Respect for our precious sites

The traditional relationships of mana whenua with their land and water are matters of national importance under section 6(e) of the Resource Management Act (RMA).

In our region there are six iwi:

Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa

Rangitane o Wairarapa

Ngati Raukawa ki te Tonga

Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai

Ngati Toa Rangatira

Taranaki Whanui ki te Upoko o te Ika a Maui

There are areas and sites of significance to tangata whenua that are at risk of degradation or are threatened by human activities in the region. We work closely with mana whenua to protect these sites.

Some examples include places associated with ngā atua (deities), taniwha and kaitiaki (guardians and protectors of places), historical land uses such as a source of a particular type of clay, species of mahinga kai (natural food source) or quality of water.

All of these sites are shown on our interactive map showing car free beaches.

What you can do

• Before driving to the beach check the car parking options
• Consider how to carry your equipment from your car to the beach and whether you need any more bags or chilly bins before you leave
• Ask yourself when you arrive – do I really need to drive on the beach?
• If there’s really a need to drive onto the beach, check the areas where this is a permitted activity on this map and be sure to use the correct access road