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GIS-1 | Gisborne Highlights | 6.00 hrs
Our new Gisborne Highlights tour showcases all the best sights of this less visited part of New Zealand. Your guide will time the tour to avoid all the large coach groups from the cruise ship to make the most of your day.
The city of Gisborne is located at the northern end of Poverty Bay. The white cliff headland of Young Nick's Head at the other end of the bay is visible from the city. The Maori name for the cliffs is Te Kuri-a-Paoa, meaning The Dog of Paoa, as this was what it was originally said to look like.
It is sometimes known as the City of Rivers as the centre of the city is the convergence of three different rivers, one of which is the shortest river in the country at 1200m long.
Gisborne boasts being the first city in the world to greet the sun each day.
The city has the benefit of being very close to Waikanae and Midway beaches, both within easy walking distance of the city centre. Wainui Beach is 8km from the city. It has consistent surf, and the local surf club has produced several world champions.
The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped from here.
Now the harbour is the home of many smaller fishing boats as well as ships loading logs for export.
The city maintains a rural charm and is a popular holiday spot. Local industries include agriculture, horticulture, farming and forestry. Wine production is also valuable to the local economy.
Can I walk into the city from the cruise ship berth?
Its about 1.5 kilometers to the centre of the city, but the inner port area where you will find some cafes and shops is just at the end of the wharf area, 500 metres away.
