Te Mata Vineyard Hastings

Description

These vineyards sit at the base of Te Mata Peak, south of Hastings. The peak rises up to 399m in the Te Mata Hills in the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand. The Hastings suburb of Havelock North is situated at the base of the peak. From Te Mata Peak, cliffs on the South-Eastern side drop 140 meters before extending into the rolling hills of the Tukituki Valley, making these cliffs some of the highest in the North Island of New Zealand. Their height is subject to erosion, with multiple instances of rockfall into the valley below. From the peak, large boulders can be witnessed in the valley as evidence of previous rockfall.

The name originates from the name of the hillscape in Māori, Te Mata-o-Rongokako, or “the face of Rongokako”. Rongokako was an ancestor of the Ngāti Kahungunu and the area is believed to be his final resting place. When looking at the peak from the north, it appears to be the silhouette of a person lying down, which is said to be Rongokako. European settlers called the peak the “Sleeping Giant”, a name which is still in use today.

As the highest peak in the area, it offers views over the Heretaunga Plains, and Hawke’s Bay, including Napier. On a clear day, the view stretches as far as Mount Ruapehu and Māhia Peninsula. Beneath Te Mata Peak rests the Craggy Range vineyard and the Tukituki River.