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About Taranaki |
| The lifestyle The Taranaki lifestyle has become the stuff of legend. The region is known as the energy province, as much for the rich mineral resources underneath it as the energised landscape and warmly energetic locals. At its heart – both geographically and spiritually - stands Mount Taranaki, a natural playground and proud regional icon. Around this sit a number of vibrant towns and the progressive capital city of the region – New Plymouth, judged New Zealand's Top Town by influential North & South magazine. In Taranaki it's not hard to achieve an enviable lifestyle, without having to compromise your career path. The region's dynamic surf, masses of parks and gardens, major events calendar and mountain playground make it a great place to live. Add to that the minimal traffic, high employment and clean air and water, and you'll soon see why this safe and stimulating community is the perfect place to call home – whether you're seeking a better lifestyle, starting a family, or looking for a friendly change. www.taranaki.info/liveandwork New Plymouth is edged by a 10km-long coastal walkway that features the iconic Wind Wand sculpture by Len Lye and a breathtaking bridge that resembles the curling waves nearby. Every day of the year, people take the opportunity to cycle, walk, run and skate on the multi-award-winning walkway beside the Tasman Sea. www.newplymouthnz.com/VisitingNewPlymouth/Attractions/CoastalWalkway.htm New Plymouth, the city by the sea was voted the most liveable and sustainable community in the world at the 2008 UN-backed Liveable Communities awards. There is a saying that if you live in New Plymouth and are more than 10 minutes' drive from the city centre, then you must be living in the country. Outdoor activities For swimmers, there are indoor heated pools in New Plymouth, Bell Block, Stratford and Hawera. The New Plymouth Aquatic Centre features heated indoor and outdoor pools, a wave machine, water slides and a fitness centre, along with a spa pool and sauna. www.newplymouthnz.com/VisitingNewPlymouth/Attractions/ToddEnergyAquaticCentre/ And of course there's the sea. Taranaki is known as a surfers' paradise, good enough to lure the world's best board riders and also produce them. www.surf2surf.com Taranaki's own Paige Hareb became the first New Zealand woman to qualify for the ASP World Tour held in New Plymouth in 2010. www.nzsurffestival.co.nz There are numerous great quality swimming beaches located throughout the region. In 2007 Oakura, Fitzroy and East End beaches became the first Blue Flag accredited beaches in Oceania, an international standard for environmental sustainability, monitoring and education. If golf is your game, you will be spoilt for choice because Taranaki boasts more courses per person than anywhere else in New Zealand. www.taranakigolf.co.nz/ The Region If you are looking for Taranaki on a map of New Zealand, you'll see it's the bump on the west coast of the North Island. Located halfway between from the main centres of Auckland and Wellington, the region is characterised by the 2518m peak, Mt Taranaki, in Egmont National Park. www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-andwalks/wanganui/taranaki-area/ There are smaller towns all around Mt Taranaki and lifestyle blocks and farms in-between. This means you can choose between city, small town or rural life, and pick whether to live by the sea or further inland. The Districts Taranaki is home to 105,000 people, many of whom live in the coastal city of New Plymouth. The region is split into three districts – New Plymouth to the north with a population of about 70,000, www.newplymouthnz.com, Stratford in Central Taranaki servicing about 9,000 people www.stratford.govt.nz , and South Taranaki www.stdc.co.nz, including the main centre of Hawera, with a population of 26,000. The Taranaki Regional Council covers the entire region, providing services and information on the environment, resource consents, public transport, and civil defence. www.trc.govt.nz The region is characterised by the 2518m dormant volcano, Mt Taranaki, in Egmont National Park. The Landscape The Taranaki ring plain spreads out from Mt Taranaki like a skirt striped with rivers, and has rich free-draining volcanic soils that support pastoral farming. The Taranaki hill country to the east is steeply dissected by river valleys that are affectionately known as 'the wopwops'. Then there's also the fabulous coastal environment, which edges Taranaki from Patea in the south, right around to Mokau in the north. Warm iron sands line the shores and children and adults alike enjoying swimming on the many beautiful beaches throughout the region. www.doc.govt.nz Climate and Weather Taranaki boasts a temperate climate with high sunshine hours and abundant rainfall, which combine to make it lush, green and fertile. Temperatures are pleasant and mild all year round, making it an ideal place for outdoor activities and gardening. Average winter temperatures range between 6oC and 14oC, and summer temperatures a comfortable 13oC to 22oC, with the highest temperature recorded as 30oC. On average New Plymouth receives 2182 hours of sunshine annually, the third highest in New Zealand and equal with Gisborne on the East Coast. www.metservice.co.nz www.tourism.net.nz/new-zealand/about-new-zealand/weather-and-climate.html The people Taranaki people are known for their friendliness and their resourceful 'can do' attitude. They are incredibly proud of their homeland – turangawaewae, which in Maori means 'place where I stand'. Many people from a variety of different cultures and countries have moved to Taranaki for work and lifestyle. These people now call Taranaki their home, adding vibrancy to the community. History & Culture Taranaki has a vibrant and colourful history, signposted