Kaitaia is known as the gateway to the far north – it’s the last major town before you reach the top of New Zealand.  A busy farming town, it also supports vineyards, and fruit growing - especially avocados. Like most rural towns Kaitaia has its very own annual Agricultural & Pastoral Show, well over a hundred years old and one of the oldest in New Zealand.  Its Maori and European history is long and rich - with a strong Dalmatian community harking back to the days of the gum digging boom. The surrounding areas are home to many skilled craftspeople working in wood, pottery, paint, glass, ceramics, flax, bone, and greenstone.