Gisborne Harbour and Marina

Gisborne's harbour is the mouth of the Turanganui River, at the north end of Poverty Bay. There are actually two rivers that merge here called Taruheru and the Waimata. For many centuries this river mouth has been the home of Ngati Porou, and this was also where Captain James Cook first came ashore in 1769.

The area was always named Turanga, until the new name of Gisborne was applied in 1870, in order avoid confusion with Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty.

Eastland Port, which deals mainly in export of timber, occupys the Eastern side of the rivermouth. Visiting cruise vessels may weigh anchor offshore and are usually met by Maori waka before passengers are ferried ashore.

Here we have the Cook Monument and Cook Landing Site National Historic Reserve, and a bush covered reserve known as Titirangi Domain. There is a World War Two Gun emplacement on a cliff and and 'the world's easternmost observatory' (CLOSED) within the Domain, beautiful Kaiti Beach to the north and the Gisborne Yacht Club has it's home here.

On the other side of the river is a dynamic looking 1969 statue of 'Young Nick', the sailor who first saw Aotearoa from the Endeavour, in 1769. It used to be coupled with a sculptured mast, but this bit might have been broken off. A statue of Cook has him facing inland, looking imperious, and atop a rather grand half-globe plinth with inscription.

Beyond the rivermouth, is Gisborne 'City' a mostly Pakeha construct within a Maori region, with it's many bridges, paved river pathways, Botanic Gardens, Tairawhiti Museum, Vintage Railway, and town clock.

MAORI CULTURAL VOYAGE AND STORYTELLING EXPERIENCE FROM GISBORNE

GISBORNE CITY CULTURAL TOUR

Image Credits: Richard Grevers and Gisborne, New Zealand, by Burton Brothers studio. Te Papa