Abel Tasman National Park (43,939 acres) contains coastal and elevated bush-clad country along the shores of Tasman Bay and some off-shore islands and reefs. It is a maritime park with broken coastline, numerous bays, coves, and beaches of golden sand.

Nelson Lakes National Park (141,127 acres) is centred on the twin lakes, Rotoiti and Rotoroa, and is surrounded by mountainous country with lower slopes covered by mainly beech forests. The slopes of Mount Robert have extensive snow fields.

Arthur's Pass National Park (242,888 acres) is an alpine and forested region taking in part of the Southern Alps containing the headwaters of the Waimakariri and Otira Rivers. The transalpine road connecting Canterbury and Westland crosses the Pass and a railway runs beneath through the 5¼ miles Otira Tunnel.

Mount Cook National Park (172,979 acres) lies south from Arthur's Pass and at a higher altitude. With the Main Divide its western boundary, it contains 15 peaks above 10,000 ft, among them the highest in New Zealand, Mount Cook (12,349 ft). One-third of the total area is made up of permanent snow and glacier ice. The largest glacier is the 18-mile-long Tasman Glacier, which is up to 2 miles wide.

Westland National Park (210,257 acres) extends from sea level to heights of more than 11,500 ft on the western side of the Main Divide. The park contains extensive native forests, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls. Features include the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, and Lakes Matheson, Mapourika, and Wahapo.

Mount Aspiring National Park (492,300 acres) extends southwards along the Southern Alps from Haast Pass region at the head of Lake Wanaka to the boundary of Fiordland National Park at the head of Lake Wakatipu. A park of mountains, forests, and rivers, the dominating feature is the 9,959 ft Mount Aspiring.

Fiordland National Park (3,023,100 acres) is the largest park. It is an area of majestic scenery with mountains, forests, lakes, fiords, and bush-clad islands. It includes Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau, while a road through the Homer Tunnel gives access to Milford Sound. The Sutherland Falls (1,904 ft) are the highest in New Zealand. The park is the only known habitat of the flightless notornis or takahe, and the kakapo, a species of native parrot.

by Percy Hylton Craig Lucas, Administrative Officer, Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington.