Imagine a place where you are first to see the sun in the world, and have lots of it, is relaxed with many golden beaches – so you can go for a quick surf at lunchtime. It has friendly people, an environment producing great food from the sea and land – great chardonnays, and staggering scenery. Yes – that is the unofficial chardonnay capital of New Zealand - Gisborne.
Gisborne has a population of 33700, it is a pretty city with charm, with the region enjoying a high 2200+ sunshine hours and an average 19.5C climate – with quite a few days over 30 degrees C in summer. This provides a great climate for agriculture, horticulture, with the region producing excellent wines, the mountainous inland areas having farming and forestry, and many dramatic landscape with scenic reserves, walks, hiking and bike trails.
Its economy is focused on agriculture, horticulture, wine making, food processing, with the Port used by fishing boats and mainly for log exports. It is a popular holiday place due to its beaches, climate and natural assets.
Gisborne has quite a good arts scene, from arts to music and theatre, the region hosting the well known 3 day Rhythm and Vines music festival. It has a strong Maori and European heritage, have being settled by Maori in the 1300’s., and being James Cooks first sighting of and landing in New Zealand in 1769
It has many rivers, miles and miles of great beaches, a mountainous interior, with the entire scenic East Cape and marine environments to explore.