Matata: Lagoon, Coast and Cultural Heritage

Matata brings together a lagoon landscape, coastline and cultural history. Te Awa o Te Atua (Matata Lagoon) is of great cultural and ecological importance and shapes the connection between the community and Mana Whenua and their Rohe. For your stay, you can consider whether you are most interested in the lagoon and its wildlife, beach activities or the history of the place. The short loop walk through the dunes and the opportunities for swimming and surfcasting offer different ways to experience Matata.

Lagoon and Birdwatching

The Matatā Lagoon Track is a short walking track around the Matatā Wildlife Refuge. The loop passes through the dunes beside the refuge; there is also a birdwatching shelter along the track. This offers a distinct focus for anyone interested in the lagoon and its birdlife. Access to the track begins on Arawa Street. From there, a 200-metre gravel road leads to the car park at the starting point. This route description can help you factor access into your plans for your stay.

Matata Lagoon is recognised as an area of special wildlife interest with high value as a wildlife habitat. If you are interested in nature and wildlife, you can make the loop walk and birdwatching shelter specific experiences to consider. The lagoon is not just a natural environment: its cultural significance is also part of Matata’s character. Te Awa o Te Atua, the name by which the area was originally known, means “River of the Gods”.

Coast and Stays in Matata

Surfcasting and swimming are possible at Matatā Beach. Matata also offers views of Moutohorā, Whakaari/White Island and along the East Coast. When choosing holiday accommodation or a holiday home, you can consider what you want to focus on during your stay: time on the coast, wildlife watching at the lagoon or an interest in the history of the place. The different experiences offer various clues to what you might want to discover in Matata.

Matatā Campsite is a family-friendly campsite on the coast, next to the Matatā Wildlife Refuge. It can be reached from Arawa Street via a 200-metre gravel road. For families planning a trip, this is a specific local accommodation option that differs from looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home. Which type of accommodation suits your holiday depends on whether you are looking for a campsite or holiday accommodation, and which of the landscape and cultural experiences are especially important to your trip.

Matata’s Cultural History

The region’s history is also connected to Te Awa o Te Atua. Kohika Pā is a swamp pā with preserved wooden artefacts and archaeological structures. The structures described include house floors, pits, posthole patterns and a burial. Kohika Pā was probably inhabited 300 to 400 years ago. The historic site is private and not open to the public, so it cannot be included as a destination on a public excursion.

Preserved wooden artefacts are rare. No comparable site to Kohika Pā is known in the Rangitaiki Plains or the Bay of Plenty. This regional context makes the archaeological story particularly interesting, even though the site itself is not open to the public. For your trip planning, this means you can appreciate Matata’s cultural history as part of the place, while the lagoon, track and coast are the described points of interest that are accessible to visitors during your stay.

If you’d like to explore more local pages: Awakeri, Whakatane, Minginui, Edgecumbe, Taneatua, Nukuhou, Murupara and Ohope.

For the broader travel overview: Whakatane District.