Whangarei (pop. 90,960) is a district in the northeastern part of the North Island of New Zealand. It stands where the Hatea River flows into Whangarei Harbour. To the northeast of the district is a native bush reserve featuring Mount Parahaki, which rises to 794 feet (242 meters) above sea level. The jagged peaks of the Whangarei Heads dominate the northern shore of the harbor entrance.
Whangarei is the administrative center for the Northland Region. It has many government offices, a library, and a base hospital for northern New Zealand. Whangarei Harbour is a major port. Marsden Point Oil Refinery lies on the southern shore of the harbor. Whangarei’s airport is in Onerahi.
The first European settler occupied land in the Whangarei area in 1839. The settlement grew into a town in 1882 and a borough in 1896.
