Mapping milestone in New Zealand: release of high-resolution coastal Lidar data

Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand has released new high-resolution coastal Lidar point cloud data, offering one of the most detailed digital representations of New Zealand's coastline to date. The dataset, now available on the LINZ Data Service, forms part of the 3D Coastal Mapping Programme, which launched in 2025 with an objective of mapping up to 40% of New Zealand's coastline. The latest release marks one of several dataset milestones under the programme, with more coastal data scheduled to follow.

The point cloud captures coastal environments in three dimensions, enabling more accurate analysis of coastal change and associated risks including sea-level rise, storm surge and tsunami. Areas covered include the Ōakura coastline in Taranaki, Dog Island in Foveaux Strait and the Port of Tauranga. Data points are classified – and can be colourized – into ground feature types such as bare ground, vegetation, buildings and seafloor, giving scientists, planners and decision-makers a richer basis for environmental assessment.

Where water turbidity limits bathymetric Lidar penetration, the programme supplements acquisition with multibeam echosounder (MBES) technology, ensuring continuity of seabed coverage in areas where suspended sediment would otherwise leave gaps in the dataset.

Stuart Caie, 3D Coastal Mapping Programme lead, noted that the release had been delivered on schedule and acknowledged the contribution of suppliers Woolpert Asia-Pacific and NV5 Geospatial in bringing the dataset to completion.

Purpose and scope of 3D Coastal Mapping Programme

A large part of New Zealand's coastline sits within the scope of the 3DCM programme, with a focus on populated and vulnerable stretches of coast and the sea floor below. The effort will cover close to 10,000km² of significant infrastructure corridors and areas at elevated risk of coastal inundation. At its core, the programme aims to fill a longstanding gap in coastal knowledge, establishing a baseline dataset that can be used to track future changes driven by climate events and natural hazards.

Using Lidar technology, the programme captures both topographic and bathymetric data in a single, seamless layer stretching from 200 metres inland to 25 metres below the waterline. This corridor represents the most dynamic and climate-exposed stretch of any coastline, and has historically been among the most difficult to map accurately. Data collection is scheduled to run through June 2027.

True to LINZ's commitment to open access, all collected data is made freely available as the 'New Zealand Coastal LiDAR 1m DEM', a unified dataset hosted on both the LINZ Data Service and the Open Data Registry. This data is ready to be put to work by all kinds of professionals, whether coastal planners, researchers, or developers building the next generation of risk and environmental tools.