoa and Greerton half-hourly.[72]Bee Cards were introduced for fares on 27 July 2020.[73]
The city is also a waypoint for bus travel between cities, with the Bay Hopper, and Intercity having a daily schedule.
Tauranga has a passenger ferry service that transports passengers from Tauranga CBD to Mount Maunganui's Salisbury wharf. It is a 2-Way service that costs$15 each way.[74][75]
The organisations currently share two main campuses, but are planning a new central campus. Stage 1 was expected to be open in 2017, catering for 500 but with capacity for 700, which cost $67.3 million.[77][78]
Pāpāmoa College, co-educational secondary school opened in 2011 for years 7–13.
Te Wharekura o Mauao,[82] a co-educational wharekura-ā-iwi total immersion Māori secondary school for Years 7–13, founded in 2010, with around 200 students.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Kura Kōkiri, a co-educationalkura kaupapa Māori total immersion school for Years 1–13, founded in 2000, with around 140 students.
^Cowan, James (1922)."42, Gate Pa and Te Ranga".The New Zealand Wars: A History of the Maori Campaigns and the Pioneering Period, Vol. 1, 1845–1864. Wellington: RNZ Government Printer.
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