The trial of murder accused Tyrone Daniel Flavell is in the High Court at Tauranga this week - the first High Court trial to be held in the city.

'It's a bit of a significant thing for the Tauranga Courts, apart from the fact it is the Maketu murder,” says defending QC Paul Mabey.

Police attending the Beach Road scene in December 2013.

'From our point of view it's getting to have a criminal trial in Tauranga rather than having to trek to Hamilton or Rotorua.

'We don't know if there's going to be many more, but from the local lawyers' point of view, it's pretty important.”

Tyrone, aged 19, is accused of fatally shooting Isaac Dale Bushell in Maketu in December, 2013. Isaac was found dead with a bullet wound in a park at Beach Road early on December 8.

Police say the 46-year-old man and Tyrone were known to each other and had been at the same party in the beachside town earlier on the Saturday night.

Police were called by two people who arrived at the park and found Isaac dead at around 1.45am.

A vehicle containing a number of people was stopped leaving the Beach Road area and one man was arrested. A firearm was recovered at a Maketu property.

Flavell has been remanded on bail out of town at a location that is suppressed by the Court.