UNESCO World Heritage Sites in New Zealand
New Zealand has three sites inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage listing. These are Tongariro National Park, Te Wahipounamu, and the Subantarctic Islands.
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| The volcanic landscape of Tongariro National Park |
Tongariro National Park
The Tongariro National Park covers the area of three mountains in the centre of the North Island, all sacred to the Maori. The mountains, Ruapehu, Tongariro, Ngauruhoe are part of an area that is still active volcanically. The National Park is crossed by several hiking trails taking in the crater lakes and volcanic landscape of Tongariro and the outstanding natural beauty of the oldest National Park in New Zealand.
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| Fiordland, New Zealand |
Te Wahipounamu
The Te Wahipounamu UNESCO listing includes several National Parks in the South Island: Aoraki/Mt. Cook, Mt. Aspiring, Fiordland, and Westland National Park. The natural landscape here is one of beautiful forests, fiords, glaciers, mountains and valleys. Again, walking trails crisscross the area allowing access to some of the most striking natural scenery in the country.
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| South Bay, Antipodes Island, New Zealand |
Subantarctic Islands
Southeast of New Zealand in the Southern Ocean, the five island groups of the Subantarctic Islands are a haven for wildlife. Albatross, penguin and sea lion are some of the many species found on the Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, and Snares Islands. Strictly limited guided tours on purpose-built vessels are available to this biodiverse and pristine environment. Altogether 126 bird species can be found, including 40 seabirds of which five breed nowhere else on the planet.
New Zealand also has eight sites on the tentative list. All were submitted in 2007 by the Department of Conservation (DOC).
They are as follows:
Auckland Volcanic Fields
Waters and seabed of Fiordland (Te Moana O Atawhenua)
Kahurangi National Park, Farewell Spit and Canaan karst system
Kerikeri Basin historic precinct
Kermadec Islands and Marine reserve
Napier Art Deco historic precinct
Whakarua Moutere (North East Islands)
Waitangi Treaty Grounds historic precinct
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
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