This whole area is worth an hour of your time for both its historic and scenic attractions. If you happen to be here mid-afternoon on a sunny day, it is quite delightful. The area is within easy walking distance of the central business district.

Of the two Cook statues, it is the monument on Kaiti Hill, within Titirangi Reserve, however, that is the most interesting. The bronze statue was erected with much enthusiasm at the time of the bicentenary of the landing of Cook in 1969. The problem is that the statue is not of Captain Cook and the uniform of the statue is not even British. Whom the person depicted actually was, is unknown to everyone.

How such a total bungle happened appears to be a mystery. Naturally the statue has been a source of delight for photographers and a source of embarrassment for historians. Go see it and join countless thousands who have a picture of what must be one of the world’s most strange memorials. It has become a major attraction for visitors to Gisborne. You can drive up the hill or take the walkway which starts along Kaiti Beach Road. It is a bit of a walk but the views on the way up the hill and the statue itself are worth the effort. City tours naturally include this in their itinerary if walking seems too much. One of the largest Maori carved meeting houses in New Zealand is situated at the foot of Kaiti Hill.

When Cook arrived, the area was occupied by four Maori tribes. These people grew some crops on the fertile plains and lived in large fortified villages. In one afternoon, however, the Maori people suddenly found themselves face to face with a European technological world. Their history was changed irreversibly from that day.

Despite this being "the most significant single historic site in New Zealand", the area has changed very significantly from when Cook arrived. What you see today is a monument that was erected in 1906. The old shoreline is gone, the natural channel used by the Maori for centuries for canoe access to the river and which Cook used to land his smaller boats is now buried under tons of land reclamation. In fact by the mid 1950’s, reclamation and industrial development threatened the whole site. Fortunately the area surrounding the monument was declared an historic site in 1964 and was designated a National Historic Reserve and placed under the guardianship of the Department of Conservation in 1990.

Since then the site has been landscaped and a conservation plan developed. The landscaping includes a garden of native plants (Banks garden) that has been designed to acknowledge the first botanical studies carried out by Joseph Banks of the Endeavour. The location at the start of Kaiti Beach Road is an easy walk from the central city.

What you think of this site depends on your interest in history. For me it was what the site represents, not what is there today. Frankly, the monument itself has only passing interest. When Cook ‘discovered’ the east coast of New Zealand it was a cause of celebration. For the Maori people it was a time of astonishment and fear. By the time the Endeavour left Gisborne Harbour, the encounter had turned into a time of tragedy and confusion. Nine Maori were killed or injured while Cook named the rich region Poverty Bay, "as it afforded nothing we wanted". It was all a disaster.

While in this general area, take a look at the Millennium Wall, which has been built on the city side of Turanganui River, at Inner Harbour. Turanganui River is claimed to be the shortest river in the world by the locals. The wall is made from plaques made by schoolchildren of the region. There are several excellent cafes and restaurants near the wall.