There’s a quiet ritual that happens in Tauranga homes every morning: reaching for the Bay of Plenty Times. For over 150 years, this regional daily has been the thread connecting the community — through breaking news, classifieds, and perhaps most importantly, the death notices that serve as a public record of lives lived.

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Founded: 1872 ·
Owner: NZME ·
Type: Daily regional newspaper ·
District: Bay of Plenty, including Tauranga ·
Online presence: nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact print circulation numbers (not publicly confirmed)
  • History of specific editors prior to 2000
3Timeline signal
  • 1872: First published as a weekly
  • 1916: Upgraded to a daily newspaper
  • 2016: Digitally merged with NZ Herald
4What’s next
  • Digital-first daily under NZ Herald brand
  • Continued focus on death notices as community record

The table below captures the essential attributes of the Bay of Plenty Times, from its founding year to its current digital home.

Attribute Value
Newspaper Name Bay of Plenty Times
Year Established 1872
Owner NZME
Circulation Area Bay of Plenty, including Tauranga
Publisher Type Daily regional newspaper
Online Platform nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times
Official Facebook Page @bayofplentytimes

How can I find Bay of Plenty Times death notices online?

Death notices are published on nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times, where users can search by name or date. The service is free to view, and the database is searchable through a dedicated obituaries browse page hosted via Legacy.com (Bay of Plenty Times obituaries browse), which showed 638 death notices at the time of indexing.

Steps to access death notices on nzherald.co.nz

  • Visit nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times and navigate to the notices section.
  • Use the search bar to filter by name or date range — including the last 7 days or a custom period.
  • All notices are free to view; no subscription is required for browsing.

Filtering by last 7 days or custom date range

The search interface allows you to narrow results by date, making it easy to find recent obituaries. For historical research, the National Library of New Zealand holds an index of death notices from the New Zealand Herald spanning 1990–2015, containing about 700,000 records — a resource created to guide researchers back to the original newspaper notice.

Why this matters

For families in Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty, the death notice function isn’t just an archive — it’s a public record of community history. The National Library’s index shows how these notices serve as a bridge between genealogical research and local memory.

The implication: death notices are more than announcements — they’re a searchable, free resource that connects families to their past, with the Bay of Plenty Times acting as the primary record-keeper for the region.

What is the Bay of Plenty Times?

The Bay of Plenty Times was established in 1872 and is the regional daily paper for the Bay of Plenty area, including Tauranga. It is owned by NZME (New Zealand Media and Entertainment), one of the country’s largest media companies.

Overview of the Bay of Plenty Times as a daily newspaper

  • First published as a weekly in 1872, it upgraded to a daily in 1916.
  • In 2016, it digitally merged with the NZ Herald, becoming part of nzherald.co.nz.
  • Today it operates as a digital-first daily under the NZ Herald Bay of Plenty Times brand.

History and ownership (NZME)

NZME, the owner, also runs the New Zealand Herald, Newstalk ZB, and other major media properties. The Bay of Plenty Times has been a cornerstone of local journalism for over a century, covering everything from council meetings to community events. The National Library of New Zealand holds historical records that trace the paper’s evolution from a colonial-era weekly to a modern digital platform.

The trade-off

The digital merger with NZ Herald in 2016 gave the Bay of Plenty Times a much larger online audience, but it also meant the paper lost some of its standalone identity. For long-time readers, the shift from a distinct local paper to a sub-brand of a national outlet is a notable change.

The pattern: the Bay of Plenty Times has adapted to survive — from weekly to daily, from print to digital — while maintaining its role as the primary news source for Tauranga and the surrounding region.

Where can I read the latest Bay of Plenty Times news?

All news articles are available on nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times, and the Facebook page @bayofplentytimes provides links to stories and real-time updates.

Online through nzherald.co.nz

  • The website hosts breaking local news, sports, business, and community stories.
  • Articles are updated daily, with a focus on Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty region.
  • Readers can access content for free, though some premium articles may require a subscription.

Facebook page for real-time updates

The official Facebook page, @bayofplentytimes, shares breaking news, articles, and community announcements. It’s a direct feed to the newsroom’s latest output, often posting live updates during emergencies or major events.

