Kaitaia, Neuseeland

Kaitaia is a town in Northland Region, in the far north of New Zealand. It is located at the base of the Aupouri Peninsula, approximately 160km northwest of Whangarei 80. It is the last settlement of any size on the main road north to the capes and bays in the northernmost part of the island. Ahipara Bay, the southernmost part of Ninety Mile Beach, is five kilometres to the west of the town.

First Settlement

The Kaitaia Mission Station was first established in 1834 by the missionaries Joseph Matthews and William Puckey.

The main industries of the town are forestry and tourism. The town has a population of 5151 (2001 census).

There were plans to extend the Okaihau Branch railway to Kaitaia and construction was undertaken in the 1920s, but with the line nearly complete to Rangiahua, a review in 1936 determined that the branch line would not be viable and construction was abandoned. The line therefore terminated in Okaihau until it was closed on 1 November 1987. Despite the failure of the railway to reach Kaitaia, D 221, a tank steam locomotive of the NZR D class, has been on static display at Centennial Park since 1967.d221