Māori sites

We manage around 10,000 Māori sites

DOC manages around 10,000 Māori sites, ranging from sites of earliest Polynesian settlement to nineteenth-century Māori economic, spiritual and military sites.

All these sites are protected from development pressures and from avoidable harm, which makes them a key national collection.

Locations

Northland

• Akeake Historic Reserve
• Arai-te-Uru Recreation Reserve
• Bream Head and Busby Head Scenic Reserves
• Cape Brett/Rakaumangamanga
• Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua
• Far North Dunes
• Te Maiki/Flagstaff Hill, Maiki
• Harata (Paroa) Pā Historic Reserve
• Kahuwhera Pā Historic Reserve
• Kororipo Heritage Park
• Mahinepua Peninsula
• Mimiwhangata Coastal Park
• Mokaikai Recreation Reserve, Nga Iwi o Tuararoa Complex
• Motuarohia Island Scenic Reserve
• Motukawanui Island Scenic Reserve
• Motukiore Island Recreation Reserve
• Moturua Island Scenic Reserve, Hikurangi Pā
• Muiata Pā Historic Reserve
• Okuratope Pā Historic Reserve
• Otaika Valley Wild Management Reserve
• Paetotara Pā Complex, Te Paki Farm Park
• Paparahi Pā
• Puwheke Scenic Reserve
• Ranfurly Bay
• Rangihoua Heritage Park, Oihi Bay/Marsden Cross
• Rangikapiti Pā Historic Reserve
• Raoul Island East Archaeological Landscape
• Ruapekapeka Pā Historic Reserve
• St Pauls Rock (Ohakiri) Historic Reserve
• Tapeka Pā Historic Reserve
• Taumarumaru Complex
• Taumatawhana/Tomoatawhana, Te Ramanuka
• Tauroa Point midden
• Te Paki Farm Park & Recreation Reserve
• Urupukapuka Island Recreation Reserve
• Waewaetoria Island Recreation Reserve
• Waikare Pā Historic Reserve
• Waipoua State Forest, Waipoua Forest
• Waitata Point Historic Reserve
• Whangaruru North Head Scenic Reserve

Auckland

• Burton Wells Scenic Reserve
• Maunganui Pā, Casnell Island Scenic Reserve
• Harataonga Pā, Harataonga Recreation Reserve, Aotea/Great Barrier Island
• Kawau archaeological landscape, Kawau Island Historic Reserve
• Te Maraeroa Flats, Te Hauturu-o-Toi/Little Barrier Island
• Little Barrier Island Nature Reserve (Hauturu-o-Toi)
• Matietie Historic Reserve, Waiheke
• Motutapu archaeological landscape, Motutapu Recreation Reserve
• Okiwi Pā sites Aotea/Great Barrier Island
• Sadler Point Pā (Waiaro), Mahurangi
• Taupo Pā, Kaipara Harbour
• Pā site in Ti Point Scenic Reserve
• Tiritiri Matangi Island archaeological landscape
• Pā site near Whangapoua Beach Aotea/Great Barrier Island
• Whangateau Harbour archaeological sites

Waikato

• Aotea Heads Scientific Reserve, Aotea Harbour
• Awaroa Māori rock drawings in Hauturu West Scenic Reserve
• Horoure Pā, Puraho Historic Reserve
• Kakepuku Mountain Historic Reserve, Te Awamutu, 1650
• Kauri Pā, Coromandel
• Meremere Redoubt
• Opapaka Pā, Waitomo, 1700
• Opera Point Historic Reserve
• Opito Pā, Coromandel Peninsula
• Otautu Pā Historic Reserve, Colville
• Puketapu Pā Historic Reserve, King Country
• Pā in Smith Historic Reserve, Thames
• Taniwha Pā Historic Reserve, Taniwha
• Te Mautohe Pā, Cathedral Cove
• Pā in Te Pare Historic Reserve, Coromandel Peninsula
• Pā in Te Puia Historic Reserve, Coromandel Peninsula
• Te Teoteo’s Pā, Whangamarino
• Te Toto Gorge Complex, south of Raglan, 1650
• Whangamarino Redoubt
• Whiritoa rock art and pā, Whiritoa Beach
• Whitianga Rock Historic Reserve, Coromandel Peninsula

