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Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Looking after places of heritage
What is a place of heritage?
Places of heritage tell stories of our past. They are locations we value and connect to as New Zealanders. It is important to protect them.
Places of heritage may be physical remains, such as pā, fortifications, bridges, wharves, roads, buildings, gold mining sites, heritage trees, plants, gardens, and artefacts.
They can also be places of significance such as wāhi taonga, wāhi tapu and places of belief and spiritual significance like Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua.
Leave places of heritage as you find them
When you visit a place of heritage, take nothing and leave it as you found it. If we take things away from a heritage place, we lose important parts of its history and story that can’t be replaced. It's also illegal to take items away or do any other damage to places of heritage.
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Never remove or change things you find on a place of heritage. For example, do not take things like old bottles, artefacts, or timbers home, or remove soil or vegetation.
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Be respectful of cultural places. For example, do not eat in urupā or cemeteries, wāhi tapu, or pā and battle sites.
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Never damage a place of heritage with graffiti, metal detecting, cutting new tracks or trails.
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Take your rubbish with you.
What to do if you find a place of heritage or artefact
Places of heritage are often unique and fragile. Unless a sign says you can safely enter, stay out of any tunnels or pits, and do not climb onto buildings or walls. This helps preserve these places.
Sometimes places of heritage have restricted access or are closed. This is usually to keep people safe. There could be structural issues, rock falls, or fall risks. If you see a "Danger keep out" sign, help protect yourself by not exploring the place.
There are thousands of heritage places across New Zealand. If you come across one and find any artefacts on public land:
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leave the items as you found them
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do not share on social or public media. Sharing what you found may put them at risk of being damaged or destroyed by others.
The best thing to do is:
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leave the place alone
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take a photo if it’s safe to do so
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contact the nearest Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga office, museum or DOC office or visitor centre if it is on DOC land to let them know about the find as soon as you can.
Try the Looking after places of heritage quiz.