Napier

Although only 18kms apart, the twin cities of Napier and Hastings have developed their own distinctive characters and economic strengths.

The City of Napier , with a population of 53,500 is administered by the Napier City Council, and provides the region’s transport connection to the rest of the country and to the world. NapierAirport has regular flights or connections to and from all key domestic centres, and has been upgraded to manage the increasing traffic and larger aeroplanes accessing the region. Similarly, the Port of Napier continues to grow and develop to accommodate increased export volumes of agricultural, horticultural, forestry based products, and manufactured products directed through the Port from Hawke’s Bay and surrounding region’s.

As a result of the rebuilding programme following the devastating 1931 Napier Earthquake the City of Napier has a large number of fine examples of Art Deco Architecture. Now known internationally as the “Art Deco City,” Napier has a full programme of Art Deco events attracting growing numbers of visitors to Hawke’s Bay.

Hastings City , well known for it’s outstanding examples of Spanish Mission Architecture, and with a population of 67,000 is the centre of the Hastings District. Although like Napier it has developed a manufacturing base to service it’s land based industries, agriculture and horticulture have traditionally been the mainstay of the economy and are still of major importance. Consequently the centre of the regions livestock industry is Stortford Lodge on the outskirts of Hastings , where the major stock firms or agents and the district’s stock sale yards are located. Similarly, fruit and vegetable export packhouses and coolstores, and food processing companies are established in and around Hastings to service the orchards and vegetable growers located on the surrounding Heretaunga Plains.

The region’s large number of outstanding wineries, winery restaurants and specialist food producers has encouraged the development of the “Wine Country Food Trail”, with many wineries and winery restaurants open to the public, and proving to be a major attraction and experience in their own right. The District also has a wide range of sporting, recreational and cultural activities available to visitors and residents. These include the Hawke’s Bay Art Trail, some of New Zealand ’s better beaches, golf courses, uncrowded trout fishing rivers, as well as access to hunting and tramping through the Ruahine, Kaweka and Kaimanawa mountain ranges.

Filed under: Hawkes Bay, Moving to New Zealand