Napier, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport
, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island
. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings
. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities" of New Zealand. The total population of the metropolitan area
of Napier and Hastings is about 122,600 people, which makes Napier-Hastings the fifth-largest metropolitan area in New Zealand, closely followed by Tauranga
(pop. 116,000), and Dunedin
(pop. 115,000), and trailing Hamilton
(pop. 203,400).
Napier is about 320 kilometres northeast of the capital city of Wellington. Napier has a population smaller than Hastings but is seen as the main centre due to it having both the seaport and the airport, although Hastings has a small aerodrome
.
Napier is the nexus of the largest wool
centre in the Southern Hemisphere
, and it has the primary export seaport for northeastern New Zealand – which is the largest producer of apple
s, pear
s, and stone fruit in New Zealand. Napier has also become an important grape
and wine
production area, with the grapes grown mostly around Hastings
being sent through the Port of Napier
for export. Large amounts of sheep's wool, frozen meat, wood pulp, and timber also pass through Napier annually for export. Of course, smaller amounts of these materials are shipped via lorry
and railway to the large metropolitan areas of New Zealand itself, such as Auckland
, Wellington and Hamilton.
Napier is a popular tourist city, with a unique concentration of 1930s Art Deco
architecture. It also has one of the most photographed tourist attractions in the country, a statue on Marine Parade called Pania of the Reef
. Thousands of people flock to Napier every February for the Art Deco Weekend event, a celebration of its Art Deco heritage and history. Other notable tourist events attracting many outsiders include the region's annual Wine & Food Festival (named Harvest Hawke's Bay), and Mission Concert at the Mission Estate Winery in the nearby township of Taradale.
party of Taraia reached the district many centuries ago, the Whatumamoa, Rangitane and the Ngāti Awa and elements of the Ngāti Tara iwi
existed in the nearby areas of Petane, Te Whanganui-a-Orotu and Waiohiki. Later, the Ngāti Kahungunu became the dominant force from Poverty Bay
to Wellington. They were one of the first Māori tribes to come in contact with European settlers.
Chief Te Ahuriri cut a channel into the lagoon space at Ahuriri because the Westshore entrance had become blocked, threatening cultivations surrounding the lagoon and the fishing villages on the islands in the lagoon. The rivers were continually feeding freshwater into the area.
The Crown purchased the Ahuriri block (including the site of Napier) in 1851. In 1854 Alfred Domett
, a future Prime Minister of New Zealand, was appointed as the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the resident magistrate
at the village of Ahuriri. It was decided to place a planned town here, its streets and avenues were laid out, and the new town named for Sir Charles Napier
, a military leader during the "Battle of Meeanee" founght in the province of Sindh
, India
. Mr. Domett named many streets in Napier to commemorate the colonial era of the British Indian Empire.
Napier was designated as a borough
in 1874, but the development of the surrounding marshlands and reclamation
proceeded slowly. Between 1858 and 1876 Napier was the administrative centre for the Hawke's Bay Province
, but in 1876 the "Abolition of Provinces Act", an act of the Parliament of New Zealand
, dissolved all provincial governments in New Zealand.
Development was generally confined to the hill and to the port area of Ahuriri. In the early years, Napier covered almost exclusively an oblong group of hills (the Scinde Island
) which was nearly entirely surrounded by the ocean, but from which ran out two single spits, one to the north and one to the south. There was a swamp between the now Hastings Street and Wellesley Road and the sea extended to "Clive Square".
. The collapses of buildings and the ensuing fires killed 256 people. The centre of the town was destroyed by the earthquake, and later rebuilt in the Art Deco
style popular at that time. Some 4000 hectare
s of today's Napier were undersea before the earthquake raised it up above sea level.
Although a few Art Deco buildings were replaced with contemporary structures during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, most of the centre remained intact for long enough to become recognized as architecturally important, and beginning in the 1990s it had been protected and restored. Napier and the area of South Beach, Miami, Florida
, are considered to be the two best-preserved Art Deco towns (with the town of Miami Beach, Florida
, being mostly decorated in the somewhat later Streamline Moderne
style of Art Deco.)
Beginning in 2007, Napier was nominated as a World Heritage Site
with UNESCO
. This is the first cultural site in New Zealand to be so nominated.
U-boat
(submarine) U-862 entered and departed from the port of Napier undetected. This event became the basis of a widely-circulated postwar tall tale that the captain of this U-boat, Heinrich Timm
, had led crewmen ashore near Napier to milk cows in order to supplement their meagre rations.
