WHANGAREI   'Captain Cook and the crew of the Endeavour were the first Europeans to contemplate the Whangarei Harbour entrance. In November 1769 they caught about one hundred fish there which they classified as 'bream' (probably snapper) prompting Cook to name the area Bream Bay' (quote wickipedia). Bream Head is one of the key navigation land marks on the East Coast of NZ. On the opposite side to Bream Head is Ocean Beach, a popular local surfing location. Whangarei is the capitol city of the North of New Zealand. Whangarei is a port city that lies between a headland and hill/mountain ranges to the west. Whangarai services the many townships and regions to the north. The population was estimated to be 51,400 at the June 2009. The Hatea River flows south through the city and empties into Whangarei Harbour. The river has a spectacular 26 m waterfall is 6 km north of the city. Over recent times the Whangarei water front has been very attractively upgraded and is now a key focal point for the citizens of the city. Located at the waterfront is Grahams Clock Museum and is well worth the visit.     The Whangarei urban area includes the suburbs of Kamo where one of Northlands stately hotel is located