You’ve probably seen the photo. A traveler stands grinning in front of a sign so long it looks like a panoramic shot gone wrong. It’s a string of letters that seems to defy the laws of English—and for a good reason, because it’s Māori. We are talking about Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu.
Honestly, even for Kiwis, it’s a bit of a mouthful. Most people just call it Taumata Hill. But if you want to be pedantic about the "longest town name New Zealand" search, there is a tiny bit of a catch you should know. It isn’t technically a town. It’s a hill.
The hill sits near Pōrangahau in southern Hawke’s Bay. It stands about 305 meters high, which is modest, but its name carries the weight of a Guinness World Record. With 85 characters, it officially holds the title for the longest place name in the world.
What the longest town name New Zealand actually means
Names in te reo Māori aren't just labels; they are stories. This isn't just a random scramble of vowels and consonants. It’s a poem.
The translation is basically this: “The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the slider, climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his kōauau (flute) to his loved one.”
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Kinda beautiful, right?
Who was Tamatea?
Tamatea-pōkai-whenua was a legendary explorer. He’s a big deal in Māori history. Think of him as the Polynesian version of Odysseus, but with much better knees, apparently. The name "Pōkai Whenua" literally means "land circumnavigator" or "land eater."
The story goes that while Tamatea was traveling through the back of Pōrangahau, he got into a skirmish with another tribe. His brother was killed in the fight. Grieved, Tamatea stayed on that hill for days. Every morning, he would sit at the summit and play a lament on his kōauau—a small Māori flute—to honor his lost brother.
Is it a town, a village, or just a very long sign?
When people search for the "longest town name New Zealand," they are usually looking for a destination they can plug into a GPS.
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If you drive to the coordinates ($40^{\circ} 20' 46'' S, 176^{\circ} 32' 25'' E$), you won't find a bustling metropolis. You won't even find a post office with that name. What you'll find is a very long, very famous fence-line sign on Wimbledon Road.
The nearest actual town is Pōrangahau. It’s a quiet, coastal spot known for fishing and a classic country pub called the Duke of Edinburgh. If you’re planning a trip to see the name, Pōrangahau is where you’ll likely grab a meat pie or a coffee.
The 85-letter controversy
There are actually longer versions of the name. Some iterations reach 92 or even 105 letters. The 85-letter version is the one that stuck in the Guinness World Records.
For a while, a place in Wales called Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch tried to claim the top spot. It’s a village, so it actually wins the "longest town name" title if we’re being strict about "towns" versus "places." But in terms of sheer character count for a geographical feature, New Zealand wins every time.
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How to actually get there (and what to do)
If you're making the pilgrimage, don't expect a theme park. It’s a rural road in the Hawke's Bay region.
- The Drive: Head south from Waipukurau. It’s about a 50-minute drive through rolling farmland.
- The Turn: Look for Wimbledon Road.
- The Photo: The sign is about 5km down that road. It’s on the side of the road, so be careful with where you park.
The hill itself is on private land. You can't just wander up it without permission. However, the local iwi (tribe), Ngāti Kere, are the guardians of the land. In recent years, they’ve started offering guided tours and cultural experiences through their official site. It's a much better way to see it than just snapping a blurry photo from the car window.
Practical steps for your visit
If you're serious about ticking the longest town name New Zealand off your bucket list, keep these tips in mind:
- Check the weather: Hawke's Bay can get scorching in summer and surprisingly misty in winter. The sign is outdoors and exposed.
- Pronunciation is key: If you want to impress the locals, break it down. Tau-ma-ta-wha-ka-ta-ngi... actually, just call it Taumata Hill. They’ll know what you mean.
- Respect the land: This is a wāhi tapu (sacred site). Don't hop the fences.
- Visit the Duke: After you get your photo, head into Pōrangahau town. Support the local community. They’re used to "name-hunters" passing through and are generally happy to chat about the history.
The next thing you should do is look into the Ngāti Kere guided walks. Walking the actual land with a local guide who can explain the whakapapa (genealogy) of Tamatea turns a quirky road trip stop into a deep cultural experience.