The German-built Rena is the largest ship ever wrecked in New Zealand waters. No lives were lost, but in financial terms it was our costliest-ever shipwreck.
Tauranga
Events In History
21 June 1864
At Te Ranga the British sought revenge for their humiliating defeat at the battle of Gate Pā
Articles
Regional rugby
The passion and parochialism of provincial rugby helped give the game a special place in New Zealand’s social and sporting history. Read brief histories, highlights and quirky facts about each of New Zealand's 26 regional rugby teams. Read the full article
Page 10 - Bay of Plenty rugby
History and highlights of rugby in the Bay of Plenty
War in Tauranga
During the first half of 1864 the focus of the New Zealand Wars shifted from Waikato to Tauranga. In this phase of the conflict the British suffered a catastrophic defeat at Pukehinahina – better known as the Gate Pā – before inflicting heavy losses on a Māori force at Te Ranga. Read the full article
Page 1 - War in Tauranga
During the first half of 1864 the focus of the New Zealand Wars shifted from Waikato to Tauranga. In this phase of the conflict the British suffered a catastrophic defeat at
Page 2 - Invitation to war
Ngāi Te Rangi leader Rāwiri Puhirake resisted Wiremu Tāmihana’s request for help during the war in Waikato for fear that this would lead to bloodshed in Tauranga. The arrival of
Page 3 - Gate Pā
Gate Pā was a major disaster for the British military, who suffered twice the casualties of the Māori
Page 4 - Aftermath
British soul-searching after the defeat at Gate Pā did not acknowledge the superior tactics and capability of their
Page 5 - Te Ranga
Unlike at Gate Pā, where the British assault was concentrated on two points, at Te Ranga they were able to attack all along the line of
Page 6 - The fighting ends
By the end of July the Tauranga war was over. Most of Ngāi Te Rangi accepted peace and handed over weapons, although many of these were old and of poor
Page 7 - Further information
Links and further reading about the war in
Container shipping
Forty-five years ago, on 19 June 1971, the first all-container ship to visit New Zealand arrived in Wellington. Columbus New Zealand was part of a worldwide revolution in shipping. These simple steel boxes would change our transport industry, our ports and how we work and shop. Read the full article
Page 7 - The wreck of the Rena
On 5 October 2011 the MSC-chartered, Liberian-flagged container ship Rena astonished local mariners by grounding on the clearly marked Astrolabe Reef off Tauranga. Three months
Largest urban centre and city in Bay of Plenty, 107 km east of Hamilton. Tauranga dates from the establishment of a Church Missionary Society mission at Te Papa, as it was then known, in the 1830s. During the wars of the 1860s the government established two redoubts (fortifications) there. The original mission house, The Elms, still stands, as do the remains of the Monmouth redoubt. From the 1910s, as dairying developed in neighbouring districts, the population grew. Growth was further fostered in the later twentieth century by horticulture – in particular kiwifruit growing – in surrounding districts and by the lifestyle appeal of the town.
Meaning of place name
Lit: sheltered anchorage, or Landing place for canoes.
