Fun things to do in East Cape

"THE PATHWAY TO THE SUNRISE" - The first sun in the world.

Two magnificently carved poles located near the eastern end of Waiotahi Beach beach, meant a stop for us to find out what they were all about.

Te ara Ki Te Tairawhiti - "The pathway to the sunrise", depict the arrival of the Maori people to Opotiki, with the European Soldier and the Maori Wahine (woman) portraying the togetherness of the races.
They show the voyaging wak Te Arautauta, and TeTohora (the whale) in the realm of Tangaroa (the sea)

One thing we noticed when travelling around the East Cape, was the large Maori population here. Most of the towns and smaller settlements we passed through had traditional marae (meeting places) and churches.

Many Eastland places are tapu (sacred) to Maori, requiring local tribal permission for access. Sacred Mt Hikurangi (1754m) is the legendary resting place of the waka Maui used when fishing up the North Island.

Make sure you keep an eye out as you pass through the small towns for all the Maori carvings, we saw so many, and I didn't think to stop and take photo's until nearly at the end of our journey. Worse, they were all different!

What a beautiful little church we saw sited on a headland on its lonesome. Painted white, and in good condition, this was the Raukokore Anglican church which was built in 1894.
It is a must for a photo!

Still heading along East Cape, to the left, we could see Mt Hikurangi, well at least half of it, as the rest was in the clouds.

This Mountain is recognised and accepted as the first point on the mainland to greet the morning sun. This highest peak (1752 metres) in the rugged Raukumara Range is revered by the Ngati Porou tribe as its sacred mountain. For them Mt Hikurangi is more importantly the resting place of Nukutaimemeha, the waka (canoe) of Maui, who is said to have fished up the North Island of New Zealand.

Getting there
If you are planning to visit, please make contact with the Ngati Porou Visitor Centre before you do so. The Visitors Centre offers 4x4 Tours to the Maui Whakairo, as well as a summit guide and an overnight guide.

Ngati Porou Visitor Centre
144 Waiomatatini Rd, Ruatoria

We did the 22 kms on mostly unsealed no-exit road from Te Araroa takes to the most Easterly point on mainland New Zealand.

The historic East Cape lighthouse stands 154 metres above sea level and is accessed by a walking track of some 700 steps...we didn't do this.

Unless you climb the steps, I really didn't think the drive was worth it. I guess I can say that I have been to the most easterly point in New Zealand.

And so, it was time to leave Gisborne and start a journey arouond the East Cape.

Our 1st stop was at Tolaga Bay which is both a bay and small town located 45 kilometres northeast of Gisborne. It was named Tolaga Bay by Lt. James Cook
The region around the bay is rugged and remote, and for many years the only access to the town was by boat.

Because the bay is shallow, a long wharf was built between 1926 and 1929 - the longest in New Zealand.
In the 1830s there was a thriving flax trade involving early European traders.

There was heaps of driftwood washed up on the beaches here, I would have loved some of that at home!
The one building of note because it looked "so english and out of place" was the Tologa Bay Inn!

Gisborne has so much to see and do, a must visit is the information centre.

We found it quite easily, as out the front was a totem pole which was a gift from Canada on the bicentennial anniversary of Cook's landing in the country.

Did you know that Gisborne IS THE 1ST CITY IN THE WORLD EACH DAY TO GREET THE SUNRISE EACH DAY!

To get a panoramic view of Poverty Bay, the city, and the harbor and rivers we headed up to Kaiti Hill Lookout. A statue of Captain Cook looks out to Young Nick's Head, at the opposite end of the bay. The views from this lookout are fantastic, I think if you are in Gisborne, then this should be one of your MUST VISIT'S

At the foot of Kaiti Hill is one of New Zealand's largest carved Maori meeting houses, Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae.