The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa has announced 820 place name decisions.

These include four official place names in the Darran Mountains, Fiordland National Park:

• Mount Mahere will become Mount Makere and be moved to its correct position.
• The names Mount Milne and Mount Tarewai will become official, and their positions corrected.
• The peak Waitiri will become Whaitiri, and its position corrected.

A stream at Te Ahumairangi Hill in Wellington is now officially named Waipaekākā.

Names are also confirmed for six undersea features in the Southern Ocean - Christoffel Hill, Ice Bird Peak, Kidson Hills, Leachman Hill, Lewis Seamount, and Solo Peak.

The majority of the remaining place names are in the Gisborne Region.

“More than 800 unofficial place names have been fast-tracked to make them official. These are familiar names that people already know and use. Most are unchanged, apart from some te reo Māori place names which now include macrons that were missing,” says Board Chairperson Anselm Haanen.

Mr Haanen says the accuracy of official names is important for community identity.

“Our Māori place names, like many place names, often have unique stories behind them that are part of local history. Ensuring they use appropriate macrons helps keep those stories alive.”

Mr Haanen says the Board has also opened consultation on six proposed names:

• four currently unnamed creeks in Porirua: Kapakapanui Creek, Koangaumu Creek, Ohangao Creek and Tītahi Creek
• an unnamed range near Horohoro south of Rotorua: Te Horohoroinga-o-ngā-ringa-o-Kahumatamomoe
• changing Mount Misery (south of Tauranga) to Maungatūtū.

“We would like anyone interested in these name proposals to make a submission. It is important people have their say about place names proposed in their neighbourhood,” says Mr Haanen.

Details of the proposed changes and how to make a submission are available at https://www.linz.govt.nz/nzgb-notices-november-2021#1

For a complete list of the place names visit https://www.linz.govt.nz/nzgb-notices-november-2021

Maps showing the place names are online at https://gazetteer.linz.govt.nz

Once official, place names must be used in all official documents, like road signs, maps, web sites and databases.

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