Auckland's historic heritage
The Auckland Regional Council (ARC) plays an important role in the conservation (preservation and protection) of the region's historic heritage.
Historic heritage is the land-based component of our cultural heritage: places that are significant to us because they are associated with our ancestors, cultures, or past.
What is cultural heritage? (888.6 KB PDF)
Our historic heritage includes:
- built heritage - historic buildings or structures and their settings
- archaeological sites
- places of special significance to Māori, including wāhi tapu, urupā, and places of traditional importance
- trees or other vegetation with historical or cultural associations
- places where past events have taken place
- cemeteries and burial places
- shipwrecks and other maritime heritage
- landscapes and areas of heritage places.
The ARC conserves our historic heritage by:
- caring for historic heritage in Auckland's regional parks
- controlling the use, development and protection of historic heritage in the coastal environment, in conjunction with the Department of Conservation
- ensuring the sustainable and integrated management of historic heritage throughout the region through statutory mechanisms under the Resource Management Act 2001 and amendments
- promoting the preservation and protection of historic heritage by supporting community initiatives
- maintaining a Cultural Heritage Inventory of historic heritage in the region, to assist with the management of our heritage.
As the largest and fastest growing urban area in New Zealand, Auckland imposes special pressures on its heritage resources.
It's important that we preserve and protect now so future generations of Aucklanders can continue to appreciate and enjoy our unique natural and cultural heritage.
