Mount Axford officially named after prominent space scientist

The official name Mount Axford has been given to a previously unnamed mountain in the Kepler Mountains in Fiordland National Park by Minister for Land Information Hon Damien O’Connor.

The new place name recognises Sir Ian Axford, an eminent New Zealand astrophysicist and cosmologist who died in 2010.

New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa Chairperson Anselm Haanen says, “Themed place names that commemorate prominent New Zealand space scientists are a unique feature of the Kepler Mountains.

“After confirming with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu that the mountain does not have an original Māori name, the Board supported naming it to recognise Sir Ian’s distinguished international career as a researcher and leader of science organisations.”

Sir Ian Axford was a fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and Vice Chancellor at Victoria University of Wellington between 1982-1985. He was named New Zealander of the Year in 1995 and was knighted in 1996. Asteroid ‘5097 Axford’ is also named in his honour.

“It is a fitting tribute to celebrate him with a place name that makes his story part of our future history,“ adds Mr Haanen.

The Kepler Mountains, which overlook Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri, were named by an early surveyor, James McKerrow, to recognise the famous 17th century German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler.

Mount Pickering and Mount Tinsley nearby were officially named in 2010 after William Hayward Pickering, a distinguished New Zealand scientist who pioneered space exploration, and Beatrice Muriel Hill Tinsley, a prominent New Zealand astronomer and cosmologist whose research made fundamental contributions to understanding the evolution of galaxies. 

Mr Haanen says many submissions to the Board were in favour of the new place name, which marks the highest point in the Kepler Mountains. However, because objections were also received that were not supported by the Board, Minister O’Connor was required to make the final decision.

For New Zealand Geographic Board media enquiries, please contact media@linz.govt.nz or call 027 566 5251.

Background and additional information

Place name proposal - Mount Axford

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa is New Zealand's national place naming authority, with jurisdiction over New Zealand, its offshore islands and continental shelf, and the Ross Dependency of Antarctica. The Board is an independent statutory decision-making body that is supported by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand.

Place names are important signposts of modern, historical and cultural influences and values of the people who gave them. Knowing the correct names for places and their locations is also important for everyday communications and activities, such as when emergency services need to identify ’where’ quickly, clearly and accurately.

Official New Zealand place names can be found in the New Zealand Gazetteer.

Kua mana te taunahatia o Mount Axford ki tētahi kaipūtaiao tuarangi rongonui

Kua tukua te ingoa mana o Mount Axford ki tētahi maunga kīhai i taunahatia i mua i ngā Maunga o Kepler i te Whenua Rāhui ā-Motu o Ata Whenua e te Minita mō Toitū Te Whenua, e Hon Damien O’Connor. E whakamihi ana te ingoa wāhi hou i a Tā Ian Axford, tētahi kaimātai ahupūngao arorangi, kaimātai tuarangi rongonui o Aotearoa i mate nei i te 2010. 

Hei tā te Toihau o te New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa, a Anselm Haanen, “He āhuatanga ahurei o ngā Kepler Mountains te ingoa wāhi ā-kaupapa e whakamahara ana i te kaipūtaiao tuarangi rongonui o Aotearoa.

“I muri o te whakaū mai a Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu kāore he ingoa taketake ake o te maunga, ka tautoko te Poari kia taunahatia ki te whakamihi i te umanga mahi taiea a Tā Ian ki te ao hei kairangahau, hei kaihautū i ētahi whakahaere pūtaiao.” 

He paewai a Tā Ian Axford i te Porihanga Rōera o Aotearoa, ko ia anō te Tumuaki Teina i Te Herenga Waka i Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara i waenga i te 1982-1985. Ka tapaina ia ko te Tangata o Aotearoa o te Tau i te 1995 ka tohua hei Tā i te tau 1996. I tapaina anō te Tokarangi ‘5097 Axford’ ki a ia.

Hei tā Mr Haanen anō, “E tika ana kia whakanuia ia ki te ingoa wāhi e noho mai ai ōna kōrero hei kōrero tuku iho ki tua.” 

I taunahatia ngā Kepler Mountains, e titiro iho rā ki Lake Te Anau me Lake Manapouri e tētahi kairūri o mua, e James McKerrow, hei whakamihi i te tohunga kōkōrangi, te tohunga pāngarau Tiamana rongonui o te rautau 17, a Johannes Kepler.

I mana te taunahatia o ngā maunga pātata o Mount Pickering me Mount Tinsley i te 2010 ki a William Hayward Pickering, tētahi kaipūtaiao taiea o Aotearoa i para huarahi ki te hōpara tuarangi me Beatrice Muriel Hill Tinsley, tētahi tohunga kōkōrangi, kaimātai tuarangi rongonui o Aotearoa nā ōna whakaaro taketake i puta i āna mahi rangahau i mārama ake ai ki te kuneroa o te ikarangi. 

Hei tā Mr Haanen he maha ngā tāpaenga whakaaro ki te Poari i tautoko i te ingoa wāhi hou, e tohu nei i te ikeiketanga o ngā Kepler Mountains. Heoi, i te tāpaea anō o te kupu whakahē kāore nei i tautokohia e te Poari, ka riro mā Minita O’Connor te whakatau whakamutunga. 

Mō ngā pātai pāpāho e pā ana ki te New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa, whakapā mai koa ki media@linz.govt.nz me waea mai rānei ki 027 566 5251.

Kōrero tuarongo me ētahi atu pārongo

Place name proposal - Mount Axford

Ko te New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa te mana taunaha wāhi o Aotearoa, ka rere tōna mana i Aotearoa tonu, ki ōna moutere o waho, ki tōna pūkawa raurarahi, me te Ross Dependency i te Tiri o te Moana ki te Tonga. He rōpū whakatau take motuhake ā-ture te Poari e tautokohia ana e Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand. 

He pou tohu hira te ingoa wāhi mō ngā kawenga ahurea me ngā uara o ngā tāngata o te ao hou, o mua, nā rātou nei i taunaha. E hira ana hoki te mōhio ki te ingoa wāhi tika, kei hea ake taua wāhi, e hira ana anō ki ngā whakapāpātanga me ngā mahi o ia rā, pērā i te tere tautuhi a ngā ratonga whawhati tata 'kei hea ake' te wāhi i runga i te mārama me te tika. 

Ka kitea ngā ingoa wāhi mana o Aotearoa i te New Zealand Gazetteer.