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As a city with a major international airport and the largest city in the South Island, Christchurch is a gateway for international tourists visiting the South Island attractions of Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park, Queenstown, the West Coast and Kaikōura.
Mar 4, 2024 · Destinations. Christchurch: The South Island City That Rose From Rubble. Elen Turner. March 4, 2024. 8 min read. As New Zealand’s second-largest city, Christchurch is significantly smaller than the gateway city of Auckland, giving it an easygoing vibe and much less traffic than its North Island counterpart.
- Elen Turner
Many travellers agree that Christchurch is one of the most unique cities. The largest city in the South Island has a captivating story from its Maori heritage, English influences (said to be “the most English city outside of England”), and the more recent impact of the Canterbury earthquakes.
Christchurch is located on the Canterbury plains on the eastern coast of the South Island, just north of Banks Peninsula. The city has a population of 385,000 (2023), increasing to 520,000 people when including its communing zone.
- Amanda Briney
- It is believed that the Christchurch area was first settled in 1250 by tribes hunting the now-extinct moa, a large flightless bird that was endemic to New Zealand.
- In early 1840, whaling Europeans arrived and established whaling stations in what is now Christchurch. In 1848, the Canterbury Association was founded to form a colony in the region and in 1850 pilgrims began to arrive.
- On July 31, 1856, Christchurch became the first official city in New Zealand and it quickly grew as more European settlers arrived. In addition, New Zealand's first public railway was constructed in 1863 to make moving heavy goods from Ferrymead (today a suburb of Christchurch) to Christchurch quicker.
- Today the economy of Christchurch is based largely on agriculture from the rural areas surrounding the city. The largest agricultural products of the region are wheat and barley as well as wool and meat processing.
May 27, 2024 · Proclaimed a city in 1862 and made a borough in 1868, Christchurch was expanded in 1903, and it is now the most populous city on South Island and the second largest city (after Auckland) in New Zealand.
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Christchurch is in Canterbury. It is the largest city in the South Island. The Pacific Ocean lines its east coast and south coast. The Southern Alps act as a border on the west coast. The Waimakariri River creates a natural northern border. The purest and cleanest water can be found in Christchurch. This water comes from the Southern Alps via ...
