New Zealand was formally colonised by Britain in 1840, when the Treaty of Waitangi was signed on 6 February and British sovereignty was then proclaimed over the islands in May of that year.

Quick Scoop: When was NZ colonised?

New Zealand was home to Māori for centuries before Europeans arrived, so “colonisation” refers specifically to British control being established. The key turning point was the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, signed between many Māori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown, which Britain treated as the legal basis for creating a colony.

Key dates

  • 1642: First recorded European contact, by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman (no lasting settlement).
  • 1769: Captain James Cook maps much of the coastline, opening the way for later European interest.
  • 1830s: Increasing numbers of British traders, missionaries, and settlers arrive, but NZ is not yet a formal colony.
  • 6 February 1840: Treaty of Waitangi signed in the Bay of Islands; Britain uses this as the foundation for colonisation.
  • 21 May 1840: Lieutenant-Governor Hobson proclaims British sovereignty over the North Island by cession (Treaty) and over the South Island and other islands by discovery/occupation.

So, if you’re answering “when was NZ colonised?” in a simple way, the commonly accepted answer is 1840 , with the Treaty of Waitangi as the colonial starting point.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.