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Story: Bay of Plenty region

A bay of plenty

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A bay of plenty

This excerpt from a journal entry for 1 November 1769 records James Cook’s first impressions of the Bay of Plenty. The large areas of cultivated land and the friendliness of Māori inspired the name he gave the region.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Reference: Beaglehole, J. C., The journals of Captain James Cook on his voyage of discovery: the voyage of the Endeavour, 1768-1771. Cambridge: Hakluyt Society, 1955, pp. 188-189

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How to cite this page

Malcolm McKinnon, Bay of Plenty region – Māori and European: 1769 to 1869, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/5573/a-bay-of-plenty (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Malcolm McKinnon, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 August 2016.