Polynesians, who discovered New Zealand after their epic journey across the Pacific Ocean from Hawaiki, settled in the Bay of Plenty about 1,000 years ago. More than 400 years went by before the Bay of Plenty was to be given its name. The man responsible was Captain James Cook during his circumnavigation of New Zealand in 1769.

The first European settlement happened in the early 1830’s and was a mixture of traders and missionaries. James Farrow was the first permanent trader in the Bay of Plenty and came to Tauranga in 1829 to obtain flax fibre for Australian merchants. Soon after Philip Tapsell arrived at Maketu as a flax trader in the late 1830’s for Te Arawa. The mission site was chosen in 1835 and a permanent mission presence was established. The Te Papa Mission House (known today at ‘The Elms) was completed in 1847.

But Tauranga didn't flourish immediately - it got off to a slow start. In the 1860's many military settlers abandoned their land and left. Maori opposed the surveying and settlement of farm lots and it was considered dangerous to settle on the farms. 

In the 1880's there was a slump in the economy over much of New Zealand and the township of Tauranga was still struggling. Population dropped from about 1250 in 1882 to under 1000 by 1900. It wasn't until 1882 that Tauranga became a borough with its first Mayor George Vesey Stewart. Mr Stewart immigrated to New Zealand from Ireland after a failed business. He was popular because he brought in total six shiploads of settlers to the region and Tauranga residents were ecstatic, certain that the future prosperity of the region was assured.

In the early 1900's things began to improve with the introduction of the water supply and electricity at Omanawa and McLarens Falls. Lloyd Mandeno had the country's first electric house.