Investigating whenua

Start with the strongest identifier you have: a Māori land block name, address, legal description, parcel, title or approximate location.

Research chain

Pātaka Whenua
→ LINZ parcels
→ title/survey records
→ addresses and roads
→ current imagery
→ historical aerial imagery
→ LiDAR terrain
→ awa/catchment
→ soils/land cover/hazards
→ historic maps and Gazetteer
→ archives / Tribunal / settlement material

1. Land record

For Māori land, begin in Pātaka Whenua. Record block/district/reference before mapping.

2. Current cadastre

Add LINZ parcels. If legal relationship matters, follow the Record of Title and survey plan rather than inferring from overlap.

3. Access and address context

Add NZ Addresses, legal roads and road centrelines. Visible tracks can be useful physical evidence but do not establish legal access.

4. Current surface

Use LINZ aerial imagery and capture the actual survey date.

5. Change

Use historical aerial imagery and change-over-time methods.

6. Terrain and wai

Add LiDAR and catchment/river data. Hillshade can reveal old channels, terraces and access formations.

7. Documentary/historical context

Search place names, historical maps, Māori Land Court documents, NZ Gazette notices and relevant Waitangi Tribunal/CFRT research.

Output

Produce a source-linked map plus a table of unresolved questions. The most useful result may be the 2017 block polygon and 2026 cadastral framework differ here; inspect ML/DP plans, not a falsely clean merged polygon.

Last reviewed: 26 August 2026