A beautiful new Pou Whenua at the beginning of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing will introduce visitors to the sacred landscape they are entering, said Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.

Potaka attended a blessing for the specially carved Pou Whenua at Mangatepopo, at the start of the track on November 1.

It represents Te Ririo, a significant figure in the histories of Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro, hapū of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

“From the time Ngatoroirangi, paramount ancestor of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, ascended Tongariro, the maunga has been of great importance for his descendants. The pou and cultural installation at Mangatepopo introduce visitors to the sacred landscape they are entering," Potaka said.

“The new features focus on cultural understanding and safety, and reflect the mana of Tongariro, to help perpetuate ongoing respect for the land along the popular trail.”

A corresponding pou will follow in coming months at the Ketetahi track end, expressing other stories significant to hapū and iwi.

Tongariro National Park is one of only 29 sites in the world with dual World Heritage status, for its cultural and natural heritage values.

It is the first of only three World Heritage sites in Aotearoa New Zealand and was the first in the world to be given dual World Heritage status.

“The mountain and the park offer an astonishing, unique opportunity to visit and see a beautiful, important, and culturally significant place,” Potaka said.

“The installations build on visitor management improvements which began in 2023 with the introduction of a free booking system for walkers and Manaaki Rangers to welcome and inform visitors and check bookings.”