Tourist information - Gisborne
Gisborne is a city and port in New Zealand, over the eastern coast of North Island. Gisborne is situated on Poverty Bay, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, in the mouth of the Turanganui River. The area around Gisborne is one of New Zealand's most leading centers for growing grapes for wineries. Gisborne is a busy market along with service center for nearby farms and timber operations, as well as an active industrial center. Industrial sectors include engineering, hosiery and also fertilizer plants, and dairy, food, and wool processing. The east coast region is as well the contemporary heartland of New Zealand's native people, the Maori, along with Gisborne has a gallery of Maori art. Poverty Bay was the first area visited by British explorer Captain James Cook when he arrived in New Zealand in October 1769. Cook gave the bay its name because he could find small amount of food for his crew. The first permanent European settlers arrived in 1852; Gisborne was named for the British colonial secretary Sir William Gisborne. The settlement was declared a city in 1955. Gisborne claims to be the world's most easterly city, lying less than 900 km from the International Date Line. Ljao/jan/1v21