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Lady on the Rock - Wairaka

The Lady on the Rock

The Lady on the Rock statue is widely recognised as a symbol of our region, unveiled at the Whakatāne Heads in 1965 as a memorial to the wife of Sir William Sullivan who was a driving force in Whakatāne during the 20th century. The striking bronze statue atop Turuturu Rock lies at the mouth of the Whakatāne River and commemorates the bravery of Wairaka, the daughter of Toroa, captain-navigator of the Mataatua waka.

When the Mataatua waka first arrived at Whakatāne after making a perilous voyage from Ngāti Awa’s ancestral homeland of Hawaiki 600 years ago, the men left the women alone in the canoe while they went ashore. When the canoe started to drift back to sea, Wairaka defied the tapu that forbade women to handle a canoe and seized the paddle to bring the waka back to shore crying,

"Kia Whakatāne au i ahau’ – I will act the part of a man."

This cry is the origin of the town's name.

You can easily view this renowned monument from Muriwai Drive, Whakatāne.

Contact Details

Muriwai Drive
Whakatane
New Zealand

More things to do

Five minutes from Whakatāne, this championship course offers a great golf experience and is one of the finest golf courses in the Bay of Plenty.

This sculpture, commissioned by the Molly Morpeth Canaday Trust and crafted by Jonathon Campbell in 2007, honors the renowned New Zealand author Margaret Mahy.

This 18-hole rural golf course sits alongside the Rangitaiki River and provides a very welcoming relaxed atmosphere for every golfer that pops in for a round.

Everyone welcome, from first-time anglers to experienced fishermen. Because a day fishing is never a day wasted!

Otuawhaki has great importance for Ngāti Awa as a fishing ground and place of learning.

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