Hawke’s Bay

Your new home starts in Hawke's Bay

The Hawke’s Bay region stretches from the hilly coastal land and floodplains of the Wairoa River in the north, across the fertile Heretaunga Plains around Hastings, to the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges inland.

Its 360 km coastline offers stunning and diverse beaches:

• Waipatiki Beach – seaside cliffs, white sand, and pastoral scenery
• Waimarama Beach – long golden sands ideal for walking, swimming, surfing, and fishing
• Pourerere Beach – family-friendly with a safe lagoon for children

Notable landmarks include:

• Cape Kidnappers – world’s largest mainland gannet colony
• Lake Waikaremoana – home to one of New Zealand’s Great Walks
• Te Mata Peak – 360-degree views and spectacular walking tracks

Hawke’s Bay is a leading wine region with more than 30 cellar doors and is the first stop on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail. Fertile soils produce peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, berries, apples, truffles, mushrooms, and quality beef, lamb, and vegetables.

Napier and Hastings, rebuilt in Art Deco style after the 1931 earthquake, are cultural hubs. Napier hosts the Art Dec Festival, attracting over 40,000 visitors annually. Other major events include the Hawke’s Bay Food and Wine Classic (F.A.W.C!), held twice yearly, and the Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival, celebrating theatre, music, dance, opera, comedy, visual arts, and literature.

Popular weekend markets include:

• Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market – Sundays
• Napier Urban Farmers Market – Saturdays
• Black Barn Growers’ Market – during summer Saturdays

The region’s population is expected to grow from 172,400 in 2018 to about 202,000 by 2048. Its economy is driven by food and wine production, alongside a growing health care sector. As of July 2022, the median house price was $733,500.