Where is the Eastern Film Alliance?

Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke's Bay and Tairawhiti Gisborne are on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. Our eastern border is the Pacific Ocean, to the west we are guarded by mountain ranges and farm lands.

The two main cities in Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke's Bay are Napier and Hastings and have a combined population of around 144,000. There are several smaller towns; Waipukurau and Waipawa to the south and Wairoa to the north of these cities. Most of these areas can be reached within an hour's drive of the central airport in Napier. 

Tairawhiti Gisborne (formerly Poverty Bay), is north east of Hawke's Bay and extends to the northern point of the East Coast of the North Island. Gisborne has a population of around 32,000 people and has a popular regional airport servicing the city and small settlements populating the fabulous bays up and down the coast.  These include Mahia Peninsula,  Hicks Point, Tokomaru Bay and Te Puia Springs. 

How to get to Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke's Bay or Tairawhiti Gisborne

The Hawkes Bay domestic airport is 10 minutes from central Napier or 20 minutes from central Hastings.

Direct Flights to and from Auckland (55 minutes). Wellington (50 minutes), and Christchurch(90 minutes).

Hawke’s Bay is 5.5 hours driving to and from Auckland and 4.5 hours to and from Wellington.

Gisborne airport is 7 minutes from the central city.

Direct Flights to and from Auckland (56 minutes). Wellington (55 minutes), and Christchurch(95 minutes).

Gisborne is 6.5 hours driving to and from Auckland and 7.5 hours to and from Wellington.

Accommodation

There is a wide choice of places to stay in both Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke's Bay and Tairawhiti Gisborne. These range from five star boutique lodges and hotels to motels, back packers and holiday parks. 

Climate

We enjoy a temperate climate across both regions with mildly cold winters and warm summers. The clear clean skies of the Eastern North Island are renowned - so much so that they launch rockets into space from here!

Average summer temperatures are (Dec-Feb) 20º to 30º C (68º – 86º F), and in winter (Jun-Aug) 10º – 15 º C (50º – 59º F).

The annual sunshine hours are 2200 per annum – some of the highest in the country. Sunshine hours in the summer are 6:00 a.m. to 20.30.pm, and 7.30 to 17:00 p.m in the winter.

Go to www.metservice.co.nz for the current forecast around New Zealand. Try www.weatherreports.co.nz for mountain and marine forecasts too.

Food

There are over 70 wineries in the Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke's Bay region and 17 wineries in the Tairawhiti Gisborne East Coast region. Many of these have restaurants attached.

There is also a wide selection of takeaways, cafes and a-la-carte dining across both regions.

Activities

Here’s a sample:

• Tee off at one of the world’s top golf courses
• Go biking on one of the many cycle trails
• Picnic and swim at any of the many beaches
• Take an art deco or Maori cultural tour
• Visit the museums and art galleries
• Discover the wine trails
• Bush, lake and nature walking 
• Soaking in natural hot pools