THE HAWKES BAY REGION Hugs cliffs above the beach leading to
Cape Kidnappers. EXPLORING HAWKES BAY At the foot of Gisborne's
Kaiti Hill, a memorial on the beach marks the place where
Captain James Cook and members of his crew from the Endeavour,
first set foot in New Zealand in 1769. At the southern end of
Poverty Bay are the white cliffs of Young Nicks Head, the
headland named Nicholas Young, after a young boy in Cook's crew
who made the first sighting of land and earned himself a gallon
of rum as well as a place in the history books. Known as Gizzy
to the locals, Gisborne is located at the convergence of three
rivers, spanned by a number of bridges. Originally laid out in
1870, the city was named Turanga but later took the name of the
Colonial Secretary Sir William Gisborne to avoid being confused
with Tauranga. The city features a number of fine parks,
recreational facilities and museums. The surrounding countryside
features numerous historic locations the oldest church in
Poverty Bay at Matawhero. Built o