History
History of Whakatane District
The Whakatane District was settled by tangata whenua (people of the land) in a series of migrations over several hundred years.
Maori oral traditions have the first settlers arriving in the region more than 1,000 years ago. European settlement began in the 1830s when whalers, sealers and later missionaries and traders made their homes here.
Although most Eastern Bay of Plenty Maori took no active part, the area became embroiled in the New Zealand land wars of the 1860s and 70s. With the advent of more peaceful times, industrial and agricultural development continued.
Agriculture remains an economic mainstay, but since the 1950s, plantation forestry and wood processing have also become increasingly important. Tourism too has taken on an important role as more and more people have come to appreciate the region's riches and spectacular climate.
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