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Visiting Hawke's Bay made easy -
itineraries, events, accommodation

Welcome to Autumn in Hawke’s Bay. With sunlight and blue skies extending right through Autumn and Winter Hawke’s Bay is a great place to experience in the coming months.

Hawke’s Bay is stylish but still country, unlimited activities, great people to enjoy. Excellent accommodation accompanied by delicious wine and food. All close at hand – within 30 minutes from everywhere.

Read on for essential information for the discerning traveller to Hawke’s Bay. We will make it easy for you to see Hawke’s Bay as a destination and win accolades from your clients.

News Feature

Hawke’s Bay Opera House Opens
Friday March 24, 2006 was the date of the official opening of the beautifully restored Hawke’s Bay Opera House. Further work is to come on the Municipal Building and on street works and urban design around the precinct.

The Hastings Municipal Theatre, as we have known it, was given a Category One listing by the Historic Places Trust in 1990.

That’s because it is one of New Zealand’s most significant examples of Spanish Mission-style architecture, with the added interest of its Art Nouveau interior.

As well, it is regarded as one of the best lyric theatres in Australasia.

The architect, Henry Eli White, was born in Dunedin, and during his career designed 130 theatres. This one in Hastings is one of the few left in New Zealand. Another, built as His Majesty’s Theatre, and now known as the St James, in Wellington, was the largest theatre in Australasia when it was built – and also the first steel framed reinforced concrete theatre in New Zealand.

White used an innovative cantilever design principle in his theatres, which avoided the use of columns to hold up the dress circle and gallery, and thus gave the audience a better view of the stage.

This theatre was completed in 1915, with 1110 seats at a cost of £12,000!

Upcoming Events May-July 2005

Gretchen Albrecht Exhibition
Sun 7 May 2006 - Wed 31 May 2006
Gretchen Albrecht is one of NZ's most significant artists. This exhibition is of her powerfully colourful prints. 10% of the proceeds of this exhibition will go to Cranford Hospice. A preview will be held at the Gallery on Sunday the 7th of May - wine and nibbles served. More info . . .

Midlands Hawke’s Bay Charity Wine Auction –
Church Road Winery
4th June 2006
The Hawke’s Bay Charity Wine Auction 2006 is New Zealand’s ‘Oldest Wine Auction” and as each year goes by the lots get bigger and more people come from further a field. The news is out! Hawke’s Bay gold is not confined to the bare rolling hills of summer, it lies within the lives, hopes and dreams of those who give to make this event possible.

Giving, as practised by the good vintners, sommeliers, chefs, artist and supporters of the Midlands Hawke’s Bay Charity Wine Auction is a celebration of themselves and community. Not only do they give but also they offer their best unstintingly. Hence the lots we have in front of us today represent the epitome of excellence. These wines are the very finest their makers can produce. Their art, passion, knowledge and skill is infused in every drop. More info .

. .

Matariki Festival Maori New Year Celebration
of New Zealand 2006
Sat 3 Jun 2006 - Fri 16 Jun 2006
New Zealand's biggest celebrations to welcome the Maori 'new year' planting season. Hosting the country's premiere hot air balloon gathering, one-of-a-kind pyrotechnics spectacular like no other, concerts by international and national indigenous dance companies, and a superb dining occasion hosted by Matariki Wines. More info . . .

Creative Napier Winter Solstice Fire Fest
Saturday 18 June 2006
The combination of fire, excitement and tradition continues to inspire the supporters and organisers of Creative Napier’s Solstice Fire Festival.

This midwinter celebration on Saturday June 18 is a free, fun event for the whole community with a multicultural programme featuring fire artists, musicians, dancers, beach fire sculpture and spectacular fireworks display.

Historically, Solstice celebrates the day the winter days stop getting shorter and begin getting longer as the sun returns to our hemisphere.
Celebrating this day is an ancient tradition all over the planet.

Our Solstice also celebrates the warmth of Napier – a town where you can stage a beachfront festival in midwinter and get away with it. More info . . .

TRENZ 2006 will once again be held in the beautiful garden city of Christchurch in June. We invite those of you attending to come and meet Y Hawke’s Bay members, Church Road and Greenhill on our stands. We’d love to share the delights of our region with you. We are happy to discuss packages and share our combined experience and ideas to make things easy for you to send your clients to Hawke’s Bay, for an unforgettable experience.

Visit us on Church Road or Greenhill stands during one of the TRENZ happy hours and enjoy a glass of Hawke's Bay liquid sunshine with us.

Hawke’s Bay Wine – simply the best of the best!

The wineries are currently absorbed with wine vintage with the last of this years harvesting underway. It’s looking like a great year for our wines, especially the whites.

Recently we have tasted some splendid new releases – spicy syrahs, delicious merlots and elegant chardonnays. Geoff Wilson of Y Hawke’s Bay’s Long Island Tours knows the wineries and their wines intimately and can offer an excellent day behind the scenes at the vineyards experiencing and tasting the very best of the best .

Find out more . . .

New Zealand Bed Bank
Greenhill The Lodge and Cobden Villa have both signed up to New Zealand Bed Bank. This service offers an accurate status of accommodation availability at not cost to all inbound operators and wholesalers coupled with a simple, online, instant booking system. Why not check out their website www.nzbedbank.com.

Two Hawke’s Bay packages to enhance your clients experience and remember normal commissions apply.

Package 1 - Ref - 0030

Stay 3 nights,
pay just for 2!
Pay for two nights of luxury at one of Hawke’s Bays finest establishments, Greenhill The Lodge, and receive a bonus third night free.

Your package includes:

• 3 nights luxury accommodation at Greenhill The Lodge
• full use of all lodge facilities
• pre dinner cocktails and canapés each evening
• your choice of continental, cooked or combined breakfast each morning
• 4 course table d’hote dinner featuring seasonal Hawke’s Bay produce each evening (optional)

Prices in New Zealand Dollars based on double occupancy inclusive of local taxes are:

Package 2 - Ref - 0031

All inclusive rack price is $1,190 double occupancy.

Enjoy two nights of luxury in the romantic Chiparus Suite at "Art Deco" Style Cobden Villa. Clients can relax in the spa tub with a complimentary bottle of local wine or unwind from a full day's travel in the double shower steam room. Gourmet breakfast included and a museum tour and lunch for two with a bottle of reserve wine at Church Road Winery. A four hour scenci tour to Cape Kidnappers with Gannet Safaris Overland. An exhilarating journey enjoying some of New Zealand's most spectacular, unspoilt rural and coastal scenery.

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