Napier Hill was the scene of a police siege of an armed criminal
in May 2009, with one police officer and the gunman being killed; and two police officers and one member of the public being wounded.
The town is on the Bluff Hill headland and the surrounding plain at the southeastern edge of Hawke Bay
, a large semi-circular bay that dominates the east coast of New Zealand's North Island
. The coastline of the town was substantially altered by a large earthquake in 1931. The topography puts Napier in danger from a tsunami, as the centre of the commercial city is near sea level – should the sea ever crest Marine Parade the sea would run through to Ahuriri.
Several smaller towns lie close to the city; the closest is Taradale, the location of some of the region’s oldest established wineries. Other surrounding towns include Bay View, to the north, Clive
, to the south, Flaxmere
, west of Hastings
, and Havelock North. As a territorial authority, Napier City is surrounded by the much larger Hastings District.
The city enjoys some of the highest sunshine hours in New Zealand. The climate is warm and relatively dry resulting from its location on the east coast of the North Island. Most of New Zealand's weather patterns cross the country from the west, and the city lies in the rain shadow
of the North Island Volcanic Plateau
and surrounding ranges such as the Kaweka Range
. However, the city is prone to the remnants of tropical cyclones from the central Pacific Ocean
, which are occasionally still at storm
strength by the time that they have reached Hawke's Bay.
Of the population of Napier, 26,520 (47.9 percent) were male, and 28,839 (52.1 percent) were female. The city had a median age of 38.6 years, 2.7 years above the national median age of 35.9 years. People aged 65 years and over made up 15.6 percent of the population, compared to 12.3 percent nationally, and people under 15 years made up 21.2 percent of the population, compared to 21.5 percent nationally.
Napier's ethnicity was made up of (national figure in brackets): 72.4 percent European (67.6 percent), 18.2 percent Maori (14.7 percent), 2.6 percent Asian (9.2 percent), 2.6 percent Pacific Islanders (6.9 percent), 0.4 percent Middle Eastern/Latin American/African (0.9 percent), 14.3 percent 'New Zealanders' (11.1 percent), and 0.03 percent Other (0.04 percent).
Napier had an unemployment rate of 4.8 percent of people 15 years and over, compared to 5.1 percent nationally. The average annual income of all people 15 years and over in Napier was $
22,700, compared to $24,400 nationally. Of those, 45.2 percent earned under $20,000 annually, compared to 43.2 percent nationally, while 14.5 percent earned over $50,000 annually, compared to 18.0 percent nationally.
and architecture enthusiasts from around the world. The rebuilding period after the 1931 earthquake coincided with the short-lived and rapidly changing Art Deco era and the Great Depression
, when little "mainstreet" development was being undertaken elsewhere. As a result Napier's architecture is strikingly different from any other city; the other notable Art Deco city, Miami Beach, has Streamline Moderne
Art Deco. The whole centre of Napier was rebuilt simultaneously.
Other tourist attractions in Napier include The Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery which features information on both the 1931 earthquake and Napier's redesign as an Art Deco city, the National Aquarium
, the Soundshell and the Pania of the Reef
statue. The Pania statue on Marine Parade is regarded in Napier in much the same way that the Little Mermaid
statue is regarded in Copenhagen
. In October 2005 the statue was stolen, but it was recovered a week later, largely unharmed. Marineland
was a tourist attraction from 1965 until it closed in 2009. Tourists flock to Napier in February for Art Deco weekend and the Mission Concert Weekend in nearby Taradale which has featured Chris De Burgh, Olivia Newton-John, Eric Clapton, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles, Rod Stewart and most recently (2011) Sting performing with the NZ Symphony Orchestra.
Attractions nearby include the Cape Kidnappers
Gannet Colony and many vineyards bordering Taradale, Hastings City, and north of Napier around Bay View and the Esk Valley. The large wine industry hosted the Annual Harvest Hawkes Bay Weekend until 2010. This has now changed its name to Hawke's Bay Wine & Food Festival and is at a centralised venue in Roys Hill.
Many people use Napier as a gateway to Hawke's Bay, flying in to Hawke's Bay Airport at Westshore from Wellington City, Auckland
and Christchurch
. Tourists also enter Napier by State Highway 2
along the coast and State Highway 5
from Taupo
. The rail line in and out of Hawke's Bay has not had a passenger service since 2001.
