The Mackenzie District is a territorial authority in the Canterbury Region of the South Island of New Zealand. A large inland plain at the foothills of the Southern Alps, it was frequently visited by MÃÂori hunting parties, but sparsely populated. European settlers established sheep runs in the area by the 1850s. The district was named for James Mckenzie, a prominent local outlaw and sheep thief. Tourism to Aoraki / Mount Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand, was established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and became a prominent local industry. This was supplemented by hydroelectricity following the construction of the Waitaki power scheme in the mid-20th century.
Heritage New Zealand classifies sites on the New Zealand Heritage List / RÃÂrangi Kà Ârero in accordance with the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014. It distinguishes between Category 1 ("places of special or outstanding historical or cultural significance") and Category 2 ("places of historic or cultural significance"). Sites containing a number of related significant places are listed as Historic Areas. Additionally, sites important to MÃÂori communities are given special classifications, although none are located within Mackenzie District. A total of thirty listed sites are located in the Mackenzie District, including three Category 1 sites, one historic area, and twenty-six Category 2 sites. An additional Category 2 siteâÂÂthe War Memorial in FairlieâÂÂwas demolished in 1999 and delisted.
One site in Mackenzie District was formerly listed on the New Zealand Heritage List but has since been destroyed.