NZ History – New Zealand history website from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, including an ever-growing number of multimedia features on a wide range of topics.

Comprising two main islands and a number of small islands, New Zealand is a remote country in the South Pacific Ocean, lying more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Australia. It was …

Elizabeth Yates was elected mayor of Onehunga on 29 November 1893, becoming the first woman in the British Empire to hold the office. The First World War had a seismic impact on …

Large-scale European settlement began in the 1840s, and the subsequent social, political and economic changes changed New Zealand from British colonial outpost to multicultural Pacific …

Learn about the history of New Zealand, from the early settlement by the Maori to the arrival of Europeans.

Explore the rich and complex history of New Zealand, from the ancient Māori settlers and their vibrant culture to European contact and colonization. Discover the challenges of the New …

Learn where you can research New Zealand history. Find information about local, national, military and Māori history.

Explore New Zealand's vibrant history from Maori settlements to modern achievements in this detailed timeline.

Jun 21, 2025 · Somewhere between 1320 and 1350 CE, the first Polynesians arrived in Aotearoa, now called New Zealand. These seafarers came in double-hulled canoes from eastern …

85 mya: Around this time New Zealand splits from the supercontinent Gondwana. [1] 5 mya: New Zealand's climate cools as Australia drifts north. Animals that have adapted to warm …