Tohu Whenua
Landmarks that tell our stories
Nau mai, haere mai ki te kaupapa o Tohu Whenua.
Tohu Whenua are the places that have shaped Aotearoa New Zealand. Located in stunning landscapes and rich with stories, they offer some of our best heritage experiences.
Explore our regions
Walk in the footsteps of extraordinary and ordinary New Zealanders and hear about the deeds, struggles, triumphs and innovations that make us who we are.
Otago
Otago’s Tohu Whenua are places that tell stories of our people’s pioneering spirit, marking some of the cornerstones of our economic and entrepreneurial livelihood.
DiscoverTe Tai Tokerau
Northland
Te Tai Tokerau Northland’s Tohu Whenua, and the interweaving journeys, tell the stories of our beginnings. These are places where both our Māori and European ancestors arrived, centuries apart, and where their identities were defined.
DiscoverTe Tai Poutini
West Coast
Te Tai Poutini West Coast's Tohu Whenua tell the stories of the hardships endured for our country's most prized resources. A region known for its incredible beauty and rich bounty, these are the places where our people's limits were tested and rewarded.
DiscoverLatest Stories & News
28/05/2023
Māori youth examine their relationship to the environment through art
Creative leadership in the environmental space will be ignited by the next generation of Māori artists as they showcase their work in the biannual Tai o Hī Tai o Hā exhibition, set to open to the public on May 28.
24/05/2023
Vote #1 for Hansen Lemon Tree - Rākau o te tau / Tree of the year Aotearoa
Inspired by the ‘European tree of the year’, organisers of Rākau o Te Tau / Tree of the Year Aotearoa want Kiwis to nominate and vote for the greatest, most fascinating trees in the country!
01/05/2023
Matariki Arrowtown Lights returns for second year
Kā-Muriwai Arrowtown will once again shine as it hosts Matariki celebrations for the second year running.
29/04/2023
Clendon whānau receive special acknowledgement
Special acknowledgement for a whānau that played a key role in carefully preserving valuable documents spanning almost 150 years of Aotearoa New Zealand history.
16/02/2023
Clendon papers added to UNESCO register
A unique collection of family papers spanning almost 150 years, and covering watershed moments in the formation of modern New Zealand, has been added to the UNESCO Aotearoa New Zealand Memory of the World register.
About Us
Tohu Whenua is a visitor programme that connects New Zealanders with our heritage and enhances our sense of national identity by promoting significant historical and cultural sites.
The Tohu Whenua programme forms a network of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most treasured heritage places that visitors of all ages can enjoy.
Download a brochure
Download a regional brochure to help you plan your trip.
