Mahia Peninsula

Geography
Mahia Peninsula  is 21.7 kilometers long and 11.3 kilometers wide.  The highest point is Rahuimokairoa, at 403 meters above sea level.  Mahia was originally an island; eventually a sandbank formed which connected it with the main island.  The peninsula is located on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand between Napier and Gisborne.

Whales often find themselves stranded in the shallow waters.  Previously the Kini Kini farm, protected on the western coast of the peninsula by Long Point, was a whaling station.
Just before the southern tip of the peninsula lies the small island of Portland Island.  The Maori Kahungunu named the island Waikawa when he found the only drinking water was salt water.  Waikawa means “sour water”.  There is an automatic lighthouse on the island.

Culture
The area is a popular recreational area for lake vacationers.  The economy is therefore determined by tourism.  The most popular leisure activities in Mahia are surfing, diving, hiking, fishing, and rugby.  Many of the tourists stay in Napier, Hastings and Wairoa and go on day trips to the peninsula.

Sheep and cattle are still a significant part of the local population.
In the legends of the Maori, Whatonga settled in Mahia after coming to New Zealand in search of his grandfather.  Residents of the peninsula are now a mixture of Maori and Europeans.  The local iwi (tribe) of Maori is known as Ngati Rongomaiwahine.