Katikati
Part open-air art gallery, part avocado orchard, and entirely its own thing — Katikati is the Bay of Plenty's most distinctive small town, sitting at the northern gateway to the region with murals on its walls and avo on its toast.
← Things To DoOverview
Katikati sits at the northern end of the Bay of Plenty, cradled by hills and looking out over the Tauranga Harbour. It is the gateway town for travellers entering the Bay from the Waikato or the Coromandel, and it makes a strong first impression. The surrounding land is rolling and green, thick with avocado and citrus orchards, and the town itself has a tidy, well-kept character that speaks to the community's pride in its appearance and identity.
The town was famously settled by Ulster Irish immigrants in the 1870s — one of the few planned Protestant Irish settlements in New Zealand's history. That heritage is acknowledged in the town's history and cultural traditions, though today the community is as diverse as any comparable Bay of Plenty town. The original settlers carved farms and orchards from bush and scrubland, establishing an agricultural tradition that continues to define the area.
With a population of around 4,500, Katikati punches well above its weight for visitor appeal. Its two major claims to fame — the outdoor mural collection and its status as the avocado capital of New Zealand — have brought genuine recognition, and the town has invested consistently in the amenities and experiences that make visiting worthwhile.
Things to Do
The Katikati Mural Town project has been transforming the town since 1991, when the first mural was painted on a building wall to combat the drabness of the main street. Today there are more than 40 murals spread throughout the town, depicting scenes of local history, Māori legend, natural landscapes, and community life. A self-guided walking map is available from the i-SITE to take visitors through the full collection. It is a genuinely enriching way to spend a morning, and the art itself is of a consistently high standard.
The Haiku Pathway winds through Uretara Domain along the banks of the Uretara Stream, offering one of New Zealand's most quietly wonderful short walks. Carved stone and timber haiku markers are placed along the path, each bearing a poem that responds to the natural surroundings. The combination of running water, native plantings, and contemplative verse makes this a genuinely restorative experience unlike anything else in the Bay of Plenty.
The Katikati Bird Gardens is a delightful attraction for families and birdwatching enthusiasts, with a remarkable collection of native and exotic bird species in a well-designed garden setting. For those who love the outdoors, the Kaimai Range is just to the west, with several walking tracks including the popular walk to McLaren Falls and the spectacular Wairere Falls — the tallest waterfall in the North Island.
Food & Drink
Avocados are inescapable in Katikati, and rightly so. The region produces a significant proportion of New Zealand's avocado crop, and the fruit turns up on menus throughout the town in every configuration imaginable. During the summer harvest season, roadside stalls selling fresh avocados by the bag are a charming local institution and an opportunity to buy at prices that are almost absurdly good compared with city supermarkets.
The town's café scene is compact but well-formed. A handful of good cafés cluster along Main Road, offering solid coffee, wholesome brunch menus, and a relaxed pace of service that suits the town's character. Local produce features prominently — seasonal fruit, eggs from nearby farms, and honey from local beekeepers all make regular appearances.
Katikati is also within easy reach of several excellent wineries and craft beverage producers in the western Bay of Plenty, making it a natural base for a food and drink touring weekend. The combination of genuine agricultural heritage, a welcoming main street, and outstanding local produce makes Katikati a more rewarding food destination than its size might suggest.
Community & Character
Katikati has a strong civic identity and a community that takes active pride in its town. The mural project did not just add art to blank walls — it catalysed a broader culture of community investment and creativity that persists today. Local organisations, sports clubs, schools, and businesses all contribute to a full calendar of events and a strong sense of shared purpose. The Katikati A&P Show is a highlight of the rural calendar and draws visitors from across the wider Bay of Plenty.
The town's setting — between the Kaimai Range to the west and the harbour to the east — gives it a particular kind of sheltered intimacy. Residents feel genuinely connected to their landscape, and that connection expresses itself in active environmental stewardship, including planting programmes along local waterways and sustained effort to protect the Uretara Domain.
For those passing through on the way to Tauranga or the Bay's beaches, Katikati rewards a longer stop than most gateway towns. Its combination of genuine history, outdoor art, good food, and natural beauty adds up to something that feels both authentic and special — a small town that has found a confident way to tell its own story.
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