ABOUT CHRISTCHURCH

The largest city in the South Island, with a population above 300,000. Christchurch is said to be the most English city in New Zealand and without a doubt one of the most beautiful, winner of the International garden city award. Christchurch has many sights to see, such as the Arts Centre, or the stunning Botanical Gardens, Christchurch Cathedral, go for a stroll in Hagley Park, or punt down Avon River. Take advantage of the many tourist attractions such as the Christchurch casino, or look over the city on the Gondola. You can even take a tram ride through the city center.  

The mountains are only an hour and a half away, Canterbury boasts more than ten snow fields. Skiers and snowboarders travel here from all over the world to enjoy the reliable snow, wide range of runs and excellent equipment. The ski season ranges from June to September.

The beaches are beautiful, sandy, clean and almost empty. New Brighton is the longest, miles of sand with pine trees growing beside the sand dunes. Sumner beach has the picturesque Shag Rock at one end.  If the tide is out you can walk down to Cave Rock, and along the Esplanade. Taylors Mistake Beach is over the next hill. This is a sheltered cove with baches (small houses used for weekend retreats) along the shore.  The walk along the cliffs has some dramatic views. All of the beaches are great for swimming, surfing and sailing with lifeguards on duty. 

Background

Given Christchurch's strong and obvious English links, it is ironic that the first European settlers on the Canterbury plains were Scottish. Brothers William and John Deans settled here in 1843, calling it Riccarton. Five years later the government bought this and surrounding land for more concerted settlement.  In 1849 Robert Godley founded the Canterbury Association (mainly worthies from his old university college of Christchurch, Oxford) to establish a new Anglican settlement. In 1850 the first four ships brought 782 colonists to the whaling base of Lyttelton. Despite the collapse of the Association in 18SS, the colony flourished and much of its founding English influence prevails.

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