Dominated by Mount Taranaki, an almost perfect volcanic cone from which the region takes its name, Taranaki is noted for dairying, and its petro-chemical and engineering industries. In Māori legend, Taranaki was a mountain god who lived alongside the North Island’s three other main mountains (Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngaruhoe) on the Central Plateau. Taranaki quarrelled with Tongariro for the heart of pretty Mount Pihanga, and after losing the ensuing battle strode off to its current location, creating the Whanganui River in its wake. These days the 2,518m peak is the central icon for the region, dominating views and delivering a wide range of visitor and lifestyle experiences.
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