New Year: How Mount Maunganui locals and holidaymakers are celebrating

Barbecues, beach time, parties and "observing human nature" - that's what Mount Maunganui residents and holidaymakers have planned for welcoming in the New Year.

And there are hopes for more travel and settling down in the new year, as well as seeing the end of the pandemic.

The Bay of Plenty Times Weekend spoke to people out enjoying the sunshine in Mount Maunganui on Friday about what they had planned for New Year's Eve and what they hoped 2022 would bring.

Tziyon Graham, 20, and Cianan McHugh, 20, were on their balcony playing music and getting ready "for a good night".

"It's mostly just to throw a last day party for the year really and get everyone together," Graham said.

They were planning to "hopefully fill the street" with lots of people who liked drum and bass music, McHugh said.

The 20-year-olds were getting ready for a good night on New Year's Eve. Photo / George Novak

Graham moved to the Mount from New Plymouth about a month ago for a job and a "new environment" by the beach, he said.

His goal for this year was to get settled in Tauranga or the Mount, and meet more people in the area.

This year, McHugh was hoping to travel "a lot" around New Zealand and the world.

"I've got my van, so hopefully I can put that to use because [last] year I wasn't really able to.

"Hopefully this year can bring lots of happiness to everyone ... I'd like to see a change in the vibe around New Zealand and the world."

David Adams planned to enjoy New Year's Eve by "observing human nature" from his place in Mount Maunganui. Photo / George Novak

Down the road, retiree David Adams said he would be enjoying "observing human nature" on New Year's Eve.

"I'll just probably sit and observe on the deck because there's always something happening on The Mall," the Mount Maunganui resident said.

Adams said he hoped he would "never have to live through another bad year" and that "this was the finish of it".

Trine Kilduff was with her children Fergus Smylie, 8, and Lily Smylie, 6, and was staying with her sister in Pāpāmoa.

Lily was a New Year's baby and would be celebrating her sixth birthday today.

Visiting from Hamilton, Kilduff said she was "hanging out with the kids" for New Year's Eve.

For the coming year, she hoped for "a full year of school for the kids".

"That disruption has been a lot more for us especially in Hamilton ... these guys have had quite a bit of time off so that's been quite hard."

She was also looking forward to continuing her community work and fundraising for organisations as the kids were in Cubs and Pippins.

Trine Kilduff with her two children Fergus Smylie, 8, and Lily Smylie, 6. Photo / George Novak

Nicola Higgins was visiting Mount Maunganui from Cambridge and said it was her "happy place" here and was looking forward to some rest and relaxation.

On New Year's Eve, she was having "a quiet night with a couple of friends and a few drinks and throw some meat on the barbecue".

Her family had been holidaying there since she was 3 years old.

"So, it's the only place I know to holiday. I love it - it's beautiful."

Wellington Gualda was visiting Mount Maunganui to do some photography and visit friends. Photo / George Novak

Wellington Gualda, 30, was visiting Mount Maunganui from Wanaka to do some landscape and night photography, and said the Mount was "a beautiful place to do it".

On New Year's Eve, he was planning on having a barbecue and heading to the beach.

He was spending a few nights in the Mount visiting friends before going to Auckland.

This year, he hopes it will be easier to travel, more people from overseas coming to New Zealand and having more tourist places to visit.