gisborne

The Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union was formed in 1890. Like its neighbours East Coast and Bay of Plenty, Poverty Bay has made a significant contribution to Maori rugby.

View of Gisborne, c. 1860s.

Previously known as Tūranga, Gisborne was Poverty Bay’s first Pākehā settlement. In 1831 John Harris set up the first trading station in Tūranga. The founding of the town is attributed to G.E. Read, who settled on the eastern side of the river in 1852 and later built stores on the west bank.

Can you provide us with an image of the Gisborne war memorial theatre? If so, please email info@nzhistory.net.nz

Makaraka Cemetery (also known as Houhoupiko Cemetery) is located on State Highway 2, 5 km north-west of the East Coast city of Gisborne and 2 km north-east of Matawhero. Makaraka was Gisborne’s first cemetery. Now closed to burials, it is maintained as an historic site.

This memorial stands in the north-east corner of the cemetery (the Old Section), near the south bank of the Taruheru River. The memorial records the names and ages of 33 European victims of the Matawhero ‘Massacre’, 28 of whom are buried nearby.

Little is currently known about the erection of this memorial. It stands in Makaraka Cemetery on State Highway 2, about 5 km north-west of the centre of the East Coast city of Gisborne. The memorial records the names of six Hawke’s Bay Military Settlers who died on 18 November 1865 during the siege of Waerenga-a-Hika pā.

The first landing site of James Cook's crew at Gisborne was commemorated with the erection of a monument in 1906.

Gisborne war memorial.