Napier was once home to one of New Zealand's largest smoking
tobacco
plants. On 9 September 2005 British American Tobacco
announced it would close the Rothmans factory, due to diminished demand. Production has moved to Australia
. The Art Deco-style factory had been producing up to 2.2 billion cigarettes a year for the New Zealand and Pacific Island markets. In March 1999, 19 people lost their jobs there because "fewer people are smoking".
Napier suffered a double blow from service amalgamation towards the end of the century. The local newspaper, the (Napier) Daily Telegraph, was combined with the (Hastings) Herald-Tribune to form a new regional newspaper Hawke's Bay Today
. The Napier offices were closed down in favour of locating the offices in Hastings
. The next rationalization saw the closure of the Napier Hospital, and the services were amalgamated with the Hastings Hospital creating the Hawke's Bay Regional Hospital located on the Hastings site.
Local government reform was mooted in the late 1990s and a referendum was held in 1999 proposing an amalgamation of the Hastings District Council with the Napier City Council. Although supported by approximately two thirds of Hastings voters, Napier voters rejected the proposal by a similar number and the proposal was defeated. The Mayor of Hastings, Lawrence Yule, has announced he will be standing for Mayor again in 2010 on the platform of local authority amalgamation.
Napier prides itself as the 'Art Deco Capital'. Its Mediterranean climate supports a vibrant cafe culture, and excellent cuisine. Wine is also important in the whole Hawke's Bay region which is renowned for producing some of the world's finest wines with over 70 wineries located in the area. The region is also New Zealand's largest apple, pear and stone fruit producer. The Port of Napier
and rail network provides quick export of these goods.
Entertainment in Napier is vibrant and varied. Tourists flock to the city for its attractions and activities, and a large attraction is the Art Deco
building designs. Marine Parade is one of Napier's most famous highlights - a tree-lined ocean boulevard with fountains, gardens, mini golf, statues and spas. The National Aquarium of New Zealand
is also located on Marine Parade. For a city of its size, Napier also has a rather large number of hotels and accommodation providers compared to other New Zealand cities of similar size. Napier has a lively entertainment scene that includes many outdoor and indoor activities such as city tours, swimming, golf, sports, restaurants, theatres, etc. Shopping is also popular - there are high street and boutique stores to browse in, as well as antique shops, art galleries, and studios of potters, wood turners and craftsman.
There is also a thriving nightlife present in Napier. This is especially present in the entertainment district of Ahuriri, located five minutes drive from the city centre, along West Quay and Nelson Quay. Tourists and locals alike also enjoy walking or driving along Marine Parade after sunset. Local bands can be found playing in bars and restaurants. Local bands include the post rock group Jakob
.
Sailing, fishing and other water activities in the Bay are also popular. The marina and waterfront in Ahuriri, Napier, is a popular sea-tourism attraction. Fishing industries are thriving in Napier. On hot "Hawke's Bay days" swimming and family activities are popular in Pandora Pond - a salt water inlet by the inner harbour in Ahuriri - or on the beaches and playgrounds of Westshore by the Port
.
is the main tertiary education provider for Napier.
, Jiangsu
, China
Tomakomai
, Japan
Victoria
, British Columbia
, Canada
Port of Napier
The Port of Napier is located on Hawke Bay in Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.The port is connected to the rail network via the Ahuriri Branch....
, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities" of New Zealand. The total population of the metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
of Napier and Hastings is about 122,600 people, which makes Napier-Hastings the fifth-largest metropolitan area in New Zealand, closely followed by Tauranga
Tauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
(pop. 116,000), and Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
(pop. 115,000), and trailing Hamilton
Hamilton Urban Area
The Hamilton Urban Area is a New Zealand urban area in the Waikato Region. It is the fourth largest urban area in the country with a population of . At its centre is Hamilton City, New Zealand's fourth largest territorial authority...
(pop. 203,400).
Napier is about 320 kilometres northeast of the capital city of Wellington. Napier has a population smaller than Hastings but is seen as the main centre due to it having both the seaport and the airport, although Hastings has a small aerodrome
Hastings Aerodrome
Hastings Aerodrome is a small airport located in Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. It is sometimes referred to as Bridge Pa Aerodrome. It is owned and operated by the Hawke's Bay & East Coast Aero Club Inc....
.
