You Want to Go... Where Again? Quiz

Answer: Porirua

Porirua's name may come from 'pari-rua' which means, 'two tides'. Present-day Porirua surrounds a harbour of the same name. Rua is the Māori word for the number, 'two'. Of the other place names, Ngāruawāhia is a small inland town on the North Island's Waikato River; Rotorua is an inland city and Ruakākā (two birds) is a small town in Northland, not far from Whangārei.

Originally, Porirua was a settlement and then one of Wellington's northern suburbs at the bottom of the North Island. In the late 19th Century, Porirua was home to a 'Lunatic Asylum' which later became a 'Mental Hospital'. While this may not have been a cause for celebration, Porirua also was the site of New Zealand's first McDonalds restaurant in 1976.

Given that Porirua and Auckland are at different ends of the North Island, the road journey between them is fairly lengthy in New Zealand terms. The distance of 625km (390 miles) takes the best part of eight hours.

Answer: Hibiscus Coast

Hibiscus Coast is the correct answer. The others are all places in Queensland, Australia.

The Hibiscus Coast is a coastal region on the northern part of the Hauraki Gulf, a large inlet (4,000km²/1,500 square miles) of the Pacific Ocean.

The area boasts a significant number of beaches and aquatic activities are an attraction.

The distance between Auckland and the Hibiscus Coast is just 40km (25 miles). Normally, that's a 40 minute journey. However, the Auckland region is notorious for its traffic, particularly at peak times.

Answer: Rotorua

Rotorua's full Māori name is 'Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe' which means 'the big second lake of Kahumatamomoe'. The Māori chief who discovered Lake Rotorua dedicated it to an uncle named Kahumatamomoe. The city of Rotorua is built beside the lake in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty region. In Māori, 'roto' means 'lake' and all the other answers are names of lakes in this part of the country.

Colloquially, Rotorua is known as "Sulphur City" or "Roto-Vegas". The former is from the city's widespread geothermal field which results in numerous hot springs, thermal mud pools and geysers throughout. There is a heavy sulfurous smell throughout Rotorua. The latter nickname is something of a tribute to the way Rotorua's economy is heavily based on tourism.

The drive from Auckland to Rotorua takes around three hours to cover the 230km (140 miles) distance.

Answer: New Plymouth

'Ngāmotu' is the Māori name for the 'New Plymouth' area, and means 'the islands'. The city's English name of 'New Plymouth' is a link to Plymouth in England where many early settlers hailed from. Sir Francis Drake was an English explorer (and pirate) who had a long association with Plymouth in England.

New Plymouth is the major city in New Zealand's Taranaki region. Stratovolcanos are built up of layers (strata). Mount Taranaki/Egmont (2,518m/8,261') is a stratovolcano dominating the skyline and region. Its last eruption (as of 2020) was in 1854.

The region is well-known for links with dairy-farming and energy (natural gas and oil, including off-shore fields).

It's about 360km (225 miles) from New Plymouth to Auckland. By car, the trip takes nearly five hours.

Answer: Lower Hutt

In Māori, 'Awakairangi' is the name of the Hutt River. 'Awa' means 'river' and one translation of Awakairangi is, 'precious river'. Lower Hutt is an urban area at the bottom part of the Hutt Valley, a region containing the Hutt River. Of the other places, Havelock North is a Hawkes Bay town, Palmerston North is a city in the lower North Island and West Melton is a town in Canterbury.

Lower Hutt was the site of some of New Zealand's earliest settlement (1839-1840).

The city is part of the Wellington metropolitan area at the bottom of the North Island. It's about 650km (400 miles) north to Auckland. Drivers should allow eight hours for the journey.

Answer: Hastings

Hastings' is supposedly named after Warren Hastings, a Governor General of British India in the 18th Century. The other answers are English places related to military action in England in 1066. The Māori name of Heretaunga means 'a mooring place'.

There are two cities in Hawkes Bay on the East Coast of the North Island, the other being Napier. Hastings is the administrative center. Surrounding the city are the fertile, alluvial Heretaunga Plains. This resource means there are many orchards and other horticultural activities here, including wine production.

Travelers should expect a 5½ hour journey from Hastings to Auckland. The distance is 430km (270 miles).

Answer: Whanganui

From the 19th century, this town and then city has been called 'Wanganui'. However, local iwi (indigenous Māori) were unhappy with this and in recent times the city and river names have been officially changed to 'Whanganui' although both spellings remain in common use. Whāngā nui in Māori translates to 'big harbour'.

Visitors will certainly notice the dominant Whanganui River, with parts of the city built on both banks and connected by bridges. It is New Zealand's third longest river (290km/180 miles) after the Waikato (425km/264 miles) and Clutha (322km/200 miles).

In driving from Whanganui to Auckland, expect to see some fairly rugged scenery if you take the direct route on State Highways 4 (SH4) and 1 (SH1). SH4 affords numerous views along the Whanganui River. The distance by road is 450km (280 miles) and generally takes about 5½ hours.

Answer: Upper Hutt

Upper Hutt derives its name from Sir William Hutt, an English Parliamentarian. Hutt was a director of the New Zealand Company which helped with the settlement of the Wellington region in the late 1830s and early 1840s. He also lends his name to the Hutt Valley (containing Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt cities) and the Hutt River. The Māori name for Upper Hutt is Orongomai which means, "Rongomai's Place".

The other answers are all suburbs of Upper Hutt.

Upper Hutt is part of the Wellington metropolitan area at the bottom of the North Island. The drive from Upper Hutt to Auckland (near the top of the Island) takes about eight hours for the 645km (400 miles) distance.

Answer: Hamilton

'Kirikiriroa' is the Māori word for 'Hamilton'. The Māori name means, 'long stretch of gravel' referring to one of the Waikato River's banks. The river divides the city into Hamilton East and Hamilton West. Several bridges connect both parts. Hamilton is named after Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton, a naval commander killed in the NZ Land Wars during the 1860s.

Of the other answers, Oxford and Cambridge are both universities in England. Boat crews from there have raced Waikato University rowers on the river. New Zealand also has townships with those names. Cambridge (NZ) is just 24km (15 miles) south east of Hamilton, while Oxford (NZ) is in the Canterbury region of the South Island. Huntly is a town 32km (20 miles) north of Hamilton on State Highway 1. Both Cambridge and Huntly are on the banks of the Waikato River.

Just why Hamilton's nickname is, "The Tron" is a matter of conjecture. Suffice it to say, no one knows for sure.

It's a quick ninety minute drive north up State Highway 1 (SH1) from Hamilton to Auckland. The 125km (80 miles) distance features long stretches of motorway and bypasses of towns.

Answer: Napier

Napier is a Hawkes Bay city, just 20km (12½ miles) north of Hastings. Its name was formerly, 'Ahuriri' after a Māori chief. It was changed in the 1850s to honour Sir Charles Napier, a commander in British India.

The other names are all species of pine trees. The 'logs' reference in the question refers to John Napier, a Scottish mathematician who developed a system of calculation using logarithms (logs) in the 17th Century.

In 1931, an earthquake flattened most of the city and nearby Hastings resulting in 256 deaths. Reconstruction after the earthquake produced 'Art Deco' buildings. This decorative architectural style remains preserved in Napier and is celebrated by an annual festival.

The distance from Auckland to Napier is 415km (260 miles), and travelers should expect this to take about 5¼ hours by car.