Story: City history and people

Port trade, 2008

Port trade, 2008

One reason for Tauranga becoming a main city was the strong growth of its port after the Kaimai rail tunnel opened in 1978. This connected the city to the export forests of the central North Island. By 2008 its port was second only to Auckland in the value of its trade. Wellington, once the country’s largest port, had been reduced to a minor player. In the South Island, Christchurch had the busiest seaport and airport, although Dunedin’s Port Chalmers dominated the export trade.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

David Thorns and Ben Schrader, 'City history and people - New cities', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/graph/23534/port-trade-2008 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by David Thorns and Ben Schrader, published 11 Mar 2010