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, 13th – 19th century
• Cape Brett track, Deep Water Cove
• Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua
• Far North Dunes, 13th-20th century
• Flagstaff Hill Historic Reserve, Maiki
• Harata (Paroa) Pa Historic Reserve
• Kahuwhera Pa Historic Reserve
• Kororipo Heritage Park
• Mahinepua Peninsula
• Marsden Cross Historic Reserve, Oihi , pre-1814
• Mimiwhangata Coastal Park, 13th – 19th century
• Mokaikai Recreation Reserve, Nga Iwi o Tuararoa Complex
• Motuarohia Island Scenic Reserve
• Motukawanui Island Scenic Reserve
• Motukiore Island Recreation Reserve, 17th – 19th century
• Moturua Island Scenic Reserve, Hikurangi Pa, 13th century
• Muiata Pa Historic Reserve
• Nga Iwi o Tuararoa Complex, Mokaikai Recreation Reserve
• Okuratope Pa Historic Reserve
• Otaika Valley Wild Management Reserve, 15th-19th century
• Paetotara Pa Complex, Te Paki Farm Park
• Paparahi Pa
• Puwheke Scenic Reserve
• Ranfurly Bay
• Rangikapiti Pa Historic Reserve
• Ruapekapeka Pa Historic Reserve
• St Pauls Rock (Ohakiri) Historic Reserve
• Tapeka Pa Historic Reserve
• Taumarumaru Complex
• Taumatawhana/Tomoatawhana, Te Ramanuka
• Tauroa Point midden, 13th – 20th century
• Te Paki Farm Park & Recreation Reserve
• Te Ramanuka, Taumatawhana/Tomoatawhana
• Urupukapuka Island Recreation Reserve
• Waewaetoria Island Recreation Reserve
• Waikare Pa Historic Reserve
• Waipoua State Forest, Waipoua Forest, 1400
• Waitata Point Historic Reserve
• Whangaruru North Head Scenic Reserve, 14th – 19th century

Auckland

• Browns Island archaeological landscape, c. 13th century – 1820s
• Burton Wells Historic Reserve, c. 16th-19th centuries
• Casnell Island Pa (Maunganui) , c. 16th–18th centuries
• Haratonga, Great Barrier Island, pa site t8/2, c.16th-19th centuries
• Kawau archaeological landscape, c. 15th century - 1840
• Little Barrier/Te Maraeroa Flats, c. 14th century - 1897
• Matietie Historic Reserve, c. 14th – 19th centuries
• Motutapu archaeological landscape, c. 13th century – 1840
• Maungauika/North Head Historic Reserve, c. 13th century – 1860s
• Okiwi, Great Barrier Island, pa site, s8/34, c. 19th century
• Okiwi, Great Barrier Island, pa site, s8/35, c.16th-19th centuries
• Raoul Island East Polynesian archaeological landscape, c. 14th–18th centuries
• Sadler Point Pa (Waiaro), c. 16th -1827
• Taupo Pa, c. 16th century - 1969
• Ti Point Pa, c. 16th-18th centuries
• Tiritiri Matangi Island archaeological landscape, c. 13th century – 1850s
• Waitete Pa (Waiau Pa Historic Reserve), 1835-1844
• Whangapoua, Great Barrier Island, pa site s8/19, c.16th-19th centuries
• Whangateau marginal strip, c. 19th century

Waikato

• Aotea Scientific Reserve, Aotea Harbour, 1400
• Awaroa Māori rock drawings, 1750
• Horoure Pa
• Kakepuku Mountain Historic Reserve, Te Awamutu, 1650
• Kauri Pa
• Meremere Redoubt
• Opapaka Pa, Waitomo, 1700
• Opera Point Pa Historic Site, Coromandel Peninsula, 1700
• Opito Point Pa Historic Site, Coromandel Peninsula, 1600
• Otautu Pa Historic Reserve (headland pa), Coleville, 1700
• Puketapu Pa Historic Reserve, King Country,1750
• Puraho Pa Historic Reserve, Aotea Harbour – South side, 1700
• Smith Historic Reserve (pa), Thames, 1700
• Taniwha Pa Historic Reserve, Taniwha, 1800
• Te Mautohe Pa, Cathedral Cove
• Te Pare Historic Reserve (headland pa), Coromandel Peninsula, 1650
• Te Puia Historic Reserve (ridge pa), Coromandel Peninsula, 1700
• Te Teoteo’s Pa, Whangamarino, 1650
• Te Toto Gorge Complex, south of Raglan, 1650
• Whangamarino Redoubt
• Whiritoa rock art and pa, Whiritoa Beach, 1800
• Whitianga Rock Historic Reserve (headland pa), Coromandel Peninsula, 1600