by bloodshed and passive resistance, triumphs and tragedies, peace and prosperity. The past is defined by the Taranaki Land Wars of the 1860s. Parihaka is the first place in the world where passive resistance was used against the European occupation. It is now home to the annual Parihaka Peace Festival, which celebrates its history through music, films, workshops and discussions. www.parihaka.co.nz There are many jobs available throughout the region in the energy, dairy, manufacturing and engineering industries, plus the education, local body, business and health sectors. For jobs in the region visit www.taranaki.info/jobs Many of the stories about Taranaki's past are told at Puke Ariki, a world-class interactive museum, library and information centre in New Plymouth. Its galleries tell how Taranaki was formed, from its geological beginnings through to its Maori heritage and European settlement. One gallery space is dedicated to changing exhibitions, including such prestigious shows as 'Sir Edmund Hillary - Everest and Beyond' and 'The Da Vinci Machines'. www.pukeariki.com In South Taranaki, near Hawera is Tawhiti Museum created by artist Nigel Ogle. It tells about Taranaki's heritage through life-size and scale models of Taranaki people and places created on-site. www.tawhitimuseum.co.nz Since about 1850, Taranaki has been known as the 'Garden of New Zealand'. This is still apt today, because the region has an abundance of parks and gardens. Some of these, including Pukekura Park and Pukeiti, are of international significance. Every year, the Taranaki Rhododendron and Garden Festival attracts thousands of people to the region. These visitors get the chance to wander through both public and private gardens, many of which are officially listed as being nationally significant. During summer the annual TSB Bank Festival of the Lights turns Pukekura Park into a fairyland of lights and free music and is one of the most popular festivals in the region. www.festival-of-lights.co.nz Arts and Culture Taranaki has a vibrant art scene. www.taranakiarts.co.nz Some of the highlights include the annual WOMAD (World of Music Arts and Dance) festival, www.womad.co.nz, the biennial Taranaki International Festival of the Arts www.artsfest.co.nz and the biennial Te Kupenga Stone Sculpture Symposium. www.tekupenga.com New Plymouth is home to the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, recognised as one of the leading contemporary art galleries in Australasia. www.govettbrewster.com Along with an extensive collection of works by the likes of Don Driver, Ralph Hotere and Michael Smither, the Govett-Brewster art gallery showcases cutting-edge visual art from around the Pacific Rim and beyond. It is also home to the collected works and archives of Len Lye, an internationally renowned kinetic sculpture, painter and film pioneer. Not far from Govett Brewster is the Real TART Gallery featuring Taranaki art. Its patron is renowned New Zealand artist Michael Smither and it's possible to see many works online at the Virtual TART website www.tart.co.nz. Also close by is Kina NZ Design + Art Space, which holds monthly exhibitions of New Zealand and Taranaki art www.kina.co.nz. Interactive museum Puke Ariki also holds art exhibitions in its temporary and wall galleries. www.pukeariki.com In Stratford, The Percy Thomson Gallery has ongoing exhibitions of work from New Zealand artists and community art groups www.percythomsongallery.org.nz, as does Inglewood's Fritz Reuter Gallery. Baristas around Taranaki have fine-tuned the art of making great coffee. The region's local coffee culture has been given a huge boost from award-winning roasting companies that have set the tone for excellence www.ozonecoffee.co.nz and www.inca-fe.co.nz . Taranaki is also well served by classic Kiwi pubs, sports bars, boutique hotels and modern wine bars. For food lovers, Taranaki is host to a large selection of restaurants, from Fusion gourmet to Indian, Italian and Thai. www.taranaki.info/visit/content.php/page/dining-and-bars Infrastructure and Amenities Taranaki's infrastructure and amenities are of a high standard and impressive for a region of its size. They include numerous libraries, town halls, art galleries, sports facilities and swimming pools, cycle and walk ways, museums, car parks, parks and reserves, theatres and stadiums. Taranaki is serviced by State Highways in and out of the region, a deep water commercial port and a domestic airport located just north of New Plymouth city. By air, land or sea, Taranaki is a highly accessible region – but it is also 'just far enough away'. Sea Port Taranaki is one of the region's best assets. It boasts the only deepwater harbour on New Zealand's west coast and has ample capability for importing and exporting all manner of goods, from wind turbines to LPG, oil rigs components to industrial machinery, and milk to locally grown produce. www.porttaranaki.co.nz Air New Plymouth Airport, located just north of the city, is home to award-winning café Airspresso, and connects Taranaki to the rest of New Zealand and the international airports that will take you overseas. Serviced by Air New Zealand Link, it's only a 40 or 50-minute direct flight to or from Auckland or Wellington. www.airnewzealand.com Land Taranaki's many attractions are just a few hours' drive away from other tourist spots in New Zealand. Roads are generally of a good standard and are constantly being upgraded. There is also a regular bus service in and out of Taranaki and you can drive to Auckland and Wellington in only 4.5 hours. www.intercity.co.nz www.taranaki.info/visit/content.php/page/getting-to-taranaki www.aa.co.nz/travel/Pages/default.aspx Events Taranaki punches well above its weight in terms of attracting international superstars. The region is lucky to have the TSB Bowl of Brooklands, a natural amphitheatre housed in