Napier is the nexus of the largest wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
centre in the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
, and it has the primary export seaport for northeastern New Zealand – which is the largest producer of apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, pear
Pear
The pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....
s, and stone fruit in New Zealand. Napier has also become an important grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
and wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
production area, with the grapes grown mostly around Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
being sent through the Port of Napier
Port of Napier
The Port of Napier is located on Hawke Bay in Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.The port is connected to the rail network via the Ahuriri Branch....
for export. Large amounts of sheep's wool, frozen meat, wood pulp, and timber also pass through Napier annually for export. Of course, smaller amounts of these materials are shipped via lorry
Lorry
-Transport:* Lorry or truck, a large motor vehicle* Lorry, or a Mine car in USA: an open gondola with a tipping trough* Lorry , a horse-drawn low-loading trolley-In fiction:...
and railway to the large metropolitan areas of New Zealand itself, such as Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, Wellington and Hamilton.
Napier is a popular tourist city, with a unique concentration of 1930s Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
architecture. It also has one of the most photographed tourist attractions in the country, a statue on Marine Parade called Pania of the Reef
Pania
thumb|Statue of PaniaPania, often styled "Pania of the Reef", is a figure of Māori mythology, and a symbol of the New Zealand city of Napier. A statue of Pania on Napier's Marine Parade is a major local tourist attraction.-The legend of Pania of the Reef:...
. Thousands of people flock to Napier every February for the Art Deco Weekend event, a celebration of its Art Deco heritage and history. Other notable tourist events attracting many outsiders include the region's annual Wine & Food Festival (named Harvest Hawke's Bay), and Mission Concert at the Mission Estate Winery in the nearby township of Taradale.
Māori history
Napier has well-documented Māori history. When the Ngāti KahungunuNgati Kahungunu
Ngāti Kahungunu is a Māori iwi located along the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The iwi is traditionally centred in the Hawke’s Bay and Tararua and Wairārapa regions....
party of Taraia reached the district many centuries ago, the Whatumamoa, Rangitane and the Ngāti Awa and elements of the Ngāti Tara iwi
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
existed in the nearby areas of Petane, Te Whanganui-a-Orotu and Waiohiki. Later, the Ngāti Kahungunu became the dominant force from Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay is the largest of several small bays on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island to the north of Hawkes Bay. It stretches for 10 kilometres from Young Nick's Head in the southwest to Tuaheni Point in the northeast. The city of Gisborne is located on the northern shore of the bay...
to Wellington. They were one of the first Māori tribes to come in contact with European settlers.
European settlers' history
The first European to see the future site of Napier was Captain James Cook, who sailed down the east coast in October 1769. He commented: "On each side of this bluff head is a low, narrow sand or stone beach, between these beaches and the mainland is a pretty large lake of salt water I suppose." He said the harbour entrance was at the Westshore end of the shingle beach. The site was subsequently visited and later settled by European traders, whalers and missionaries. By the 1850s, farmers and hotel-keepers arrived.Alfred Domett
Alfred Domett, CMG was an English colonial statesman and poet. He was New Zealand's fourth Premier.-Early life:He was born at Camberwell, Surrey; his father was a ship-owner...
, a future Prime Minister of New Zealand, was appointed as the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the resident magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
at the village of Ahuriri. It was decided to place a planned town here, its streets and avenues were laid out, and the new town named for Sir Charles Napier
Charles James Napier
General Sir Charles James Napier, GCB , was a general of the British Empire and the British Army's Commander-in-Chief in India, notable for conquering the Sindh Province in what is now Pakistan.- His genealogy :...
, a military leader during the "Battle of Meeanee" founght in the province of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Mr. Domett named many streets in Napier to commemorate the colonial era of the British Indian Empire.
Napier was designated as a borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in 1874, but the development of the surrounding marshlands and reclamation
Land reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
proceeded slowly. Between 1858 and 1876 Napier was the administrative centre for the Hawke's Bay Province
Hawke's Bay Province
The Hawke's Bay Province was a province of New Zealand. The province separated from the Wellington Province following a meeting in Napier in February 1858, and existed until the abolition of provincial government in 1876...
, but in 1876 the "Abolition of Provinces Act", an act of the Parliament of New Zealand
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
, dissolved all provincial governments in New Zealand.