What this means: for readers who want the fastest access to Bay of Plenty Times news, the Facebook page is the best bet — it’s where the newsroom pushes updates before they’re fully formatted on the website.

How do I access Bay of Plenty Times classifieds?

Classifieds are hosted under the Bay of Plenty Times section on nzherald.co.nz, covering categories like jobs, real estate, and services. Users can place ads via the website or by contacting the newsroom directly.

Classified categories (jobs, real estate, services)

  • Job listings for the Bay of Plenty region, including Tauranga.
  • Real estate ads for properties in the area.
  • Services ranging from trades to professional offerings.

How to place a classified ad

To place an ad, visit the classifieds section on nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times and follow the submission process. Alternatively, contact the newsroom directly for assistance. The New Zealand Government (govt.nz) notes that public records like death notices and classifieds are accessible to anyone, reflecting the newspaper’s role as a community record-keeper.

The catch: while classifieds are easy to browse online, placing an ad requires navigating the NZME system, which can be less intuitive than the old print-based process.

How do I follow Bay of Plenty Times on Facebook?

The official Facebook page is @bayofplentytimes, and the page shares breaking news, articles, and community announcements.

Official Facebook page URL

Visit facebook.com/bayofplentytimes to follow the page. It’s the primary social media channel for the newspaper.

What to expect from the page (news links, live updates)

  • Links to the latest articles on nzherald.co.nz.
  • Live updates during emergencies, such as weather events or traffic incidents.
  • Community announcements, including death notices and event promotions.

Why this matters: for residents of Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty, the Facebook page is often the fastest way to get breaking news — especially during emergencies when the website may not be updated as quickly.

“Local journalism is the backbone of community identity. The Bay of Plenty Times has been that backbone for over 150 years, chronicling everything from births to deaths, from council decisions to sports victories.”

— NZME representative, discussing the importance of local journalism in the Bay of Plenty

“The Bay of Plenty Times was first published in 1872 as a weekly newspaper, upgrading to a daily in 1916. It is now owned by NZME and operates as a digital-first daily.”

— Wikipedia entry for Bay of Plenty Times

For readers in Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty, the choice is clear: the Bay of Plenty Times remains the most comprehensive source for local news, death notices, and classifieds — but the shift to digital means relying on nzherald.co.nz and Facebook for the fastest updates, or accepting a slight delay for the print edition.

Additional sources

findmypast.com, familysearch.org, bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz

For those seeking similar records in the South Island, the Southland Times death notices provide a comparable resource for Invercargill obituaries.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Bay of Plenty Times free to read online?

Yes, most articles on nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times are free to read. Some premium content may require a subscription to the NZ Herald.

How do I subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times?

Subscriptions are managed through NZME. Visit nzherald.co.nz and select the subscription option for digital or print delivery.

Where is the Bay of Plenty Times office located?

The newsroom is based in Tauranga, serving the Bay of Plenty region. Contact details are available on nzherald.co.nz.

How do I submit a death notice to the Bay of Plenty Times?

Death notices can be submitted through the Legacy.com platform linked from nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times, or by contacting the newsroom directly.

Does the Bay of Plenty Times have a mobile app?

The NZ Herald app includes Bay of Plenty Times content. Download it from the App Store or Google Play.

How do I contact the Bay of Plenty Times newsroom?

Contact details are listed on nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times under the “Contact Us” section.

What is the difference between Bay of Plenty Times and NZ Herald?

The Bay of Plenty Times is a regional daily focused on Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty, while the NZ Herald is a national newspaper. Since 2016, the Bay of Plenty Times has been digitally integrated with the NZ Herald.

Bottom line: The Bay of Plenty Times is what it actually is — a regional daily that has evolved from a colonial-era weekly to a digital-first news source. For families researching death notices: the free online database on nzherald.co.nz is the fastest route. For breaking news: the Facebook page @bayofplentytimes delivers real-time updates. For classifieds: the online platform is convenient, but placing an ad requires navigating the NZME system.