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New Zealand
> National Parks > National Parks List
The National Parks Act 1980 provides for the establishment of national
parks or reserves in areas where the scenery is of such distinctive quality,
or the natural features or ecological systems so important scientifically
that their preservation is in the national interest. The act also provides
for the public to have freedom of entry and access to the parks, though this
is subject to such conditions and restrictions as are necessary for the
preservation of native plants and animals or for the welfare of the parks in
general. Access to specially protected areas (55,000 ha) constituted under
the act is by permit only.
The act states that national parks are to be maintained as far as
possible in their natural state so that their value as soil, water and
forest conservation areas is maintained. Native plants and animals are to be
preserved and introduced plants and animals are to be removed if their
presence is seen to conflict with the aims of the act. Development in
wilderness areas established under the act is restricted to foot tracks and
huts essential for wild animal control or scientific research. The act
allows the Department of Conservation to provide hostels, huts, camping
grounds, ski tows and similar facilities, parking areas, roads and tracks
within the parks. Accommodation, transport and other services at entry
points to the parks are provided by the department, other government
agencies, voluntary organisations and private enterprise. Some services
within the parks, such as guided walks and skiing instruction, are provided
by private firms under concessions from the department.
New Zealand's national parks are:
North Island
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Tongariro National Park
79,598 ha, established in 1887) was New Zealand's first national park. It
includes the three active volcanoes, Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe
and
Tongariro.
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Te Urewera National Park
212,675 ha, established 1954) together with neighbouring Whirinaki
Forest Park, is the largest remaining area of native forest in the North
Island. Lake Waikaremoana which is within the park is noted for its scenic
shoreline.
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Egmont National Park
(33,543 ha, established 1900) comprises all the land in a 9-kilometre
radius of the Taranaki/Mount Egmont summit and some outlying areas to the
north. The symmetrical cone of the dormant volcano is a provincial landmark.
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Kauaeranga Valley
Situated at the base of the
Coromandel Peninsula near Thames.
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Waipoua Forest has the last
remaining kauri stands which once covered the
Northland peninsula.
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Whanganui National Park
(74,231 ha, established 1986) borders the Whanganui River. It
incorporates areas of Crown land, former state forest and a number of former
reserves. The river itself is not part of the park.
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Kahurangi National Park
(452,000 ha, established 1996) situated in the north-west of the South
Island comprises spectacular and remote country and includes the Heaphy
Track. It has ancient landforms and unique flora and fauna. It is the second
largest national park.
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Waitakere Ranges
Just a short drive from down town Auckland, this area is succumbing to new
housing and provides recreation and walks.
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Whanganui National Park
Situated on the Whanganui river, water activities are popular as well as
tramping.
South Island
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Abel Tasman National Park
(22,541 ha, established 1942) has numerous tidal inlets and beaches of
golden sand along the shores of Tasman Bay. It is New Zealand's smallest
national park.
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Nelson Lakes National Park
(101,753 ha, established 1956) is a rugged, mountainous area in Nelson
Region. It extends southwards from the forested shores of Lakes Rotoiti and
Rotoroa to the Lewis Pass National Reserve.
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Lewis Pass National Reserve
Off State highway 6, Lewis pass has some excellent walking trails from
grasslands, through beach forest to snow covered peaks.
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Paparoa National Park
30,560 ha, established 1987 located on the West Coast of the South Island
between Westport and Greymouth. It includes the celebrated Pancake Rocks at
Punakaiki.
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Arthurs Pass National Park
114,357 ha, established 1929 is a rugged and mountainous area
straddling the main divide of the Southern Alps.
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Westland National Park
(117,547 ha, established 1960) extends from the highest peaks of the
Southern Alps to a wild remote coastline. Included in the park are glaciers,
scenic lakes and dense rainforest, plus remains of old gold mining towns
along the coast.
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Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
(70,728 ha, established 1953) is an alpine park, containing New Zealand's
highest mountain, Mt Cook (3,754m), and longest glacier, Tasman Glacier (29 km). A focus
for mountaineering, ski touring and scenic flights, the park is an area of
outstanding natural beauty. The Mount Cook and Westland National Parks have
together been declared a world heritage area.
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Mount Aspiring National Park
355,531 ha, established 1964 is a complex of impressively glaciated
mountain scenery centred on
Mount Aspiring (3,036 m), which is New Zealand's highest peak outside
Mount Cook National Park.
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Fiordland National Park
1,251,924 ha, established in 1952 is the largest national park in New
Zealand and one of the largest in the world. The grandeur of its scenery,
with its deep fiords, its lakes of glacial origin, its mountains and
waterfalls, has earned it international recognition as a world heritage area.
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Rakiura National Park
Stewart Island, 1,500 km², established in 2002.
World Heritage Areas
World heritage areas consist of 440 sites listed under UNESCO's World
Heritage Convention as the most outstanding natural and cultural places on
the globe. New Zealand has three world heritage area sites, Te Wahipounamu
(south-west New Zealand), Tongariro National Park and New Zealand
Sub-Antarctic Islands.
Unesco World Heritage Sites
Forest parks
The Department of Conservation administers 20 forest parks whose
primary purpose, in most cases, is to protect the catchments of forested
mountain ranges throughout the country. They provide a less restricted
range of recreational activities than national parks and reserves,
including tramping, camping, fishing, and shooting for a variety of game.
The Long Pathway
A project to create a walking trail the length of New Zealand
Some of this information was generously provided by
Statistics NZ and last updated September 2000. |
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