“Place based” conversations are a critical element to meaningful engagement with stakeholders and local communities around climate change impacts, implications and adaptation. By anchoring the conversations in a local landscape, it is possible to gain insight into the ways in which people experience and value their immediate physical environment, and develop a shared understanding of how it might be affected by a changing climate. Such dialogue is a necessary precursor to adaptation. As part of a climate change impacts and implications research programme we undertook multi-stakeholder workshops and conversations across five longitudinally linked, but not geographically contiguous case-studies: alpine (South Island beech forest), uplands (Upper Waitaki catchment), lowlands (Kaituna catchment in the Bay of Plenty) Coastal (Hauraki Gulf and infowing rivers, Waikato) and Oceans. For most participants, this was the first local multi-stakeholder dialogue on climate change they had attended. Each conversation was diverse, integrated, highlighted information gaps and needs, identified key areas of concerns, common challenges, and potential conflicts, but most importantly provided a forum for those involved (including the research team) to collaboratively explore the perceived impacts and implications of climate change on their livelihoods, community assets, infrastructure and natural resources. The participatory approach was effective at building shared understanding of the relevant issues. For researchers, priority questions were identified and existing questions refined. For participants, it was an opportunity to share their knowledge and begin to work towards solutions. Key learnings are presented and principles for best practice to support other research programs are synthesised.