Whakatane - kiwi capital of the world
20 Aug 2009
Whakatane - a small east coast town in New Zealand’s North Island - wants to become ‘Kiwi capital of the world’, claiming it’s the only place on earth where it’s possible to hear kiwis calling from the main street.
The Whakatane Kiwi Trust, which uses ‘Kiwi Capital’ as part of its branding, has announced the plan to coincide with the release of the area’s 100th kiwi chick in September.
Further discussion has been called for, but trustee Jacqui Hughes says the Kiwi Trust website and letterhead already carries the ‘Kiwi Capital’ slogan.
Kiwis calling
Whakatane was the one place in the world where you could hear kiwis calling from town streets, said Hughes.
"I’m not saying you can see them on the main street, but you can hear them from the main street," she said.
People who spent time at the Whakatane Heads heard them frequently, and the town’s residents had even seen kiwi in their backyards, she said.
While kiwi centres in other parts of the country could guarantee the sight of a kiwi in specially-built aviaries, Hughes said there was an important difference in Whakatane.
"Our birds are wild - they are not held in captivity," she said.
Town marketing
Mary Hermanson, Eastern Bay Economic Development Agency marketing manager, welcomed another way of promoting the town, but said there would have to be further consultation to assure a coordinated approach to the "Kiwi Capital" branding.
She said other slogans had been used for the town at various times, with "Sunshine Capital" being one of the latest proposals.
The "Sunshine Capital" recalled an outcry earlier this year after NIWA (New Zealand’s national weather institute) rejected Whakatane’s recorded sunshine hours for 2008 - which were far greater than any other part of the country, she said.
"Some time ago some people suggested the ‘Tuna Capital’, but it didn’t have legs," said Hermanson. "‘Gateway to White Island’ was another possible slogan, she said.
Hermanson said anything that promoted Whakatane should be considered.
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