Mount Maunganui College

Ever wonder what it's like inside a school that’s been around since 1958? This is Mount Maunganui College, a state coeducational secondary school here in Tauranga, New Zealand. It was established the same year that Tauranga College split into Tauranga Boys' College and Tauranga Girls' College. You can even see a Māori wharenui right here on the grounds.

As of March 2026, there are 1,810 students enrolled here, with 542 of them identifying as Māori. The school's Equity Index is 452, which means its students face average socioeconomic barriers to achievement.

This college has quite a history of achievements. They won the Auckland Stage Challenge competition in 2000, 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2013. Their 2010 performance also took home the National Stage Challenge competition award. And back in 2008, they put on the musical "Back to the 80's" at the Baycourt theatre, earning praise for the acting, the band's musical performance, and the lighting. Students even assembled a full-scale yellow kit car for the show.

They offer a lot of sports too, like Athletics, Badminton, Cricket, Cross Country, Golf, Mountain Biking, Hockey, Rugby, Waterpolo, and Table Tennis. They have a gym, a fitness centre, a 33-meter outdoor swimming pool, a basketball court, a large sports field, and several netball and tennis courts. There’s an annual sports exchange with Lynfield College in Auckland.

The school is divided into four houses, all named after birds: Ruru (which is green), Takahē (yellow), Huia (blue), and Kotuku (white).

The main road outside the school had a speed limit of 70 km/h, which led to many complaints. After a student died crossing the road in 2008, the speed limit was reduced to 50 km/h.

And some notable people have attended here, like historian Melanie Nolan, rugby player and coach Scott Robertson, actress Jessica Rose, and singer Joel Shadbolt.