Scinde Island
Scinde Island, Napier, New Zealand is a limestone outcrop rising above the lowland districts of Napier. The North-East end is known as 'Bluff Hill' or 'Napier Hill' has a steep cliff face overlooking the harbour of Port Napier. The "island" was once almost surrounded with water with just a couple...
) which was nearly entirely surrounded by the ocean, but from which ran out two single spits, one to the north and one to the south. There was a swamp between the now Hastings Street and Wellesley Road and the sea extended to "Clive Square".
1931 earthquake
On February 3, 1931, most of Napier was levelled by an earthquakeEarthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
. The collapses of buildings and the ensuing fires killed 256 people. The centre of the town was destroyed by the earthquake, and later rebuilt in the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style popular at that time. Some 4000 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s of today's Napier were undersea before the earthquake raised it up above sea level.
Although a few Art Deco buildings were replaced with contemporary structures during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, most of the centre remained intact for long enough to become recognized as architecturally important, and beginning in the 1990s it had been protected and restored. Napier and the area of South Beach, Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, are considered to be the two best-preserved Art Deco towns (with the town of Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, being mostly decorated in the somewhat later Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
style of Art Deco.)
Beginning in 2007, Napier was nominated as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
with UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. This is the first cultural site in New Zealand to be so nominated.
Modern history
In January 1945, the German KriegsmarineKriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
(submarine) U-862 entered and departed from the port of Napier undetected. This event became the basis of a widely-circulated postwar tall tale that the captain of this U-boat, Heinrich Timm
Heinrich Timm
Heinrich Timm was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross....
, had led crewmen ashore near Napier to milk cows in order to supplement their meagre rations.
Napier Hill was the scene of a police siege of an armed criminal
2009 Napier shootings
Jan Molenaar, 51, was born of Ngāti Kahungunu extraction grew up in Napier where he went to Nelson Park Primary School, Napier Intermediate School and William Colenso College. In the 1980s he spent six years in the territorial armoured corps of the Hawke's Bay and Wellington Regiment...
in May 2009, with one police officer and the gunman being killed; and two police officers and one member of the public being wounded.
Geography and climate
Hawke Bay
Hawke Bay is a large bay on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It stretches from the Mahia Peninsula in the northeast to Cape Kidnappers in the southwest, a distance of some 100 kilometres....
, a large semi-circular bay that dominates the east coast of New Zealand's North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
. The coastline of the town was substantially altered by a large earthquake in 1931. The topography puts Napier in danger from a tsunami, as the centre of the commercial city is near sea level – should the sea ever crest Marine Parade the sea would run through to Ahuriri.
Several smaller towns lie close to the city; the closest is Taradale, the location of some of the region’s oldest established wineries. Other surrounding towns include Bay View, to the north, Clive
Clive, New Zealand
The small town of Clive is located ten kilometres south of Napier in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island. It is close to the mouth of the Ngaruroro River....
, to the south, Flaxmere
Flaxmere
Flaxmere is a suburb in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island.It is located North-west to the town of Hastings City, and is regarded as a suburb of its larger neighbor. It had a population of 10,400 according to the Hastings Council....
, west of Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
, and Havelock North. As a territorial authority, Napier City is surrounded by the much larger Hastings District.
The city enjoys some of the highest sunshine hours in New Zealand. The climate is warm and relatively dry resulting from its location on the east coast of the North Island. Most of New Zealand's weather patterns cross the country from the west, and the city lies in the rain shadow
Rain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
of the North Island Volcanic Plateau
North Island Volcanic Plateau
The North Island Volcanic Plateau is a volcanic plateau covering much of central North Island of New Zealand with volcanoes, lava plateaus, and crater lakes....
and surrounding ranges such as the Kaweka Range
Kaweka Range
The Kaweka Range of mountains is located in inland Hawke's Bay in the eastern North Island of New Zealand. It forms part of the mountainous spine of the North Island which runs from Wellington to East Cape, including the Tararua and Ruahine ranges.The range lies between the city of Napier, to the...
. However, the city is prone to the remnants of tropical cyclones from the central Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, which are occasionally still at storm
Storm
A storm is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere, especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying severe weather...
strength by the time that they have reached Hawke's Bay.
Demographics
At the 2006 census, Napier had a population of 55,359, an increase of 1698 people, or 3.2 percent, since the 2001 census. There were 21,756 occupied dwellings, 1326 unoccupied dwellings, and 150 dwellings under construction.Of the population of Napier, 26,520 (47.9 percent) were male, and 28,839 (52.1 percent) were female. The city had a median age of 38.6 years, 2.7 years above the national median age of 35.9 years. People aged 65 years and over made up 15.6 percent of the population, compared to 12.3 percent nationally, and people under 15 years made up 21.2 percent of the population, compared to 21.5 percent nationally.
