Tītahi Bay, a suburb of Porirua in the North Island of New Zealand, lies at the foot of a short peninsula on the west coast of the Porirua Harbour, to the north of Porirua city centre. the suburb had a population of 7,524. Many location-shots in the 2007 Taika Waititi film Eagle vs Shark originated in Tītahi Bay.
History
The legendary Polynesian navigatorKupe landed at Komanga Point, 3 kilometres west of Titahi Bay, leaving an anchor stone which today can be seen at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. The area was settled by Māori for many years before the arrival of Europeans, and several pa sites are located nearby. The area was also the site of many inter-iwi conflicts, notably in the 1820s, when the area was invaded by the followers of Te Rauparaha. The first European residents were whalers operating from Korohiwa, between Titahi Bay and Komanga Point. During World War II, a camp housing US military personnel was built in Titahi Bay. In December 2010, the name of the suburb was officially changed to Tītahi Bay.
Titahi Bay is one kilometre from end to end and forms a bay. Surfing is a popular activity at Titahi Bay. Titahi Bay is a beach break that can be surfed on all tides and during periods of onshore winds is generally the time to go there. The surf breaks have a vast array of size and skill sets. From the Rocks to the famous Locals to the Fishermans Mainly all on North-Westerly swell direction. This all changes when South swell arrives, different breaks from different swell direction. A Surfing club has operated for over 30 years. Two NZ champions originate from T-Bar. The Titahi Bay Surf Life Saving Club is located in the centre of the bay. The boat sheds at the northern and southern ends of the beach are often featured in photographs of the area. The fossilised remains of a forest from the Pleistocene era are located at Titahi Bay and form an intertidal reef. The forest was dominated by podocarps and tree-ferns and dates from the last interglacial period 150,000–70,000 years ago.
Founded in 1945, the Titahi Bay Volunteer Fire Brigade operates an Iveco EuroCargo ML120E Type 2 Appliance and currently has 20 volunteer Firefighters. The Titahi Bay Volunteer Fire Brigade operates in the New Zealand Fire Service's Fire Region 3.
Titahi Bay School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students, with a roll of as of. Titahi Bay North School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of. Ngati Toa School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students, with a roll of.
Other schools
Titahi Bay Intermediate is a co-educational state intermediate for Year 7 to 8 students, with a roll of as of. St Pius X School is a co-educational state-integrated Catholic primary school for Year 1 to 6 students, with a roll of.
The cliffs along Titahi Bay have a history of rock climbing. Titahi Bay became the most popular rock-climbing spot in the Wellington area in the 1940s.
