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The Wairoa Region
Wairoa is a beautiful place - rich in Maori and European history, with a range of wilderness landscapes from mountains to the sea.  It includes rainforest-surrounded Lake Waikaremoana in Te Urewera National Park, the surf and fishing beaches of balmy Mahia Peninsula, the thermal hot springs at Morere, with the sunny , riverside town of Wairoa at its commercial, administrative and population centre.


Wairoa Township
Situated on the delta of the Wairoa River, the town of Wairoa is the hub of the Wairoa Region.  Public facilities in Wairoa town include major sportsgrounds, public playgounds and recreation reserves - along with a library, excellent swimming pool, a fantastic community centre and Memorial Hall. 

Wairoa has supermarkets, a bakery, appliance stores, chemists, bookshops and clothing stores.  It is also well serviced by banks, accountants, solicitors, health and social services.

From this town, a vast canvas of stunning landscapes, fascinating histories and outdoor recreational attractions unfold.


Take a Tour
Travel the southern reaches of the Pacific Coast Highway on the North Island's eastern seaboard to explore this land of sunny beaches and wild headlands, rushing rivers, shining lakes and virgin bush-clad mountains.  Here you will discover forest-fringed Lake Waikaremoana - the centre piece of New Zealand's third largest national park, Te Urewera.  Fish for brown and rainbow trout in the lakes of the district or the tranquil pools of the Ruakituri and Waiau rivers.  Relax at the hot pool spa at Morere after diving or simply exploring the seaside escape and fishing mecca of Mahia Peninsula. 

We suggest you approach the Wairoa region with a keen sense of discovery and a desire for outdoor adventure!


Primary Production and Land Use
The economy of the District is based on the rural sector.  Approximately 60% of the total land is in productive use, of which some 48% is in pasture.


Pastoral farming has been the basis of the economy since the first European settlement.  Forestry is of growing importance and there is the potential for the future development of horticulture and cropping. 


The Wairoa District forest resource totals approximately 35 000ha, with 57% being less than 16 years old.  Production forestry is dominated by the major growers, investment partnerships and companies and by a small number of large private growers. 


Other prominent industries and employment groups include:

• Hunting
• Fishing
• Construction
• Social and Personal Services
• Manufacturing, and
• Distribution

Energy Resources

• Electricity
  A five-megawatt hydro station located at Waihi produces around 20 % of the district's electricity.  The balance is sourced via the National Grid, primarily from the Waikaremoana power stations.
  
• Gas
  Significant finds of gas around the district could be reticulated for local domestic and industrial use.  The source of energy could save present and potential industrial users in Wairao up to 15 % in energy costs. 
  
• Water Resources
  High quality water is available in the Wairoa township from the water production plant at Frasertown.  The plant presently supplies the local AFFCO freezing works and Wairoa township and has further supply potential to meet forest-processing operations.
  
  

Wairoa District Council holds the potential to developits economic opportunity further. The oil exploration within the district may provide economic opportunity.  With the prospective resurgence for some industries and the possible growth of new industries, the township has the ability to develop cluster support networks.  There are opportunities to develop appropriate education and training infrastructures also.  There is a possibility of shared local ownership of the power generation in the area.


There is also the potential to develop a profitable, sustainable horticultural industry in Wairoa.  In doing so it is important that local people capture the benefits of this development in terms of employment, career pathways, business growth and income.  Careful planning and independent advice should be obtained prior to embarking on any horitcultural development.


Recent petroleum exploration has resulted in findings of natural gas in the northern Wairoa area, and may also result in findings elsewhere.  Further exploration is taking place to appraise the nature and extent of the resource.  The discoveries offer potential to distribute natural gas regionally and to link with national networks, to provide reticulation to Wairoa environs, and for other forms of energy development.  Hydrocarbon resources provide potential to assist diversification of the District's economic base, particularly if end users of the resource are developed locally or regionally.