Last updated October 2026
Tauriko sits on the western edge of Tauranga as a mix of rural land, industrial activity and expanding residential areas. The suburb takes its name from the early Tauranga Rimu Company sawmill rather than a traditional Māori place name, and today it anchors major employment and retail around the Tauriko Business Estate and Tauranga Crossing.
State Highway 29 runs through the area, linking it to the city centre, the port and inland routes. Ongoing enabling works support new housing at Tauriko West while protecting freight movement and adding walking and cycling links. Visitors and residents find a practical base for shopping, work and access to the wider western corridor.
Official Suburb Facts
- Population (2023 Census)
- About 1,240, up 1% since 2018
- Land area
- 10.11 km²
- Location
- 7.8 km south-west of central Tauranga
- Council
- Tauranga City Council
- Ward or local board
- Tauriko General Ward
- Getting there
- Main access via State Highway 29, Cambridge Road, Belk Road, Redwood Lane and Taurikura Drive; Baybus services including the Crosstown route to Tauranga Crossing and Baybus OnDemand covering Tauriko and nearby southern suburbs
- Main shopping
- Tauranga Crossing (Taurikura Drive)
- Schools
- Tauriko School
- Nearby landmarks
- Tauranga Crossing, Tauriko Business Estate, Wairoa River corridor, The Lakes
Who Lives in Tauriko
About 1,240 residents in 410 households. From the 2023 Census, with the New Zealand figure alongside for comparison.
In Tauriko
Places and businesses inside the official Tauriko boundary.
Businesses
About Tauriko
Tauriko occupies a strategic position on Tauranga’s western fringe where rural landscapes meet industrial and commercial development. The area includes the established Tauriko Business Estate and the large Tauranga Crossing retail centre, with further residential growth planned at Tauriko West beside the Wairoa River.
The suburb forms part of the wider Tauriko ward, which also takes in parts of Pyes Pā, Greerton south of Chadwick Road, The Lakes and surrounding rural pockets.
The name Tauriko is not of Māori origin. It derives from the Tauranga Rimu Company (often shortened to Taurico or Tau-Ri-Co), a sawmilling operation established in the early twentieth century. Because the letter C does not appear in the Māori alphabet, the spelling was adjusted to Tauriko to resemble a Māori form.
The Gamman family and later operators ran mills and tramways that moved rimu and other timber from inland bush toward the coast, leaving a lasting industrial imprint on the place name.
Mana whenua connections remain strong. Hapū including Ngāi Tamarāwaho and Ngāti Hangarau hold interests in the wider western corridor and The Lakes area, with the Wairoa Awa (River) recognised for its cultural, heritage and landscape values.
Planning for new development has emphasised protection of these values alongside housing and employment growth. The suburb today functions as both a workplace destination and a gateway between central Tauranga and inland Bay of Plenty routes.
Character is practical and evolving. Large-format retail, light industry and logistics sit alongside remaining rural land and emerging neighbourhoods. Improvements to SH29 intersections, shared paths and underpasses aim to make daily movement safer for vehicles, freight, buses, walkers and cyclists as the western corridor continues to develop.
History and Heritage
European industrial activity centred on timber. The Tauranga Rimu Company mill site and associated tramway infrastructure appear in early survey records, with boarding houses, sheds and workers’ cottages supporting the operation. Logs were moved from bush blocks toward processing and export. The contracted company name stuck and became the suburb’s official label.
Earlier Māori occupation of the broader district included kainga and resource use along the Wairoa and inland routes. Later land changes following the New Zealand Wars and subsequent settlement patterns shaped the modern cadastral layout. Contemporary planning documents for Tauriko West explicitly seek to safeguard the river’s cultural and landscape significance while enabling new homes and local centres.
Getting Around
State Highway 29 is the primary arterial, with key junctions at Redwood Lane, Belk Road and Cambridge Road subject to major upgrades under the Tauriko Enabling Works delivered jointly by Tauranga City Council and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.
New roundabouts, signalised intersections, shared walking and cycling paths and underpasses improve safety and multi-modal access. Local roads such as Taurikura Drive serve the retail and business estate areas.
Public transport includes the Crosstown bus serving Tauranga Crossing and Baybus OnDemand, a flexible service covering Tauriko, The Lakes, Pyes Pā, Greerton and Gate Pā. School bus routes also operate to Tauriko School and transfer points at the Crossing. Ongoing works will add further bus priority and cycle facilities as housing demand grows.
Shopping and Dining
Tauranga Crossing on Taurikura Drive is the main retail destination, offering a wide range of stores, a supermarket and dining options with extensive parking and a bus stop nearby. The surrounding Tauriko Business Estate supports employment-focused commercial activity.
Future neighbourhood and local centres are planned within the Tauriko West growth area to serve day-to-day needs once housing is established. The suburb’s retail offer is oriented toward convenience and large-format shopping rather than a traditional village main street.
Near Tauriko
Just outside Tauriko, within 5 km of its centre, nearest first.
Places
Businesses
Where to Learn More
Tauranga City Council – Tauriko neighbourhood: Overview of the Tauriko ward, growth projects and local representation.
Tauranga City Council – New community: Tauriko West: Details on the planned housing community, plan changes and enabling infrastructure.
Wikipedia – Tauriko: Summary of location, name origin and demographic notes citing primary references.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Tauriko in Tauranga?
Tauriko lies on the western side of Tauranga along State Highway 29, near The Lakes, Pyes Pā and the approach to inland routes.
Is Tauriko a good place to live or visit?
It suits people seeking proximity to major retail and employment at Tauranga Crossing and the Business Estate, with improving transport links and planned new housing nearby.
How do I get to Tauriko by public transport?
Baybus Crosstown services stop at Tauranga Crossing on Taurikura Drive, and Baybus OnDemand covers Tauriko and adjoining southern suburbs; check current timetables on the Baybus website.
What is the main shopping centre in Tauriko?
Tauranga Crossing on Taurikura Drive is the primary retail and dining destination, with large parking areas and bus access.
Are there schools in Tauriko?
Tauriko School serves the local area; secondary students typically travel to colleges elsewhere in Tauranga via school or public transport.
What does the name Tauriko mean?
It is a shortened and adapted form of Tauranga Rimu Company (Taurico), altered to Tauriko because C is not used in the Māori alphabet; it is not an original Māori place name.
What major developments are happening in Tauriko?
SH29 enabling works are upgrading intersections and adding shared paths to support the Tauriko Business Estate and the new Tauriko West residential community.
Is Tauriko near the Wairoa River?
Yes, the Wairoa Awa borders parts of the western growth area and is recognised for cultural and landscape values in local planning.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Explore Tauranga only lists suburbs officially recognised by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), and Tauriko is one of them. Suburb boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.