Napier's ethnicity was made up of (national figure in brackets): 72.4 percent European (67.6 percent), 18.2 percent Maori (14.7 percent), 2.6 percent Asian (9.2 percent), 2.6 percent Pacific Islanders (6.9 percent), 0.4 percent Middle Eastern/Latin American/African (0.9 percent), 14.3 percent 'New Zealanders' (11.1 percent), and 0.03 percent Other (0.04 percent).
Napier had an unemployment rate of 4.8 percent of people 15 years and over, compared to 5.1 percent nationally. The average annual income of all people 15 years and over in Napier was $
New Zealand dollar
The New Zealand dollar is the currency of New Zealand. It also circulates in the Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is divided into 100 cents....
22,700, compared to $24,400 nationally. Of those, 45.2 percent earned under $20,000 annually, compared to 43.2 percent nationally, while 14.5 percent earned over $50,000 annually, compared to 18.0 percent nationally.
Tourism and architecture
Napier's major tourist attraction is its architecture, which draws Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
and architecture enthusiasts from around the world. The rebuilding period after the 1931 earthquake coincided with the short-lived and rapidly changing Art Deco era and the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, when little "mainstreet" development was being undertaken elsewhere. As a result Napier's architecture is strikingly different from any other city; the other notable Art Deco city, Miami Beach, has Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
Art Deco. The whole centre of Napier was rebuilt simultaneously.
National Aquarium of New Zealand
The National Aquarium of New Zealand, also known as Napier Aquarium is a public aquarium in Napier, New Zealand.-History:The aquarium originally opened in its current location in 1976. In its first year of operation it attracted 230,000 visitors at a time when the population of Napier was about...
, the Soundshell and the Pania of the Reef
Pania
thumb|Statue of PaniaPania, often styled "Pania of the Reef", is a figure of Māori mythology, and a symbol of the New Zealand city of Napier. A statue of Pania on Napier's Marine Parade is a major local tourist attraction.-The legend of Pania of the Reef:...
statue. The Pania statue on Marine Parade is regarded in Napier in much the same way that the Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" is a popular fairy tale by the Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen about a young mermaid willing to give up her life in the sea and her identity as a mermaid to gain a human soul and the love of a human prince...
statue is regarded in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. In October 2005 the statue was stolen, but it was recovered a week later, largely unharmed. Marineland
Marineland, Napier
Marineland of New Zealand is a marine mammal park in Napier, New Zealand. The park opened in 1965 and closed to the public in 2008. It has had several species of native marine wildlife, including the common dolphin, the New Zealand fur seal, little blue penguin and gannets...
was a tourist attraction from 1965 until it closed in 2009. Tourists flock to Napier in February for Art Deco weekend and the Mission Concert Weekend in nearby Taradale which has featured Chris De Burgh, Olivia Newton-John, Eric Clapton, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles, Rod Stewart and most recently (2011) Sting performing with the NZ Symphony Orchestra.
Attractions nearby include the Cape Kidnappers
Cape Kidnappers
Cape Kidnappers is a headland at the southeastern extremity of Hawke Bay on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is located 20 kilometres southeast of the city of Napier...
Gannet Colony and many vineyards bordering Taradale, Hastings City, and north of Napier around Bay View and the Esk Valley. The large wine industry hosted the Annual Harvest Hawkes Bay Weekend until 2010. This has now changed its name to Hawke's Bay Wine & Food Festival and is at a centralised venue in Roys Hill.
Many people use Napier as a gateway to Hawke's Bay, flying in to Hawke's Bay Airport at Westshore from Wellington City, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
. Tourists also enter Napier by State Highway 2
New Zealand State Highway 2
State Highway 2 is one of New Zealand's eight national highways. With the exception of State Highway 1, which runs the length of both of the country's main islands, SH 2 is the longest highway in the North Island...
along the coast and State Highway 5
New Zealand State Highway 5
State Highway 5 is the second shortest of New Zealand's eight national highways. It extends from SH 1 at Tirau, on the plains of the Waikato River to SH 2 close to the Hawke Bay coast at Bay View, 10 km north of Napier...
from Taupo
Taupo
Taupo is a town on the shore of Lake Taupo in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the seat of the Taupo District Council and lies in the southern Waikato Region....
