the country for a period of about three years and this saw the introduction of electricity for the first time. The board mill at Whakatane began as a small operation in 1939 but has grown over the years, it continues operating to this day.
The Whakatane River once had a much longer and more circuitous route along the western edge of the Whakatane urban area, having been significantly re-coursed in the 1960's with a couple of it's loopier loops removed to help prevent flooing and provide for expansion of the town. Remnants of the original watercourse remain as Lake Sullivan and the Awatapu lagoon. It was around this time the Landing Road Bridge was constructed to replace the old bridge at the (aptly named) Bridge Street.
The area of the town centre around Kakahoroa Drive was reclaimed around 1970 and later developed in the 1990's. The Hub, a controversial large-format retail shopping centre on the edge of the town, was built in 2005-2007.
The town is recognized locally as the main urban centre of the Eastern Bay Of Plenty sub-region, incorporating Whakatane, Kawerau, and Opotiki and stretching from Pikowai in the west, to Whangaparoa in the north-east and Whirinaki in the south. It has benefited from 'coastal drift' of local maori from the heartland, it's relative dominance over numerous smaller and less prosperous towns surrounding it, such as Te Teko (affectionately known as 'Texas') and Waimana, and it's popularity as a retirement destination.
Mataatua Declaration in 1993
The 'First International Conference on the Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples' was held in Whakatane from June 12 to 18, 1993. This resulted in the Mataatua Declaration on Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples', commonly referred to as the Mataatua Declaration.
Flooding in 2004
Heavy rain struck the Bay of Plenty and Whakatane on 16�18 July 2004 causing severe flooding and
