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MINISTRY FOR CULTURE AND HERITAGE
15 December 2005
Te Ara (www.teara.govt.nz) has launched two new features about New Zealand’s distinctive places. The Bay of Plenty feature was released in Tauranga and Whakatāne on 5 and 6 December 2005. One week later, on 12 and 13 December, the Northland feature was launched in Whāngārei and Kaikohe.
The Bay of Plenty information was written by historian Malcolm McKinnon, overall editor for the Places theme. Well known for his work as editor of the Bateman New Zealand Historical Atlas, Malcolm spent some time visiting the region while compiling his material.
Dr Claudia Orange wrote the Northland feature. Her experience of the region includes her in-depth research on the Treaty of Waitangi.
Te Ara Managing Editor Nancy Swarbrick oversaw the considerable editorial work on these substantial contributions.
Both Malcolm and Claudia received assistance from local experts, and local museums, libraries and other organisations found us many photographs, maps and other images.
Many of the photographs for both features were taken by members of the Te Ara team. Jock Phillips has drawn on his extensive personal collection, and Resource Team Leader Shirley Williams travelled around the Bay and then to Northland with digital camera in hand. There are also a considerable number of maps drawn in-house, animated slideshows and layered interactive maps created by our web designer, Helene Coulson.
The Places information is presented in two parts:
Both are richly illustrated with historic and contemporary photographs, interactive maps, audio files, movies and selected documents. There is a distinctive design and new banner for the theme. The information is extensive – each article is more than three times the size of a typical Te Ara story.
Over the next three years there will be features on Auckland, Hauraki, Waikato, the King Country, the Volcanic Plateau, East Coast, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatū, Wairarapa, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, the West Coast, Canterbury, South Canterbury, Otago, Southland, and New Zealand’s Offshore Islands.
