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Napier Travel Blogs

Background: The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.

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By Bec and Geen
July 8th 2009

Napier - Art Deco paradise! Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier

As soon as I set foot in Napier, I realised that my mum, a lover of all things 1930s, would fall in love with it here. Most of Napier was destroyed by an earthquake in 1931 and had to be rebuilt and therefore most of the architecture is in the art deco style, which the town continues to embrace. Its an absolutely delightful little town, with wonderful examples of art deco wherever you look, it's almost like you've stepped back in time. We did our own little tour, taking photos galore of all the wonderful buildings and stopping off for a [View Full Entry]

By KarenandVinny
July 4th 2009

Naiper Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier

Art Deco

Napier is a small city with a friendly, relaxed vibe. The city boasts the world's finest collection of Art Deco buildings which came about as a result of two and half minutes on the morning of February 3rd, 1931 when the city was rocked by the biggest earthquake in New Zealand's recorded history, measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale. The centre of the city was reduced to a heap of smouldering rubble which gave the citizens of Napier a blank canvas and when construction got underway all the buildings reflected the then popular Art Deco movement. Today these buildings are sadly [View Full Entry]

By babyape
June 20th 2009

Napier - A few pints on the way never hurt anyone... Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier

More views on the way

So, just a quick pit stop in Napier before heading off further North. It's quite a way from Wellington, so an early start again. More scenic stop offs at waterfalls and the like, but a cracking stop at the Tui Brewery. Now, it was still morning, but part of the deal was you got 3 pints for $2 which is ridiculously cheap. You are only given 45 minutes to finish them, so no hanging around. Me & Roy were bored for the last 20 minutes having quaffed our quota and refusing to pay for more. Good stuff tho, the lager is [View Full Entry]

By sfleming
June 9th 2009

Napier Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier

09/06/09 Tuesday Day 298 Our hostel, The Criterion Hotel, is right in the middle of the city. It’s a huge place. It used to be a hotel back in the 30’s or something like that anyway! The walk from the bus station only took about 10 minutes so that’s not bad because our bus our of here in two days time is at 8am to Wellington. The city centre here is small too although the actual city spreads out a bit. We arrived at our hostel around 5pm so after checking in, we got ourselves a bit to eat in the [View Full Entry]

By Travel Blog
April 16th 2009

To the Capital and Beyond....! Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier

Art Deco Feature in Napier

We continued on our travels towards Napier - famous for its high concentration of Art Deco buildings. The city itself was built almost over night in the 1920s after a massive earthquake had obliterated the original town. We explored the city through a self-guided Art Deco Walk to find some of the more interesting frontages and Elly had her first ice cream of the holiday! The hostel was pretty good for the money and happened to be in an Art Deco Spanish Mission style former hotel, right in the centre. The next morning we awoke to another sunny day and wandered [View Full Entry]

By onthegogirl
March 18th 2009

Back in time Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier

Napier On February 3, 1931 at 10:43 am, the world shifted for the citizens of a sleepy little town on the hills of eastern New Zealand. An earthquake measuring 7.9 leveled the town and the broken gas lines ignited fires that roared across the rubble. More than 250 people were killed, crushed under the rubble or burned to death in the fire. The earth rose up 3 meters and what was once a harbor became in an instant a fertile plain. Once the shock was over the town with the help of the NZ government started to rebuild. Since it was [View Full Entry]

By BindyandTony
February 21st 2009

Napier Wellington Nelson Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier

Stalking Gannetts

Napier Wellington Nelson Napier was brilliant - lovely art deco town. Visited the Gannett Colony by tractor & trailer ride 9Km along the beach, over rocks and through the waves. Brilliant time. Camped overnight for free on the beach and awoke in glorious sunshine before heading for Wellington. Stopped en route at Mt Bruce a wildlife sanctuary and 'Stonehenge Autorea' - a henge based on astronomical calculations and set in the middle of nowhere in rolling countryside - derelict house adjacent!! Pressed on for Wellington through mountains and gorges - fantastic road. Spent 2 nights [View Full Entry]

By Barbara and Rod
February 18th 2009

Napier: The Art Deco City Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier

Napier-The Art Deco City

Napier, on the shores of the South Pacific, invited us to come ashore on on a beautiful, sunny day in February. It is a uniquely enchanting small city with some of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the world, accented with palm trees and Norfolk Island pines. Napier is much older than it looks today. Napier and Hawkes Bay, with it's well established Maori history was first sighted by Capt. James Cook in October 1769, when he sail down the East coast of the North Island as he circumnavigated New Zealand. Of course Cook named Hawkes Bay. On Tuesday, [View Full Entry]

By Tracy Tbird Bignose Rob
February 12th 2009

Napier & Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier

Cape Kidnappers

14th January 2009 Cape Kidnappers Rob has had a bad back for the last week and had to see an osteopath, but I had really wanted to see the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers, so we agreed I should go alone, while Rob rested at the house. We checked the tides and then Rob drove me down to Cooks Beach where the walk starts from. I set off at 12 noon and walked along the beach. It was a lovely day and the walk was fantastic, along cliff edged beaches. It was 10kms to the first of the gannets on the [View Full Entry]

By John Elsen
February 9th 2009

Taupo -> Napier Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier

Taking a break

9th Feb 2009 Set off from Taupo around 9.30 heading for Napier. The scenery becomes more hilly and the vegetation lush. We stop to stretch half way at the ruatiti bridge over the waipung river. The journey is up and down steep inclines and the toyota is coping well, for an old car it is very comfortable and runs quietly. As we enter Napier we see our first Hawkes Bay vineyard. We arrive at the motel around 1.30pm it is the nicest so far, very comfortable and spacious, overlooking Hawkes Bay. There is some eclipic art on the beach by an [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Napier