NASA satellite image of the Mahia Peninsula

Location of Mahia Peninsula

The Mahia Peninsula is located on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, between the cities of Napier and Gisborne. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, the other being the South Island. Napier ( Ahuriri in Māori) is a port city in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. For other uses of Gisborne see Gisborne (disambiguation. Gisborne (Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa is the name of a unitary authority in New Zealand

Geography

The peninsula is 21. 7 kilometres long and 11. 3 kilometres wide rising to its highest point at Rahuimokairoa reaching about 403 metres above sea level. Mahia was initially an island which over time, has had a sand bar join it to the North Island. A shoal or sandbar (also called sandbank) is a somewhat Linear Landform within or extending into a body of Water, Whales often strand on the shallow sand build up.

Early whalers had a whaling station on the farm 'Kini Kini", sheltered by 'Long Point' on the west coast of the peninsula. Portland Island ('Waikawa') was named by Kahungunu when he visited there to look for fresh drinking water and only found salt water. Portland Island is a small island off the southern tip of the Mahia Peninsula on the North Island of New Zealand. Waikawa means 'sour water'. Waikawa is a small island off the southern tip of Mahia Peninsula with an unmanned lighthouse. The name Mahia means 'indistinct sound'.

Culture

The area is a popular seaside resort. The most important activity of the area is tourism. Sheep and cattle farms are still an important part for the local community. Mahia is famous for its surf, scuba diving, hiking, fishing, rugby and great hospitality. Many tourists stay in Napier, Hastings or Wairoa and travel to Mahia Peninsula for the day. Napier ( Ahuriri in Māori) is a port city in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Hastings is the administrative centre of the Hastings District in the Hawke's Bay Region of the North Island of New Zealand. This article is about the New Zealand town For the river please refer to the Wairoa River article Wairoa is a town in New Zealand 's North Island

In Maori legend, Whatonga who came to New Zealand in search of his grandfather Toi, settled at Mahia. The community these days is still generally a mix of Maori and European. The local Maori tribe are known as Ngāti Rongomaiwahine. This article discusses the Māori people of New Zealand For their language see Māori language, and for other meanings see Māori (disambiguation. Ngāti Rongomaiwahine (or Rongomaiwahine) is a Māori Iwi (tribe traditionally centred in the Mahia Peninsula on the North Island

External links

Mahia