Bay of Plenty

• Matata Scenic Reserve
• Matekerepu Historic Reserve
• Maungaruahine Pa Historic Reserve
• Moutohora, Raetihi pa/ Kumara gardens
• Ohope Scenic Reserve
• Paparoa Pa Historic Reserve, Paparoa pa/ Mōtū o rei pa
• Tarawera rock art
• Tauwhare Pa Scenic Reserve, 1610
• Te Ikawhenua fieldcentre, Rangitaiki artefacts, 1800
• Te Paripari Pa Historic Reserve, 1865
• Te Tapiri Pa, 1865
• Tokitoki Historic Reserve, Tokitoki Midden, 1315

Taupo-Tongariro

• Tongariro National Park

East Coast/Hawke’s Bay

• Heipipi Pa (titi-o-hawea) Historic Reserve
• Hine Rae Historic Reserve
• Opou covenant
• Otatara Pa Historic Reserve, 1430-1640
• Rangitoto Pa covenant
• Tiwaewae Memorial Historic Reserve
• Tutira Domain
• Waiotahi Historic Reserve
• Whakaari Pa/whaling station

Taranaki/Whanganui

• Awa-te-take Pa Historic Reserve, Waitara
• Kaukore waterwheel and water race, Whanganui River, 1854
• Kawana mill and cottage, Whanganui River, 1854
• Kawau Pa Historic Reserve, northern Taranaki
• Ngangana Pa, Waitara
• Okoki Pa Historic Reserve, Urenui (Sir Peter Buck memorial)
• Pararoa Pa, Katere Scenic Reserve, New Plymouth
• Pou Tehia Historic Reserve, Tongapurutu
• Pukemiro Historic Reserve, Urenui
• Pukerangiora Pa Historic Reserve, Waitara
• Puketakauere Historic Reserve, Waitara
• Puketarata-Parihamore Historic Reserve, New Plymouth
• Tapuinikau Pa Historic Reserve
• Tataraimaka Pa historic reserve, Oakura
• Taumata Historic Reserve, Taumata, 1854/1920
• Te Rau o te Huia Historic Reserve
• Te Urinui Historic Reserve, Urenui
• Waitaha Pa, Whanganui (very old pa)
• Whatarangi Pa, inland Taranaki
• Mahoetahi Historic Reserve, Bell Block-New Plymouth

Wellington

• J.R. Barker Hapupu National Historic Reserve, Chatham Islands
• Lake Kairae Historic Reserve, Chatham Islands
• Mana Island, Mana Island habitation sites, 1500
• Matiu/Somes Island, Te Moana-a-kura Pa, 1500
• Taia Historic Reserve, Chatham Islands, pre 1769 
• Te Kahu o Terangi, Kapiti Island 1832
• Kupe's Sail, Wairarapa, c1100
• Whitireia Park, pre 1769

Chatham Islands

• The Chatham Islands

Nelson/Marlborough

• Bark Bay archaeological site, 1500
• Crail Bay pits, 1600
• Horahora Kakahu , 1840
• Kaikoura Pa, 1600
• Karaka Point Pa, 1600
• Moioio Island, 1600
• Nga Niho Pa, 1825
• Parapara Spit, 1500
• Pariwhakatau Pa, 1600
• Peketā Pa, 1550
• Puponga farm park archaeological sites, 1500
• Sawpit Point archaeological sites, 1400
• Titirangi farm park archaeological sites, 1150
• Wairau Bar archaeological sites, 1250
• Waitui gardens, 1500
• Whangamoa Spit archaeological site, 1300

West Coast

• Heaphy River mouth

Canterbury

• Cave Stream Scenic Reserve, Cave Stream rock art shelter
• Craigmore (ppl), Craigmore rock art site (administered by NZHPT)
• Frenchman's Gully (ppl), Frenchman's Gully rock art site (administered by NZHPT)
• Kura Tawhiti/Castle Hill Conservation Area, rock art shelter
• Onawe Pa Historic Reserve, Onawe Pa (vested in Ngai Tahu)
• Oruaka Pa Historic Reserve, Oruaka Pa (vested in Ngai Tahu)
• Raincliff Historic Reserve, rock art shelter
• Te Puke-ki-Waitahu Historic Reserve
• Weka Pass Historic Reserve, rock art shelter

Otago

• Mapoutahi Pa Historic Reserve, 1750
• Nenthorn Conservation Area, rock shelter, 1350
• Onewhenua Historic Reserve, 1350
• Te Umu Kuri Historic Reserve, 1831

Southland

• Enderby Island Māori occupation (1200 ad), 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).