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The List is the only national statutory record of our rich, significant and diverse heritage places
Why is the List important?
The List
- informs and notifies owners, the public, community organisations, government agencies and local authorities about significant heritage places, and
- is a source of information about historic places, historic areas, wāhi tūpuna, wāhi tapu and wāhi tapu areas for the purposes of the Resource Management Act 1991.
What's on the List?
The List is divided into five parts:
Historic Places - such as archaeological sites, buildings, memorials
- Category 1 historic places are of special or outstanding historical or cultural significance or value
- Category 2 historic places are of historical or cultural significance or value
Historic Areas - groups of related historic places such as a geographical area with a number of properties or sites, a heritage precinct or a historical and cultural area
Wāhi Tūpuna - places important to Māori for ancestral significance and associated cultural and traditional values
Wāhi Tapu - places sacred to Māori in the traditional, spiritual, religious, ritual or mythological sense such as maunga tapu, urupā, funerary sites and punawai
Wāhi Tapu Areas - areas that contain one or more wāhi tapu
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Tai Tapu Public Library. Image: Phil Braithwaite
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Pencarrow Lighthouse, near Wellington. Image: Heritage New Zealand
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Tohu Maumahara (symbol of remembrance) at Rangiriri. Image: Heritage New Zealand
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War Memorial, Dannevirke. Image: Heritage New Zealand
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St David's Pioneer Memorial Church, Cave. Image: Allison Bennet
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New Regent Street, Christchurch. Image: Heritage New Zealand
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Balclutha Bridge. Image: Shelley Morris
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Wellington Railway Station. Image: A Efimoff www.pro-photography.co
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Village hut at Chinatown, Arrowtown. Image: Allison Bennet
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Memorial to Bess, Bulls. Image: Heritage New Zealand
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Cricket Ground Pavilion, Grafton, Auckland. Image: Phil Braithwaite
What does entry on the List mean?
The List is an information tool - it identifies and provides information on significant heritage places throughout New Zealand.
Entry on the List:
- does not equal automatic protection
- does not directly create regulatory consequences or legal obligations on property owners
- does not directly create specific rights or control over property.
- can provide heritage funding opportunities such as the National Heritage Preservation Incentive Fund
- can lead to heritage properties being considered for inclusion in district plan heritage schedules
How does the List link with district plans?
District plans are administered by local authorities and set out the changes that can be made to a property. Most district plans control proposed changes to heritage places and sites listed in their heritage schedules. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga can get involved in this process and advocate for the retention of heritage values.
Local authorities are required to notify Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga if a building consent application is received regarding a property on the List. This allows Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga to offer conservation advice to property owners and the local authority. The fact that a property is included in the List should be noted on any relevant land information memorandum (LIM) supplied by a local authority.
Strong's Watchmaker Shop, Naseby. Image: Julian Apse
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Category 1 historic places have special or outstanding historical or cultural significance or value.
How do I nominate a place, area, wāhi tūpuna, wāhi tapu or wāhi tapu area for inclusion in the List?
Anyone can nominate a historic place, historic area, wāhi tūpuna, wāhi tapu or wāhi tapu area for entry on the List for registration. You do not have to own the property, or have any other formal relationship with it.
You will need to complete a nomination form, available here (for historic places or areas) or upon request from the Manager Heritage Listing (for wāhi tūpuna, wāhi tapu or wāhi tapu areas). Nomination forms are also available from your nearest Heritage New Zealand office and our staff will be pleased to advise on the process.
Find out more about how to nominate a Historic Place.
What do I do if I want to modify a place on the List?
Contact Heritage New Zealand to discuss any work you are planning to a place on the List. Change to the use and function of places can be appropriate, and we will help you look at ways this can be achieved with the minimum impact, while avoiding costly mistakes!
It is especially important to contact Heritage New Zealand if you are planning work that has the potential to affect an archaeological site. Archaeological sites are places associated with human activity that occurred before 1900, and they are protected under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, whether on the List or not. An authority is required to damage, modify or destroy an archaeological site.
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Entry on the List is a recognition tool and does not in itself prevent places being altered or sold.
Can an entry on the List be changed or removed?
Any person may apply to the Board for a review of any historic place or historic area entry on the List, or to the Māori Heritage Council to review any wāhi tapu, wāhi tapu area or wāhi tupuna entry. A review may result in the re-confirmation or modification of an entry such as changing the extent of the listing, the removal of the entry from the List, or, a change in the type or category of the entry. Applications to review a List entry cannot be made within three years of the date the entry became effective, or within three years since any previous review of the entry. If you wish to apply for a review, please contact the Manager Heritage Listing or the review application form. The application must clearly state the grounds for a review. Further information about the review process is available here.
