Mount Maunganui College

You're at Mount Maunganui College, a state coeducational secondary school in Tauranga, New Zealand. It opened in 1958, the same year Tauranga College split into Tauranga Boys' College and Tauranga Girls' College. You can see a Māori wharenui on the grounds.

As of March 2026, there are 1,810 students here, with 542, or about 29.9%, identifying as Māori. The school's Equity Index is 452 in 2026, which means its students face average socioeconomic barriers to achievement, similar to schools that were formerly rated deciles 5 and 6.

The college has a history of success in the Auckland Stage Challenge competition, winning in 2000, 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2013. Their 2010 performance even won the National Stage Challenge competition. In 2008, the school put on the musical *Back to the 80's* at the Baycourt theatre in Tauranga. That production was praised for its acting, the band's musical performance, and the lighting displays. The props and costumes, including a full-scale yellow kit car that students assembled and repaired, also received high praise. The school band, which is mostly jazz-focused, was dedicated to the show's success.

Mount Maunganui College offers a lot of sports, both winter and summer. These include Athletics, Badminton, Cricket, Cross Country, Golf, Mountain Biking, Hockey, Rugby, Waterpolo, and Table Tennis. While they support high-level athletes, the school really emphasizes participation. Big events include a regional sporting tournament week, school-wide running, swimming, and athletics, and an annual sports exchange with Lynfield College in Auckland. For facilities, there's a gym, a fitness center, a 33-meter outdoor swimming pool, a basketball court, a large sports field, and several netball and tennis courts.

The school has four houses, all named after birds: Ruru (or Morepork), which is green; Takahē, which is yellow; Huia, an extinct bird, which is blue; and Kotuku (or White Heron), which is white.

There were many complaints about the speed limit on the main road outside the school. After a student died crossing the road in 2008, and the community and students protested, changes were made. The speed limit was reduced from 70 to 50 km/h.

Some notable people have come from here, including historian Melanie Nolan, rugby union player and coach Scott Robertson, rugby union player Eddie Stokes, actress Jessica Rose, composer Jeroen Speak, author, columnist, journalist and editor Steve Braunias, singer Joel Shadbolt, and rugby union player Dirk Williams.