Pukekura Park, a 50-hectare park in the centre of New Plymouth city. This world-class venue has attracted a plethora of international artists including REM, UB40, Sir Elton John, Jack Johnson, Simply Red, Fleetwood Mac, Michael Crawford and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa as well as hosting the annual WOMAD festival. www.newplymouthnz.com/VisitingNewPlymouth/EventVenues/TSBBowlofBrooklands The TSB Stadium is another event venue, where the likes of Tina Turner, INXS, The Beach Boys and Westlife have all performed. www.newplymouthnz.com/VisitingNewPlymouth/EventVenues/TSBStadium Conferences National and international conventions and conferences are regularly held in Taranaki, and there are a great variety of venue sizes and locations available. Taranaki Convention Bureau, a primary division of Venture Taranaki, helps organisations and companies keen to host events in the region by offering impartial advice on facilities and provides professional assistance to help plan a conference in the region www.taranaki.info/visit/content.php/page/taranaki-convention-bureau-1 The Economy Taranaki is buoyed by its natural and physical resources for its social and economic well-being. The petrochemical industry and dairy farming, known as black and white gold, are the region's two biggest industries, however there are a variety of other industry sectors of significance. Oil & Gas The first oil was discovered in New Plymouth in 1865 and exploration continues today. Oil and gas reserves, including Kapuni, Tui and Maari, and the larger offshore Maui, Pohokura and Kupe gas fields, combined with the associated processing, distribution and export of hydrocarbons, contribute significantly to the regional and national economy. www.taranaki.info/business/content.php/page/oil-gas Supporting Services Flowing on from the energy industries are many support services. Especially important to the oil and gas industry are a raft of engineering, manufacturing and construction companies that help support the energy infrastructure in terms of designing and building pipelines, tanks and plants, and maintenance of technical equipment. www.taranaki.info/business/content.php/page/engineering Engineering Taranaki is New Zealand's centre of heavy engineering innovation and excellence and its engineering firms have established an enviable construction record, delivering "turn-key" solutions for their clients - taking projects from feasibility and environmental studies through to total project management, engineering design, construction and maintenance. Through servicing the requirements of global energy companies, Taranaki's engineering firms have established a proven track record in quality, safety, cost efficiency and first-class performance. www.taranaki.info/business/content.php/page/engineering Niche Manufacturing Taranaki is also home to some very clever niche manufacturing companies, including sports and medical equipment and world class expertise in the building of super yachts. www.fitzroyyachts.co.nz Food Processing Taranaki's food processing and manufacturing industry is both significant and varied. Dominated by the highly concentrated dairy farming activity that Taranaki is historically renowned for, the platform of food processing and manufacturing also includes more diverse areas such as meat processing and bakery products. www.taranaki.info/business/content.php/page/food-processing Dairy More than 2,000 dairy herds roam the region and produce almost 20% of New Zealand's total milk solids. The dairy farming industry is backed up by a range of food processing companies, including a flourishing cheese-making operation at Eltham in South Taranaki. www.taranaki.info/business/content.php/page/dairy Tourism and Hospitality Tourism presents a growing industry for Taranaki. Increasingly, visitors are coming to experience the region's breathtaking natural beauty and many attractions and events, fine restaurants with diverse menus, great cafes, a number of art galleries, and a summer concert series, all of which are the envy of other cities around New Zealand. www.taranaki.co.nz Horticulture The region's fertile soils and temperate climate also provide an ideal environment for many types of horticulture. About 800 hectares of land is used for horticulture within Taranaki and there is plenty of potential for further development. The most widespread horticultural uses in Taranaki include market gardening and greenhouse production of a broad range of vegetable crops, flowers and ornamental plants. www.taranaki.info/business/content.php/page/horticulture Film The region is also making a name for itself in the movie-making business. From the Vincent Ward film, Vigil in 1984, through to the Ronald Hugh Morrieson story, Predicament, made in 2009, Taranaki has been the backdrop for a credit list of movies including The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise in 2003. www.filmventuretaranaki.com Health The Taranaki District Health Board is the key health provider in the region and it provides services throughout Taranaki, including a main hospital in New Plymouth. The Taranaki Base Hospital provides first-class emergency, intensive care and medical care to the region's population. www.tdhb.org.nz Education Taranaki offers a range of excellent facilities from early child care to secondary school level where children are taught by highly qualified, dedicated staff. Our schools provide a safe, friendly and positive environment where students are actively encouraged to reach their full potential, the region has a choice of tertiary providers for adult education. Business Services Taranaki has a large number and wide variety of professional business services, from accounting and legal professions to business analysis and IT services. www.yellowpages.co.nz |
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