TAURANGA the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.

It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963

First settlers
The earliest known settlers arrived in Tauranga from the Takitimu and the Mataatua waka in the 12th century.

Early trading
Traders in flax were active in the Bay of Plenty during the 1830s; some were transient, others married local women and settled permanently. The first permanent trader was James FARROW, who travelled to Tauranga in 1829, obtaining flax fibre for Australian merchants in exchange for muskets and gunpowder. Farrow acquired a land area of 0.5 acres (2,000 m2) on 10 January 1838 at Otumoetai Pa from the chiefs Tupaea, Tangimoana and Te Omanu, the earliest authenticated land purchase in the Bay of Plenty.


Missionaries
During the 1820s, missionaries from the Bay of Islands visited the Tauranga district to obtain supplies of potatoes, pigs and flax. In 1840, a Catholic mission station was established. Bishop POMPALLIER was given land within the palisades of Otumoetai Pa for a church and a presbytery. The mission station closed in 1863 due to land wars in the Waikato district.

New Zealand land wars
The Tauranga Campaign took place in and around Tauranga from 21 January to 21 June 1864, during the land wars. The Battle of Gate Pa is the best known


This is a list of notable people who were born in Tauranga or who spent a significant part of their lives living in the region
- each name (at this link) is a link to a bio and some photos


Hilda Hewlett - pioneer aviator

Phil Rudd - drummer for AC/DC

Richard O'Brien - author of The Rocky Horror Show (spent his formative years here)

Les Munro - Dambusters veteran.

Bob Clarkson - former Member of Parliament and successful property developer and landlord

Mahe Drysdale - Olympic rower

Andrew (Herb) Stevenson - Olympic rower, Double World Champion Rower, NZ 1982 Sportsman of the Year

Tim Balme - actor, director

Moss Burmester - Olympic swimmer

Simon Bridges - politician

Aaron De Mey - makeup artist, Artistic Director, Lancome (spent formative years here)

John Bracewell - International Cricketer

Dame Susan Devoy - former World Squash Champion

Tony Lochhead - footballer

Winston Peters - former MP for Tauranga, leader of NZ First, politician

Jeremy Redmore - Midnight Youth singer

Stan Walker - Australian Idol R&B singer

Kane Williamson - International Cricketer