Whakatane is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located in the eastern Bay of Plenty, 90 kilometres to the east of Tauranga, and close to the mouth of the Whakatane River. The town is part of, and the seat of, the Whakatane District Council.
The towns main industries are diverse: forestry, dairy farming and manufacturing are all well established. The town has a population of 18,000.
History
The site of the town has long been populated. Maori pa sites in the area date back to the first Polynesian settlements, estimated to have been around 1200 CE. Maori tradition suggests that they may be even earlier, and was the first settlement in New Zealand. According to some legends, travellers from this settlement back to the Pacific Islands triggered the great migration fleet of waka (canoes) to New Zealand.
The region around Whakatane was important during the Maori Wars of the mid 19th century. Its role culminated in 1869 with raids by Te Kooti's forces.
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