The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa made 1,454 official decisions at its April hui on place names in the Tasman and Marlborough regions, as well as 18 for undersea feature names around New Zealand.

The Board is also inviting public submissions on 10 proposals for the following place names and undersea feature names across and around New Zealand:

“The Board invites submissions from anyone who wants to have a say about these name proposals – particularly from those people in the local communities,” says Wendy Shaw, Board Secretary.

The Board received the proposals from members of the public except for the three undersea feature names, which the Board’s Undersea Feature Names Committee submitted.

The Board will accept submissions for or against the proposed names up to 28 June 2021, except for Pākaraka and Waipaekākā, where submissions will be accepted until 30 August 2021.

Further information, including the extent of each proposal and how to make a submission can be found at https://www.linz.govt.nz/about-us/what-were-doing/consultation.

Board decisions made at its April hui include:

· 506 existing place names made official in the Tasman Region

· 948 existing place names made official in the Marlborough Region

· 16 undersea feature names either newly assigned, altered, or discontinued because a feature did not exist

· 2 undersea feature names approved as official

The majority of these place names (1,454) are part of the Board’s fast track programme to approve existing place names as official.

Some of the better-known place names now official include Hope, Tasman, Maruia Falls, Shenandoah River, Shenandoah Saddle, Blenheim, Portage, Seddon and Ward.

“It may surprise many to learn that the name of the place they live in has not yet been made official, even if it has been used for a long time,” says Wendy Shaw.

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

“It’s important to ensure we preserve and protect place names so that they endure, and we have certainty about their location, extent, origin and authenticity,” she says.

Some of the Māori place names like Tūī, Mātakitaki, Kaipākirikiri Bay and Mōioio Island now have macrons applied. Adding macrons in written Māori makes the meaning of a name clear and assists with pronunciation.

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa welcomes any feedback on these decisions by emailing NZGBenquiries@linz.govt.nz.

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