Gisborne

About Gisborne

Being located close to the international date line, Gisborne is the first city in the world to see the new day dawn. The sun rises over the South Pacific Ocean onto the eastern most city in New Zealand. The Maori name for the region is Tairawhiti – meaning “the place where the sun shines first”.

With a population of approximately 30,000 people, the city and surrounding regions provide relaxed lifestyle opportunities for those who prefer alternatives to the fast pace of the larger cities. Gisborne is a five minute town – five minutes to the beach, five minutes to home, five minutes to the shops. Even rush hour traffic lasts five minutes!

Coming from Auckland International Airport it’s an hour’s flight to Gisborne. From Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city, it’s also an hour’s flight away. There are several scheduled daily flight available with Air New Zealand.

For those people who are looking to come and live in Gisborne, the Government Immigration Services outline what requirements are needed.

If you are looking to purchase a large block of land or a spot on the coast, you’ll need to check with the Overseas Investment Commission as to their requirements.

Regarded by some as the Surf Capital of New Zealand, Gisborne offers several beach and reef breaks that are world class. A local industry supports the sport, from surf accommodation, manufacturing surfboards to surf retail outlets.

For others, the Gisborne region is famous for its world class wines. It’s often referred to as the chardonnay capital of New Zealand.

As a holiday destination Gisborne offers plenty. Aquatic activities, cultural events, local Wine & Food Festivals are just a few of what’s on offer.

There’s plenty of choice when it comes to accommodation. There’s backpackers, homestays, motels and hotels.

Gisborne has its own daily newspaper, which covers local news as well as national and international news.

The information centre offers details on tourism, coming events, clubs and service organisation.