My Home Town : Auckland New Zealand Quiz

Answer: isthmus

The two harbours provide for a beautiful setting, with large marine areas, plenty of opportunities for boating and fishing, several accessible islands, and many beaches.

Answer: Jean Batten

Jean Batten was an aviatrix who made many record breaking solo flights in the 1930s. Among these was the first ever solo flight from England to New Zealand in 1936.
Lord Rutherford was a New Zealand born scientist from the early twentieth century who specialised in nuclear physics, and won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908.
Katherine (Kathleen) Mansfield was a prolific short story writer who achieved an international reputation in the early part of the 1900s.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is a New Zealand soprano well known for operatic and classical singing.

Answer: extinct volcanic cones

Auckland is located in the centre of a dormant volcanic field - resulting in numerous volcanic cones.
Some of these have been lost to quarrying for scoria and rock - but many are visible today and can be easily visited and climbed.
The age of the oldest volcano has been estimated at over 250,000 years, but the most recent eruption which created Rangitoto (an island in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour) happened just 600 years ago!

Answer: 1350

At least six Maori tribes (or Iwi) settled in the Auckland region about the time that many settlers from Polynesia in the Pacific emigrated to New Zealand. The area attracted these early migrants because of the fertile, volcanic enriched soil, abundant fresh water, and temperate climate.
The Maori name for the region is Tamaki Makaurau - which means Tamaki of 100 Lovers.

Answer: The Earl of Auckland - the Viceroy of India in 1840

New Zealand's first Governor, William Hobson, chose the settlement between the harbours as the site of the country's first capital in 1840.
Hobson subsequently named the settlement Auckland after his friend and supporter George Eden, then titled Earl of Auckland, from County Durham, England.

Answer: Sir Edmund Hillary

Sir Edmund Hillary was the first person (together with the Sherpa Tenzing Norgay) to climb Mt. Everest in 1953.
He was also renowned for his general exploration exploits - especially in the polar regions and the Himalayas.
He was the first person to successfully climb the highest peak in the world, as well as reaching both the North and South Poles.
Sir Peter Snell is a renowned middle distant runner from the 1960s, while Helen Clark was 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008.

Answer: wine

New Zealand is renowned for the quality of its wine - with many vineyards found throughout the country.
There are numerous winemakers to the west and north of Auckland - providing great opportunities for pleasant excursions into the countryside to enjoy the many, varied wine flavours on offer.
Note: Watercress is a an edible plant often found prolifically in the many creeks of the Auckland countryside. It is particularly valued among the local Maori people.

Answer: All Blacks

The All Blacks have a wonderful record at Eden Park, and between 1994 and 2017 were unbeaten over 39 games at the ground.
The Silver Ferns is the country's national women's netball team.
The Warriors is the New Zealand rugby league team that plays in the NZ/Australian club competition, while The Black Sticks is the name of the national men's field hockey team.

Answer: base jumping by wire

Views extend as far as 82 kms or 50 miles on a clear day from the top of the Sky Tower.
if you have the nerves, you can base jump 192 metres off the Tower - reaching speeds of 85 km an hour.
Unlike a true bungy cord, which is tied to the jumper's feet, in base jumping the jumper is attached to a body harness. This provides maximum safety as well as maximum adrenaline pumping!

Answer: The America's Cup

The America's Cup has been competed for since 1851 - with yachts from the U.S.A. successfully defending what is called "The Auld Mug" until late in the twentieth century when Australia and New Zealand teams both won the cup.
New Zealand wrestled the trophy away from Oracle Team USA again in 2017, and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron will defend the cup on the beautiful Waitemata Harbour in Auckland around March 2021.
The Fastnet is an ocean yacht race held off the coast of England each year.
The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world which is held every 3-4 years. The Sydney to Hobart race is held between the two named Australian cities starting on Boxing Day each year.