Poverty Bay

Poverty Bay is the largest of several small bays on the east coast of the North Island to the north of Hawke 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. The name is often used by extension to refer to the entire area surrounding the city of Gisborne.

The first European known to have set foot in New Zealand, Captain James Cook, did so here on October 7, 1769. This first meeting led to the deaths of 6 local Maori during skirmishes with the crew, due to a misinterpretation of the traditional Maori challenge. Cook was unable to gain many of the provisions he and his crew needed at the bay, and for this reason gave it its name.

Poverty Bay is one of the more fertile areas of New Zealand and famous for its Chardonnay, fruit, vegetables and avocados, with abundant sunshine and fertile alluvial soil.