New Place Name Decisions from the New Zealand Geographic Board

16 October 2008: Media release

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa today gazetted seven new official place names. The names take effect on 16 November 2008.

Final decisions made by the Board

Five of the place names have become final as the Board’s initial intentions to assign or alter them received no objections. These five names include:

Te Motu o Poutoa

An historic pa site on an elevated area of the left bank of the Manawatu River. The site covers Anzac Park and overlooks Palmerston North.

Tanenuiarangi Manawatu Inc, which represents Rangitāne ki Manawatu, proposed to the Board to restore the original Māori name to the site of an historic pa. The site covers the same area as Anzac Park, but does not replace the name ‘Anzac Park’.

Elliott Peak

A mountain in the range south of Okiwi Bay, Croisilles Harbour, Marlborough Sounds.

The Board has altered the spelling from Elliot Peak to recognise the peak was named after Charles Elliott, a prominent early British settler in Nelson, and founder and proprietor of Nelson’s first newspaper, the Nelson Examiner.

Decisions made by the Minister for Land Information

Final decisions on two of the names gazetted today were made by the Minister for Land Information, following objections from members of the public to the Board’s initial intentions.

Waireinga/Bridal Veil Falls

A waterfall on the Pakoka River, north of Aotea Harbour and approximately 11 km south of Raglan.

The original proposal received by the Board sought to change the waterfall’s recorded name of Bridal Veil Falls to Waireinga Falls. The Board’s initial intention in April 2008 was to accept the proposed name change, subject to the usual three-month period for objections.

Following objections from members of the public outlining the strong local and national identity of ‘Bridal Veil Falls’ and potential confusion for the tourists who visit the waterfall every year, the Board recommended the dual name of Waireinga/Bridal Veil Falls. The Minister for Land Information has agreed to the dual name as the final decision.

Rangitoto ki te Tonga/D’Urville Island

The major island at the northern extremity of the Marlborough Sounds.

Since 1984, the Island’s official name has been the dual name of Rangitoto ki te Tonga (D’Urville Island). At its April 2008 meeting, the Board proposed to update the dual name to Rangitoto ki te Tonga/D’Urville Island, subject to the usual three-month period for objections.

The practice for dual naming now is to use a forward-slash rather than brackets.

Objections received to this proposed update included the suggestion that the French name should come first in the dual name format, and the assertion that ‘Rangitoto’ creates confusion with other locations such Auckland’s Rangitoto Island.

After considering all objections, the Board upheld the intention to change the dual name format to Rangitoto ki te Tonga/D’Urville Island. The Minister for Land Information has agreed to the dual name as the final decision.

About the Board

The Board is New Zealand’s official place naming authority, and is made up of experts in New Zealand geography, history, Māori language and culture, and outdoor recreation.

The Board considers proposals to create new place names or change current ones.

Anyone can propose a place name. The Board uses a number of criteria to make a decision on any proposal.

More information

For all seven decisions, please visit the New Zealand Geographic Board's decisions page.

You can find more information about the New Zealand Geographic Board and its decision-making processes.