Welcome to the Mapping section of the Orienteering NZ website. These pages provide information and resources on how to prepare orienteering maps, and you can also chat with others about Mapping through the Chat area.
This page is intended as a central location where New Zealand based mappers can obtain all the necessary information for their mapping work. For any help or advice not covered here, please contact the mapping committee.
Resources
Below are links to important rules and specifications for orienteering mapping. It is extremely important that these are followed where necessary as they provide a method of standardizing maps across New Zealand and internationally.
Foot Orienteering
- 2017 Changes to our Mapping Standards
The international specification for non-sprint foot orienteering maps changes with progressive introduction from 2017. What it means for participants. - Advice to Mappers for Changes to our Maps
The international specification for non-sprint foot orienteering maps changes with progressive introduction from 2017. What it means for mappers. - ISOM 2017 (International Specification for Orienteering Maps)
The NEW international specification for non-sprint foot orienteering maps, 1:10,000 or 1:15,000 scale. - ISOM 2000 (International Specification for Orienteering Maps)
The PREVIOUS international specification for non-sprint foot orienteering maps, 1:10 000 or 1:15 000 scale. - ONZ Mapping Master Legend ISOM2017 (PDF 1.3MB)
ONZ-Mapping-Master-Legend-ISOM2017 – OCAD v12 (OCD 255KB – OCAD version 12 format)
The Mapping Committee has prepared a one-page “fieldwork legend” of the new symbol numbers. Fits on a page at 1:7500 (print it out for guidance in the field) or you can copy bits to make an actual legend. It might be useful to laminate it and tape it on the back of your mapping board. - ONZ Vanilla CRT (TXT 10KB) (Note: Right click link and select “Save as…”)
Cross Reference Table to go from the OCAD-provided ISOM2000 symbols, to an ISOM2017 set. OCAD provides one of these, but this one has extensive comments to assist editing, which you will undoubtedly have to do. (Note: some computers think files with an extension of CRT are security certificates. It is provided here as a TXT file. Before using it with OCAD you’ll have to change the extension to CRT.) Refer to Advice to Mappers for Changes to our Maps for information on the CRT file use. - New Zealand Specific Symbols (Appendix 8, page 19)
Common New Zealand uses for special IOF symbols on non-sprint maps. These are the expected usage of each symbol, alternate uses must be clearly described in event information. - ISSOM 2007 (International Specification for Sprint Orienteering Maps)
The international specification for sprint foot orienteering maps, 1:4 000 or 1:5 000 scale.
Mountain Bike Orienteering
- ISMTBOM 2010 (International Specification for Mountain Bike Orienteering Maps)
The international specification for mountain bike orienteering maps. - New Zealand MTBO Mapping Conventions
Mapping conventions for New Zealand Mountain Bike Orienteering Maps, used in conjunction with ISMTBOM.
Data
Below are links to important locations for sourcing basemap material, including contours and aerial imagery. Other council websites not listed below may have aerial imagery or other data, often located under “Property Information System” or a similar title.
- Land Information New Zealand Data Service
Free online access to New Zealand’s most up-to-date land data. Look especially at Aerial photos and Elevation (contours and DEMs). - Koordinates
Online access to a wide range of data sets across New Zealand. Some data in Koordinates is commercial and requires payment before it can be downloaded. - Open Topography Free online access to high-resolution topography. Hosted by the University of California, San Diego but holds raw Lidar (point cloud) data for New Zealand. Whereas LINZ holds elevations processed into contours and DEMs on a regular grid, this site holds all recorded Lidar returns.
- WAMS (Walking Access Mapping System)
WAMS is an online system using GIS technology to provide a view of the legal boundaries of public land. This boundary information (known as the cadastre) can be viewed against topographical maps or aerial photographs of the entire country. Important for locating areas where orienteering may be more easily permitted. - Magnetic Field Declination Around New Zealand
Provides information on the declination of magnetic north from grid north and true north across New Zealand. - Canterbury Maps
Online access to a wide range of data sets across the Canterbury region - Auckland Council GIS
Online access to a wide range of data sets across the Auckland region
ONZ Mapping Community Wiki
Updates
- To receive mapping related emails, subscribe to the Orienteering NZ Email List and ensure “Mapping” is selected as an area of interest.
- ONZ News and Blog Posts including mapping information should be tagged with “mapping” tag.
- Like to share some mapping information? Post a Blog post on the Orienteering NZ website and tag with “mapping” (without quote marks).
Mapping Bulletins
- Orienteeirng NZ Mapping Bulletin 4 – August 23, 2017
- ONZ Mapping Committee – Advice to Mappers for Changes to our Maps
- Orienteering NZ Mapping Bulletin 3 – 17 Nov 2016
- Orienteering NZ Mapping Bulletin 2 – 13 July 2016
- Orienteering NZ Mapping Bulletin 1 – 29 May 2016
Contact
The Orienteering NZ Mapping Committee welcomes any questions regarding New Zealand mapping practices or any stage of the mapping process. Suggestions of other information sources for this page are also appreciated. You are encouraged to contact the committee by email using the form below.
ONZ News tagged with 'Mapping'
- Compass Point – October 2019
- Wellington Orienteering – Expression of Interest for Mapping – due Sunday 4 August 2019
- ONZ Compass Point – April 2019
- Wellington Orienteering – Whirokino Mapping expression of interest by 1 March 2019
- Wellington Orienteering – Mapping expression of interest
- Orienteering NZ Compass Point e-Newsletter – March 2018
- Orienteering NZ Compass Point e-Newsletter – October 2017
- ISOM2017 Mapping Changes for NZ Orienteering – Mappers Resources Published
- Orienteering NZ Compass Point e-Newsletter – June 2017
- ONZ Committee Vacancies
Members Blog Posts tagged with 'Mapping'
- Nationals2019 – Q+A to Meet the Sprint Mapper, Planner and Controller
- LIDAR Orienteering Mapping Workshop during 2018 Australian Championships carnival in South Australia
- Insight: Sport is a volunteer’s game (Hawkes Bay Today)
- Orienteeirng NZ Mapping Bulletin 4 – August 23, 2017
- ONZ Mapping Committee – Advice to Mappers for Changes to our Maps
- Orienteering NZ Mapping Bulletin 3 – 17 Nov 2016
- Orienteering NZ Mapping Bulletin 2 – 13 July 2016
- Orienteering NZ Mapping Bulletin 1 – 29 May 2016