Bay of Plenty

• Matatā Scenic Reserve
• Maungaruahine Pā
• Raetihi Pā and Te Rawhiti kūmara gardens, Moutohora Island
• Ōhope Scenic Reserve
• Paparoa Pā and Mōtū o rei Pa in Paparoa Pā Historic Reserve
• Tarawera rock art
• Tauwhare Pā Scenic Reserve
• Te Paripari Pā Historic Reserve
• Tokitoki midden in Tokitoki Historic Reserve

Taupō-Tongariro

• Tongariro National Park

East Coast/Hawke’s Bay

• Hine Rae Historic Reserve
• Ōtātara Pa Historic Reserve
• Tiwaewae Memorial Historic Reserve
• Tūtira Domain
• Waiotahi Historic Reserve
• Whakaari Pā/whaling station
• Puhi Kai Iti/Cook Landing National Historic Reserve

Taranaki/Whanganui

• Awa-te-take Pā Historic Reserve, Waitara
• Kaukore waterwheel and water race, Whanganui River
• Kawana mill and cottage, Whanganui River
• Kawau Pā Historic Reserve, northern Taranaki
• Ngangana Pā in Manukorihi Recreation Reserve, Waitara
• Ōkoki Pā 
• Pararoa Pā, Katere Scenic Reserve, New Plymouth
• Pou Tehia Historic Reserve Tongapōrutu
• Pukemiro Historic Reserve, Urenui
• Pukerangiora Pā Historic Reserve, Waitara
• Puketakauere Historic Reserve, Waitara
• Puketarata-Parihamore Historic Reserve, New Plymouth
• Tapuinikau Pā Historic Reserve
• Tataraimaka Pā Historic Reserve, Ōakura
• Taumata Historic Reserve, Taumata
• Te Rau o te Huia Historic Pā
• Te Urenui Conservation Covenant, Urenui
• Waitaha Pā, Whanganui 
• Whatarangi Pā, inland Taranaki
• Mahoetahi Historic Reserve, Bell Block-New Plymouth

Wellington

• Mana Island habitation sites
• Te Moana-a-Kura Pā, Matiu/Somes Island
• Te Kahu o terangi Whaling Sation, Kapiti Island

Chatham Islands

• The Chatham Islands
• Hapūpū/J.M Barker Historic Reserve

Nelson/Marlborough

• Bark Bay archaeological site
• Crail Bay pits
• Kaikōura Pā
• Karaka Point Pā
• Parapara Spit
• Pariwhakatau Pā
• Peketā Pā
• Pūponga farm park archaeological sites
• Sawpit Point archaeological sites
• Titirangi farm park archaeological sites
• Wairau Bar archaeological sites
• Waitui gardens
• Whangamoa Spit archaeological site

West Coast

• Heaphy River mouth

Canterbury

• Kura Tawhiti/Castle Hill Conservation Area, rock art shelter sites
• Raincliff Historic Reserve, multiple rock art shelter sites 
• Rock art shelter, Weka Pass Historic Reserve

Otago

• Mapoutahi Pā
• Onewhenua Historic Reserve
• Te Umukuri Historic Reserve

Southland

• Enderby Island Māori occupation, Auckland Islands
• Indian Island occupation site, Tamatea/Dusky Sound
• Port Pegasus Māori occupation site, Stewart Island
• Round Island occupation site, Preservation Inlet
• Te Wera settlement, Bluff

Further reading

Davidson, J. (1984) The Prehistory of New Zealand (Longman Paul Ltd).

Houghton, Phillip. (1980). The First New Zealanders. (Hodder and Stoughton, Auckland).