. The rail line in and out of Hawke's Bay has not had a passenger service since 2001.
Economy
The largest industry in Napier and its environs is processing/manufacturing, the major products being food, textiles, wood, metal products and machinery/equipment. Other significant industries for the region include property/business services, rural production/rural services and retail.Napier was once home to one of New Zealand's largest smoking
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
plants. On 9 September 2005 British American Tobacco
British American Tobacco
British American Tobacco p.l.c. is a global tobacco company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second largest quoted tobacco company by global market share , with a leading position in more than 50 countries and a presence in more than 180 countries...
announced it would close the Rothmans factory, due to diminished demand. Production has moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The Art Deco-style factory had been producing up to 2.2 billion cigarettes a year for the New Zealand and Pacific Island markets. In March 1999, 19 people lost their jobs there because "fewer people are smoking".
Hawke's Bay Today
Hawke's Bay Today is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Hastings, New Zealand and serving Hastings, Napier and the Wawke's Bay region. It is owned by APN News & Media...
. The Napier offices were closed down in favour of locating the offices in Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
. The next rationalization saw the closure of the Napier Hospital, and the services were amalgamated with the Hastings Hospital creating the Hawke's Bay Regional Hospital located on the Hastings site.
Local government reform was mooted in the late 1990s and a referendum was held in 1999 proposing an amalgamation of the Hastings District Council with the Napier City Council. Although supported by approximately two thirds of Hastings voters, Napier voters rejected the proposal by a similar number and the proposal was defeated. The Mayor of Hastings, Lawrence Yule, has announced he will be standing for Mayor again in 2010 on the platform of local authority amalgamation.
Culture and entertainment
Port of Napier
The Port of Napier is located on Hawke Bay in Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.The port is connected to the rail network via the Ahuriri Branch....
and rail network provides quick export of these goods.
Entertainment in Napier is vibrant and varied. Tourists flock to the city for its attractions and activities, and a large attraction is the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
building designs. Marine Parade is one of Napier's most famous highlights - a tree-lined ocean boulevard with fountains, gardens, mini golf, statues and spas. The National Aquarium of New Zealand
National Aquarium of New Zealand
The National Aquarium of New Zealand, also known as Napier Aquarium is a public aquarium in Napier, New Zealand.-History:The aquarium originally opened in its current location in 1976. In its first year of operation it attracted 230,000 visitors at a time when the population of Napier was about...
is also located on Marine Parade. For a city of its size, Napier also has a rather large number of hotels and accommodation providers compared to other New Zealand cities of similar size. Napier has a lively entertainment scene that includes many outdoor and indoor activities such as city tours, swimming, golf, sports, restaurants, theatres, etc. Shopping is also popular - there are high street and boutique stores to browse in, as well as antique shops, art galleries, and studios of potters, wood turners and craftsman.
There is also a thriving nightlife present in Napier. This is especially present in the entertainment district of Ahuriri, located five minutes drive from the city centre, along West Quay and Nelson Quay. Tourists and locals alike also enjoy walking or driving along Marine Parade after sunset. Local bands can be found playing in bars and restaurants. Local bands include the post rock group Jakob
Jakob
Jakob may be:* A variant of "Jacob ".People* Anund Jakob , a.k.a. Anund Jacob of Sweden* Ludwig Heinrich von Jakob , German economist* Joseph Jakob , American diver...
.
Sailing, fishing and other water activities in the Bay are also popular. The marina and waterfront in Ahuriri, Napier, is a popular sea-tourism attraction. Fishing industries are thriving in Napier. On hot "Hawke's Bay days" swimming and family activities are popular in Pandora Pond - a salt water inlet by the inner harbour in Ahuriri - or on the beaches and playgrounds of Westshore by the Port
Port of Napier
The Port of Napier is located on Hawke Bay in Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.The port is connected to the rail network via the Ahuriri Branch....
.
Schools and higher education
The Eastern Institute of TechnologyEastern Institute of Technology
The Eastern Institute of Technology is a public Tertiary Education Institution in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand.It is also referred to as EIT Hawke's Bay or simply EIT. EIT serves as the main regional higher education centre for Hawke's Bay...
is the main tertiary education provider for Napier.
