The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of 113,729 km2 (43,911 sq mi), it is the world's 14th-largest island, constituting 43% of New Zealand's land area. It has a population of 3,997,300, which is 77% of New Zealand's residents, making it the most populous island in Polynesia and the 28th-most-populous island in the world.
Haast is a small town in the Westland District territorial authority on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. The township is beside the Haast River, 3 kilometres (2 mi) south of Haast Junction, on State Highway 6. The Haast region is in Te Wahipounamu – The South West New Zealand World Heritage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated in 1990.
Kahurangi National Park in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand is the second largest of the thirteen national parks of New Zealand. It was gazetted in 1996 and covers 5,193 km2 (2,005 sq mi), ranging from the Buller River near Murchison in the south, to the base of Farewell Spit in Golden Bay in the north. The park has no single dominant landform, but includes an unusually wide variety of landscapes, including mountain ranges, rivers, gorges, raised peneplains and karst features such as caves and arches. Many of the landforms within the park are considered to be nationally or internationally significant.
Auckland is one of the 16 regions of New Zealand, which takes its name from the eponymous urban area. The region encompasses the Auckland metropolitan area, smaller towns, rural areas, and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. Containing 33 percent of the nation's residents, it has by far the largest population and economy of any region of New Zealand, but the second-smallest land area.
Paparoa National Park is on the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The park was established in 1987 and encompasses 430 km2 (170 sq mi). The park ranges from or near the coastline to the peaks of the Paparoa Range. A separate section of the park lies to the north and is centred at Ananui Creek. The park protects a limestone karst area. The park contains several caves, of which Metro Cave / Te Ananui Cave is a commercial tourist attraction. The majority of the park is forested with a wide variety of vegetation. The park was the site of the 1995 Cave Creek disaster where fourteen people died as a result of the collapse of a scenic viewing platform.
Waikanae is a town on the Kāpiti Coast, 60 kilometres north of the Wellington. The name is a Māori word meaning "waters" (wai) "of the grey mullet".
The Taieri River is the fourth-longest river in New Zealand and is in Otago in the South Island. Rising in the Lammerlaw Range, it initially flows north, then east around the Rock and Pillar range before turning southeast, reaching the sea 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Dunedin.
Orewa is a settlement in the northern Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is a suburb of the Hibiscus Coast, just north of the base of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula and 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of central Auckland. The Northern Motorway, part of State Highway 1, passes just inland of Orewa and extends through the twin Johnston Hill tunnels to near Puhoi.
Dobson is a small town on the banks of the Grey River in the South Island of New Zealand. It is 10 kilometres (6 mi) east from the river's mouth at Greymouth. The settlement of Taylorville is across the river from Dobson, but no bridge directly connects the two. State Highway 7 passes through Dobson.
Helensville is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is sited 40 kilometres (25 mi) northwest of Auckland, close to the southern extremity of the Kaipara Harbour. State Highway 16 passes through the town, connecting it to Waimauku 16 kilometres (10 mi) to the south, and Kaukapakapa about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to the north-east. Parakai is two kilometres (1.2 mi) to the north-west. The Kaipara River runs through the town and into the Kaipara Harbour to the north.
Maketu is a small town on the Western Bay of Plenty coast in New Zealand.
Regional parks of New Zealand are protected areas administered by regional councils, the top tier of local government. Regional parks are found across five regions of New Zealand: the Auckland Region, Waikato Region, Bay of Plenty Region, Wellington Region and Canterbury Region. Regional parks in the Auckland and Waikato regions are administered by the Auckland Council, while parks in other areas are administered by regional councils: the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, and Canterbury Regional Council.
State Highway 96 is a New Zealand state highway connecting the Southland communities of Mataura, Winton, and Ohai. Starting at State Highway 1 the highway is 92 kilometres (57 mi) in length and runs in a general east–west direction. In Winton State Highway 96 runs concurrently with State Highway 6 for 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) kilometres.
The Waitaha River is a river of the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island.
The Waitangitāhuna River are two rivers in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. It was a single river until an avulsion in March 1967, when it became two rivers. Since then, the southern portion of the river has flowed into Lake Wahapo, while the northern section discharges into the Tasman Sea north of Ōkārito Lagoon.
Kaweka Forest Park is in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand, adjacent to Kaimanawa Forest Park. This region of the central North Island contains large tracts of pine plantations, some of them also within the park, and as a consequence, invasive wilding conifers are present throughout the 594 km2 (229 sq mi) park.
Wenderholm Regional Park is a regional park north of Auckland in New Zealand's North Island. It is situated between the estuaries of the Puhoi River and the Waiwera River, on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island and features a homestead known as Couldrey House, and a carved pouwhenua.
Mangatāwhiri is a locality about 10 km north-east of Pōkeno and 7 km west of Mangatangi in the Waikato District in the North Island of New Zealand.
Waikoukou Valley is a locality west of Auckland, in New Zealand. It was formed by Waikoukou Stream, which flows south through the Waitākere Ranges and is joined by Ararimu Stream before joining Kumeū River not far from its junction with Kaipara River. The major roads in the locality are Waikoukou Valley Road, Old North Road, Taylor Road and Peak Road.
The Butler Range, also known as North Butler Range, is a range located in the Westland District of the West Coast Region on the South Island of New Zealand. The range has also been known as Peaks of the Mist Range.
