TE PUKE Like many a town in New Zealand, Te Puke is a ‘capital’. In Te Puke’s case the Kiwi Fruit industry is that category of prominence. A combination of the climate and soils in the area has always made Te Puke a popular area for horticulture. Te Puke is just 30km from Tauranga, and as a result is a commute suburb for many residents. And, again like many of its counterparts Te Puke is a very vibrant community, including the commercial heart of the town. Te Puke is one of those places that seem to have the best of everything; good weather, close to a major hub, airport, beaches and shopping centres, and as result is becoming an increasingly desirable place to live Te Puke has a population of circa 7,000 and growing. Captain Cook, the first known European to visit the area in 1769. This was his first voyage to New Zealand, but he did not land here. Cook named the area the Bay of Plenty as he observed that it was well populated and looked very fertile. In 1830 Danish sailor Philip Tapsell, also known as Hans Homman Felk, settled nearby and operated as a trader. In the 1860s, European settlers began to move to the Bay of Plenty though not in great numbers. Te Puke is soon to have a purpose built museum, but there are some artifacts currently on display at the Library. The War Memorial is located at the Memorial Hall. The Anglican Church poses a striking presence on a hill near the town centre. The Te Puke Hotel has just recently celebrated its centenary.