What can I see on the List Online?
You can search the List Online for information about the nearly 6000 entries on the List.
Entries for historic places and historic areas include general identification and listing information, outlining the history and significance of the pace, and most also have images. The available information varies between entries, but Heritage New Zealand is working to improve the information available and many entries have very detailed reports.
Wāhi tūpuna, wāhi tapu and wāhi tapu area entries provide basic information only. At the moment, no images are provided for these entries.
Paper files support the information available via the List Online.
New entries are regularly added to the List Online, once they have been confirmed by the Board or Māori Heritage Council. Information about new entries can also be found at Recent List entries and reviews, including PDF copies of the reports. Notified proposals and reviews provides information about notified proposals.
What isn’t available on the List Online?
The List Online does not provide information about all current proposals, heritage covenants or heritage orders. This information is held in the full List however, which can be viewed in hard copy at your nearest Heritage New Zealand office or at your local city or district council office.
It is also possible to purchase a copy of the full List, available in electronic ($115 per year, GST inclusive) and hard copy form ($345 per year, GST inclusive). This is published every January, and the purchase price includes quarterly updates (issued April, July and October). To purchase the List, please contact the Manager Heritage Listing.
List search
Discover the diversity of our heritage places.
Explore now
Can I visit places on the List?
Most places on the List are not accessible for the public to visit, and private property rights should be respected at all times. If you wish to see which places you are able to visit, you can search for these on the List Online - see the Search Help page for further guidance.
For those places which are publicly accessible – please note that restrictions such as opening hours, access by tour or charges for entry may apply. Please search online for further visitor information; most places have their own website or webpage with information about public access.
For a list of Heritage New Zealand-owned and managed properties which you may visit, please click here.
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Shelley Morris and Phil Braithwaite.
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Oamaru Courthouse. Image: Shelley Morris (Flickr.com)
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Matanaka Farm Buildings. Image: Phil Braithwaite (Flickr.com)
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Francis Vallance.
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Oamaru Opera House and former Municipal Chambers. Image: Francis Vallance (Flickr.com)
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Allison Bennet.
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Pews at St David's Pioneer Memorial Church, Cave. Image: Allison Bennet (Flickr.com)
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Shellie Evans.
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Te Aute College Chapel (not entered on the List). Image: Shellie Evans
The Flickr Family - an acknowledgement
In September 2009, only 54% of the listings on the New Zealand Heritage List had an accompanying image. Today it’s more than 90%, thanks in part to www.flickr.com, a photo sharing website, and the generosity of over 100 of its members who have kindly donated more than 1300 images to our Images Project.
Amongst these members is a group we affectionately call our “Flickr Family”. This core group of contributors, who have a genuine interest in visually preserving New Zealand’s heritage, has allowed us free access to all of their images and are proactive in seeking out new images for the List.
The opportunity to be in direct contact with the public and letting them know what it is we do at Heritage New Zealand, along with the overwhelming positive response from the Flickr community, has been inspirational and a great example of the power of social media.
Heritage New Zealand would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Flickr members who have contributed images to the project, in particular:
- PhilBee NZ - Phil Braithwaite
- Francis Vallance - vallance.photography@xtra.co.nz
- Shelley Morris - Madam48
- Shellie Evans – flyingkiwigirl
- Allison Bennet - AllisonwonderlandNZ
- Derek Smith - travelling-light
- peteshep©
- Greg Preston - geoff-inOz
- Graeme Partridge – 68 Bones
- Bernard Spragg – volvob12b
- Hugh McCall – Braxholm
- Paul Willyams
- walgert
- Jock Phillips – Te Ara
- Stewart Harvey
- Joe Wallace – Jokertrekker.
The Images Project is now moving into the second phase where the focus will be on improving the quality and variety of images displayed on the online List.
Join the Family
The devastating earthquakes in Christchurch and the loss of so many of its historic buildings has highlighted the importance of visually preserving New Zealand’s heritage today. If you have any images you think we may be interested in, please contact the Image Researcher at imageresearch@heritage.org.nz or if you are a Flickr member feel free to add your images to our pending pool. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
Commitment to accuracy
Heritage New Zealand is committed to ensuring the accuracy of the List and associated reports; information on this site is correct to the best of our knowledge. If you find information you believe may not be correct, or there is additional information you wish to share with Heritage New Zealand, please contact the Manager Heritage Listing.
Copyright
Please see our Terms and Conditions for copyright information.
Disclaimer
Please note that entry of historic places, historic areas, wāhi tūpuna, wāhi tapu or wāhi tapu areas on the New Zealand Heritage List by Heritage New Zealand identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.
