The Ruapehu District Council (RDC) is asking for photos of people buried in cemeteries, as part of an innovative project that uses 3D mapping and online cemetery records.
They are using drone technology to create 3D maps of cemeteries, providing an online "walk through" experience that allows people to locate and virtually visit a grave site.
Ruapehu mayor Don Cameron said that it is believed to be a first for any New Zealand council.
"We want to provide the ability for people to visit any Ruapehu cemetery online, view it in 3D, and select a grave site that will then display the relevant records for that grave - including a picture of the buried person," said Mr Cameron.
"With 10 cemeteries around our district, many dating back to early European settlement, council has been working with a local historian to locate photos of the buried people.