Napier

By Richard Moore

Lovers of Art Deco architecture would be well advised to plan a holiday to Napier: the Municipal Theatre (top) is a brilliant showcase of the era's architecture, as is the open air Soundshell (above). (images courtesy of TikiTouring.co.nz)

In 1931 the thriving New Zealand seaside city of Napier was shaken and pushed around by a massive earthquake that not only destroyed almost every building, but also left the landscape unrecognisable.

For 2.5 minutes the tremor shook the earth and during that time the entire area was raised almost two metres higher than it was before; 9000 acres of land were pushed out of the water as a lagoon was emptied and more than 2200 hectares of new land rose to sea level.

The quake was New Zealand's largest ever and was recorded at 7.9 on the Richter scale. The death toll was 258 people, with 162 dying in Napier and 96 in the nearby places of Hastings and Wairoa.

Fires erupted in both main towns and raged out of control in Napier where the water supply had been destroyed.

But out of the terrible blazes that occurred that day in 1931, a Phoenix-like city has risen.

The people of Napier redesigned their home and within two years had the world's most modern city using the styles of the era, building what is now considered to be an Art Deco masterpiece.

Napier's architecture is unrivalled in the world and tourists who are into Art Deco flock there in the thousands. The city puts on vintage car weekends and jazz festivals where everyone gets into the feel of the occasion and dresses up in costumes.

There are guided walks around the city showing off the fine examples of Art Deco with more than 93 buildings and structures boasting the style. If you don't want to take a structured tour the information office has a $4 guide you can buy and just wander around yourselves.

Highlights for this fellow were the Municipal Theatre, which is seriously cool, plus the open air Soundshell and the nearby Tom Parker Fountain, which at night is lit by coloured lights.

Exploring Napier you get a very pleasant feel for the place and this is boosted by some excellent cafes and restaurants - one of which boasts the best coffee this side of the Black Stump. The city is close to some superb Hawkes Bay wineries too - Esk Valley, Lucknow Estate and Matariki to name but a few - and there are wine tours for sensible tasters who don't wish to drink and drive.

Napier's long beach is very wild and not recommended for swimming, however, it is very pleasant to walk down Marine Parade and look at the waves, the houses and some of the most magnificent Norfolk pines.

For the kids there are beachside playgrounds and an excellent Marineland. It is New Zealand's only marine zoo and has seals, penguins, dolphins and seabirds. There are shows each day at 10.30am and 2pm and you can even get to swim with the dolphins. Advance bookings are recommended for the shows.

Then for some terrific views of the sea and a working port, hop in the car and head up to Bluff Hill lookout. During the earthquake most of the bluff tumbled into the ocean and its steep cliffs show just how powerful the earthquake must have been to rip stone apart.

Links:
Napier (Official website)
Marineland
Napier Municipal Theatre