Notable residents
- Rita AngusRita AngusRita Angus was a New Zealand painter born in Hastings. Along with Colin McCahon and Toss Woollaston, she is credited as one of the leading figures in twentieth century New Zealand art...
– painter - Mike BoonMike Boon-Comedy:After establishing himself as an original performer and writer of sketch and character comedy, he emigrated to the United Kingdom. In 2003 he performed The Boon Show: Live at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.- External links :* * *...
– comedian - Chris Jackson – Former New Zealand international and Napier City RoversNapier City RoversNapier City Rovers are an association football team based in Napier, New Zealand. They are currently competing in the Central Premier League.-Club history:The team was founded in 1973 via a merger of Napier Rovers and Napier City....
association football player - Spencer GollanSpencer GollanSpencer Herbert Gollan was a sportsman who excelled in rowing and golf and was also a race horse owner.Gollan was born at Napier in New Zealand and became a racehorse owner in Australia and New Zealand. He was also a golfer who twice won the amateur Championship of New Zealand, and was a...
– sportsman and racehorse owner - Debbie Harwood – singer with When The Cat's Away
- Paul HenarePaul HenarePaul Donald Henare is a former New Zealand professional basketball player who last played for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australasian National Basketball League....
- Basketball player for the New Zealand BreakersNew Zealand BreakersThe New Zealand Breakers are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The Breakers joined the NBL for the 2003/04 season as one of two expansion clubs. The club is based in the city of Auckland, New Zealand and play their home games at the North...
and Tall Blacks - Simon ManneringSimon ManneringSimon Alexander Mannering is a New Zealand professional rugby league player who currently plays for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League competition...
– New Zealand WarriorsNew Zealand WarriorsThe New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
rugby league player and captain - Paratene MatchittParatene MatchittParatene Matchitt is a New Zealand sculptor and painter. He is known for combining traditional Māori art forms with those of modernist art. His work also references events from New Zealand history, particularly the Māori prophetic movements of the nineteenth century and most specifically Te...
– artist - Stuart NashStuart NashStuart Nash is a politician from New Zealand. He was a Labour Member of Parliament from 2008 to 2011. Nash is the great-grandson of former Prime Minister, Walter Nash.-Professional life:...
– politician - Blair PeachBlair PeachClement Blair Peach was a New Zealand-born teacher who was fatally assaulted by a police officer during an anti-racism demonstration in London, England....
– political activist - John PsathasJohn PsathasJohn Psathas is a New Zealand composer, son of Greek immigrant parents.He has works in the repertoire of such high profile musicians as Evelyn Glennie, Michael Houstoun, Michael Brecker and the New Juilliard Ensemble, and is one of New Zealand's most frequently performed composers...
– composer - Darren SmithDarren Smith (field hockey)Darren Campbell Smith is a field hockey player from New Zealand, who earned his first cap for the national team, nicknamed The Black Sticks, in 1995 against Spain....
– field hockey player - Chris TremainChris TremainChris Tremain is a Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the New Zealand National Party.-Member of Parliament:Tremain was first elected to parliament in the 2005 election, when he won the Napier electorate, beating incumbent Russell Fairbrother by 3951 votes. This was the first...
– politician - Kel TremainKel TremainKelvin Robin "Kel" Tremain is a former All Black and Hawkes Bay rugby player, a flanker. He played 38 tests for New Zealand between 1959 and 1968, scoring a total of 27 points....
– former rugby player - Percy Valentine StorkeyPercy Valentine StorkeyPercy Valentine Storkey VC was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
– soldier and Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
winner - Alec Wishart – Lead singer of band Hogsnort RupertHogsnort RupertHogsnort Rupert are a New Zealand band. Originally formed in 1969 as Hogsnort Rupert's Original Flagon Band, they shortened their name with their second album in 1970. They are known for their light, humorous brand of music which produced several charting singles and one number one hit .The main...
- Rosanagh Wypych - Contestant of New Zealand's Next Top ModelNew Zealand's Next Top ModelNew Zealand's Next Top Model is a New Zealand reality television series in which a number of young women compete for the title of New Zealand's Next Top Model and the chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
Sister cities
LianyungangLianyungang
Lianyungang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Tomakomai
Tomakomai, Hokkaido
is a city and port located in Iburi, Hokkaido, Japan. Though its name implies a small, idyllic town, it is the largest city in the Iburi Subprefecture. As of 2008, it had an estimated population of 173,504 and a population density of 310 persons per km²...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...