The Topo50 map series provides topographic mapping for the New Zealand mainland, the Chatham Islands, and offshore islands at 1:50,000 (some of the islands at 1:25,000) scale.
The Kermadec Islands data and maps, although captured and presented at 1:25,000 scale are, to all intents and purposes, part of the Topo50 series.
Along with the paper-based Topo50 map series, digital images of the maps are also publicly available.
Georeferenced raster digital images are provided at a resolution of 300 DPI. Georeferencing allows adjacent maps to be accurately and automatically aligned within GIS systems.
For more information, and a description of the georeferencing keys: http://www.linz.govt.nz/topography/topo-maps/topo50/digital-images
Please be aware of the following:
- The existence of a road or track does not necessarily indicate public right of access.
- Closed tracks are defined as being no longer maintained or passable and should not be used by recreationalists. The Department of Conservation or other authorities should be contacted for the latest information on tracks and huts.
- Not all aerial wires, cableways and obstructions that could be hazardous to aircraft are held in the data.
- Contours and spot elevations in forest and snow areas may be less accurate.
- Not all pipelines including both underground and above ground are held in the data or shown on the printed maps. For the latest information please contact the utility and infrastructure agencies
- Permits may be required to visit some sensitive and special islands and areas. Contact the Department of Conservation to see if you need to apply for a permit.
Source
LINZ and our predecessors have been responsible for national topographic mapping in New Zealand for more than a hundred years.
The first digital data for the NZ Offshore Islands at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 was created in the late 80's and early 90's by scanning the maps that existed at the time (the NZMS 272 series)
The raw data was created by photogrammetrists who from 1974 to 1997 mapped the islands from overlapping pairs of aerial photographs. Cartographers then took the data and added symbols and text, and created the colour separations needed to produce the printed maps.
In 2009 and 2010 LINZ used satellite imagery and data supplied from the Department of Conservation to update the offshore islands data. Printed maps (in hardcopy and digital form) in are also available.
