Google allows for virtual street walk 

Google has launched Street View in New Zealand meaning there's no longer any need to leave the comfort of home to travel the length of the country.

An addititon to the company's Google Maps and Google Earth, Street View  allows people to navigate 360 degree street level images of New Zealand's cities, towns, regions and remote areas.

Camera equipped cars have been driving the length of the country for the last 12 months taking pictures, but still not every street has been photographed.

Google says people worldwide will be now able to explore parts of New Zealand they have never seen before.

More than 100 metropolitan areas in six other countries are visible in Street View, which was first launched in the United States in May 2007.

Product Manager for Google Australia and New Zealand Andrew Foster says as well as using it to get directions, New Zealanders already use Google Maps in a range of interesting ways, from companies integrating it with their websites, to enthusiasts using it to create personalised maps related to their areas of interest.

He says Google expects the Street View imagery to encourage even more New Zealanders to explore their surroundings and plan their activities online.

Tourism New Zealand sees the service having international benefits. They say it will give visitors a sense of what is in New Zealand.

But there are privacy concerns, with some saying it could make it easy for criminals to check out potential victims.

"Anyone who is looking to burgle your home can have a look on this now and see you do have gates," says Private Investigator Julia Hartley Moore.

Police though are not concerned with the website.

A spokesman at national headquarters says it's no different to someone walking down a street, or searching and looking at streets online.

Google says the images are not in real time and the programme does not identify anyone caught on camera.

The company says Street View only contains imagery that is already visible from public roads and blurs identifiable faces. Users can flag for removal images they consider inappropriate by clicking on "Report a concern" at the bottom of the image in question.