HMNZS Te Mana charter parade celebrates relationship with Tauranga

Bevan George leads the Anzac dawn service on board HMNZS Te Mana in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo/File

The HMNZS Te Mana Charter Parade in the Tauranga city centre will honour and celebrate the city's relationship with the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Tauranga's residents are invited to attend the charter parade next Saturday at 11am, where more than 100 sailors and RNZN band members will march from Tauranga's waterfront to the Tauranga City Council offices on Willow Street.

The Charter signifies a close bond between Tauranga and HMNZS Te Mana. It confers the privilege for the ship's company to march through the streets with drums beating, bayonets fixed, swords drawn and colours flying. This is reciprocated by the ship offering ship's officers to accompany the Mayor on important official occasions.

The Royal New Zealand Navy will have one of their frigates, HMNZS Te Mana and the replenishment ship HMNZS Endeavour in port from Thursday to the following Monday.

HMNZS Te Mana will be open to members of the public next Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

Public access to Te Mana is via the Salisbury Gate.

Road closures: Wharf St from The Strand to Willow St and Willow St between Wharf St and Hamilton St will be closed between 11 and 11.45am next Saturday. This will be rolling closures as the parade moves along its designated route. Detours will be in place.