Māori rock art in Waimate
Explore the ancient art galleries of Aotearoa in Waimate District. South Canterbury and Waitaki contain the bulk of Aotearoa's rock art sites, but most have been lost over time due to erosion, and damage from animals. While you’re here take the opportunity to see these special sites.
The birdmen and fish drawings at Te Manunui are over 200 years old.
Māori visited this area for the seasonal harvest of kauru, a sweet food made from the roots and leaves of the ti kouka (cabbage) trees. They marked their visits with paintings made of charcoal, soot, and iron oxide. These were applied dry, or mixed with animal or bird fat and vegetable gum to form paint.
You can respectfully explore this site or join a tour.
Getting there - 215 Frenchmans Gully Road, Maungati.
About 35 minutes drive from Waimate. There is a small roadside sign by a stile. Open daylight hours only. Can be slippery, slight downhill, wear appropriate shoes.
Te Manunui
O Waihi Moa
In the Valley of the Moa, charcoal drawings - including three towering moa - were created by Waitaha people who lived and hunted here 700–1000 years ago.
The site sits on a working farm. Closed August and September for lambing and calving.
Getting there - 92 Moa Rd, Maungati
About 45 minutes drive from Waimate. TAbout a 5–7 minute walk from the carpark along a farm track. A short uphill climb, with steps to the shelters, leads to the art. The hillside is steep in places, so sturdy footwear is essential.
Forty minutes south-west of Waimate, in Waitaki District, you’ll find the Takiroa Maori rock art shelter, where you can see images on the rock of sailing ships, animals, and people.
Around 500 years ago, the valley of the Waitaki River was a well-trodden seasonal hunting and fishing route. Takiroa occupied a strategic position, offering advance warning of the approach of strangers or bad weather.”
This site is item number 5 on the History of New Zealand in 100 Places list.
Getting there - State Highway 83 near Duntroon.
Takiroa
Te Ana Ngāi Tahu Māori Rock Art Centre
To properly understand the stories behind these drawings, it’s well worth visiting Te Ana Māori Rock Art Centre in Timaru. The centre offers an interactive introduction to the history and significance of Māori rock art across the region.
Te Ana also runs guided experiences with local Ngāi Tahu descendants to a separate rock art site not open to the general public. It’s a deeper, more personal insight into the lives of early Māori settlers and the meaning behind the cave drawings
