Taranaki
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This region is dominated and proud to be associated with a single conical shaped volcanic mountain – Mount Taranaki. It is a region with a fertile coastal plain, and a hill country further inland. Mt. Taranaki is all the more majestic because of it’s closeness to the coast, rising as it does to a height of 2,518 metres directly from the coastal plain (the sea is just a 10 minute drive away).
Mount Taranaki was formerly known as Mount Egmont (after the Earl of Egmont) having been named by Captain James Cook who spotted the mountain in 1770. There is no record of the first to climb the mountain although we do know the first European did so in 1839.
Mt. Taranaki is very similar in profile to the beautiful Japanese volcano Mt. Fuji, and was the backdrop for the recent movie “The Last Samurai”.
Agriculture was the original attraction of the early European settlers, who followed the much earlier Maori tribes. There has also been a whaling industry, and associated trading posts. Whilst farming is still important today, the big new industry is oil and natural gas which was discovered off the coast and under the Tasman Sea. And, it may well surprise many that the first oil wells at Moturoa were drilled as long ago as 1865. Since then the industry has developed further with synthetic and methanol plants now prominent in New Plymouth.
New Plymouth with a population of 70,000 is a busy port serving the offshore oil and gas industry, as well as a commercial centre for the region. The city is blessed with a beautiful centrally located park – the Pukekura Park – covering a vast 25ha with boating lake and native bush. There is a fine art gallery called the Govett-Brewster Gallery and a contemporary building houses the Puke Ariki Museum Library and Information Centre. The city reaches out to the Tasman sea, and no better way to appreciate than to follow the 7 kilometre Coastal Walkway from Port Taranaki to Waiwhakaika River, taking in the unusual Len Lye Windwand along the way.
The coastline extends some 200 kilometres, and presents swimming, surfing, diving, kayaking and fishing leisure pursuits. Captain James Cook sailed along the coast in January 1770 but didn’t put to shore in these parts. Inland the hill country provides ample opportunity for walking, trekking and the local rivers can be fished. Arts and crafts, and music festivals, are some of the other attractions that are helping to increase the popularity of this region as a charming and friendly tourist destination.Mt. Taranaki is located just a 30 minute drive from New Plymouth, and within the beautiful Egmont National Park. The mountain has rock, snow and ice for the mountain goer, but in good weather is accessible to the average fit hill walker. There are two main routes to the summit, which apparently is the most climbed mountain summit in New Zealand. A full day’s outing requiring care and always an eye on the very changeable weather conditions. The views from the top are simply stunning. Alternatively, you can save energy and take to the skies to pass over the summit cone in a helicopter flight ! There is also a track which takes you on the complete circuit of the mountain taking some 4 or 5 days. The Park contains over 300 kilometres of walking tracks, clear mountain streams, gentle forests and alpine flora. Activities within the Park also include skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, with various types of accommodation available in the surrounding area.
Wider afield you can jet boat ride on the Whanganui River or play golf on one of a dozen golf courses.
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