64-563: Kaitorete Spit is a long finger of land which extends along the coast of Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand. It runs west from Banks Peninsula for 25 kilometres, and separates the shallow Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora from the Pacific Ocean . It is technically a continuous barrier beach , though at its western end it tapers to a point less than 100 metres in width which is occasionally breached at high tide. The spit
128-499: A local government reform in 1989 that took place under the Local Government Act 1974 . The regional councils replaced the more than 700 ad hoc bodies that had been formed in the preceding century – roads boards, catchment boards, drainage boards, pest control boards, harbour boards, domain and reserve boards. In addition they took over some roles that had previously been performed by county councils. The boundaries of
192-639: A multi–purpose covered stadium Te Kaha seating 30,000 spectators that is expected to be complete by April 2026. Canterbury was the location used in the filming The Lord of the Rings for the fictional city of Edoras, Rohan , on Mount Sunday, as well as Helm's deep backdrop, several miles down the valley. Regions of New Zealand New Zealand is divided into sixteen regions for local government purposes. Eleven are administered by regional councils, and five are administered by unitary authorities , which are territorial authorities that also perform
256-654: A Briton, and John Robert Godley , an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, founded the Canterbury Association to establish an Anglican colony in the South Island . The colony was based upon theories developed by Wakefield while in prison for eloping with a woman not-of-age. Due to ties to the University of Oxford , the Canterbury Association succeeded in raising sufficient funds and recruiting middle-class and upper-class settlers. In April 1850,
320-404: A busy weekday afternoon. This, along with the strength of the quakes, and the proximity to the city centre, resulted in 181 deaths. Many buildings and landmarks were severely damaged, including the iconic Shag Rock and Christchurch Cathedral . New Zealand's first National State of Emergency was promptly declared. On 13 June 2011 at about 1:00 pm New Zealand time, Christchurch was rocked by
384-690: A divisional court of the Court of Appeal . State Highway 1 runs the length of Canterbury, connecting north to Blenheim and the Cook Strait ferry terminal at Picton and south to Oamaru , Dunedin and Invercargill . Christchurch International Airport , located in Harewood on the northwest outskirts of Christchurch, is the region's main airport. Regular flights operate from Christchurch to most major centres in New Zealand, as well as Australia,
448-463: A long history, stretching from creation of the greywacke basement rocks that make up the Southern Alps to the arrival of the first humans. This history is linked to the solidification and development of tectonic plates, the development of oceans and then life itself. The region is a part of the larger Zealandia continent, itself a part of the larger Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. In
512-466: A magnitude 5.7 quake, followed by a magnitude 6.3 quake at 2:20 pm, centred in a similar location to that of the February quake with a depth of 6.0 kilometres. Dozens of aftershocks occurred over the following days, including several over magnitude 4. Phone lines and power were lost in some suburbs, and liquefaction surfaced mainly in the eastern areas of the city which were worst affected following
576-616: A million sheep in the region by the early 1850s. By the 1860s, this figure had risen to three million. During this period, the architect Benjamin Mountfort designed many civic and ecclesiastical buildings in the Gothic Revival style. The Canterbury Province was formed in 1853 following the passing of the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 . It was formed from part of New Munster Province and covered
640-566: A preliminary group led by Godley landed at Port Cooper – modern-day Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō – and established a port, housing and shops in preparation for the main body of settlers. In December 1850, the first wave of 750 settlers arrived at Lyttelton in a fleet of four ships . Following 1850, the province's economy developed with the introduction of sheep farming. The Canterbury region's tussock plains in particular were suitable for extensive sheep farming. Since they were highly valued by settlers for their meat and wool, there were over half
704-639: A variety of indoor venues. Christchurch City Council maintains 110 sportsgrounds across Christchurch City and Banks Peninsula . The sports venues Lancaster Park and Queen Elizabeth II Park were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake , and were demolished. New facilities built to replace those damaged in the earthquake include the Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub , the Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre — an aquatic and indoor sports venue scheduled to open in 2025, and
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#1732798023462768-403: Is a region of New Zealand, located in the central-eastern South Island . The region covers an area of 44,503.88 square kilometres (17,183.04 sq mi), making it the largest region in the country by area. It is home to a population of 694,400 (June 2024). The region in its current form was established in 1989 during nationwide local government reforms. The Kaikōura District joined
832-425: Is a mixture of elected councillors and government appointed commissioners. Councils may use a first-past-the-post or single transferable vote system. The chairperson is selected by the elected council members. Regional councils are funded through property rates , subsidies from central government, income from trading, and user charges for certain public services. Councils set their own levels of rates, though
896-476: Is displayed every November at the Canterbury A&;P Show . The show coincides with the regional anniversary day and Cup Week. During the interwar period, agricultural productivity was boosted by the introduction of mechanization, lime and the improvement of seed stocks. Canterbury is also New Zealand's main producer of cereal crops such as wheat, barley and oats. As of 2002, the region produced 60.7% of
960-617: Is in Otago. Following the local government reform of 1989 , Kaikōura District was part of the Nelson-Marlborough Region . That region was later abolished and replaced with three unitary authorities . Kaikōura was too small to function as an independent unitary authority and was moved under the jurisdiction of the Canterbury Regional Council in 1992. However, Kaikōura remains part of Marlborough in
1024-402: Is noted for its isolation and for its pebbly beaches. At its eastern end is the small settlement of Birdlings Flat , and west of its narrowest point is the settlement of Taumutu . Kaitorete is low-lying but is not prone to flooding. A gravel road extends along half of its length from the small settlement of Birdlings Flat at its easternmost point. At this point, the northern shore of the spit
1088-608: Is one of the many means being used to address the water issue. The Canterbury mudfish (kowaro) is an endangered species that is monitored by the Department of Conservation. The Canterbury region is administered by the Canterbury Regional Council . The area includes ten territorial authorities , including Christchurch City Council and part of the Waitaki District , the other part of which
1152-411: Is washed by a tidal lagoon, Kaituna Lagoon, which is essentially a short broad arm of Lake Ellesmere. It is also at its point that the spit is at its widest – some 3.5 kilometres. SH 75 skirts the hills of Banks Peninsula close to the spit's eastern end. Although usually referred to as a spit , Kaitorete is technically a barrier beach . A spit is widest at the updrift end and tapers to a narrow tip at
1216-565: The Māori electorates system, Canterbury is part of the large Te Tai Tonga electorate which covers the entire South Island, the surrounding islands and most of Wellington in the North Island. It is currently held by Tākuta Ferris of Te Pāti Māori . Judicially, the region is served by four District Courts at Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru and Kaikōura, and two High Courts at Christchurch and Timaru. The Christchurch High Court also hosts
1280-566: The Resource Management Act 1991 : Regional councils have responsibility for functions under other statutes; Notes: (1) These regions have unitary authorities . (2) The Gisborne Region is still widely but unofficially known by its former name East Cape or as the East Coast. Some outlying islands are not included within regional boundaries. The Chatham Islands is not in a region, although its council has some of
1344-593: The University of Canterbury located in western Christchurch, and Lincoln University located in Lincoln. Sport in Canterbury has developed from the time of the initial settlement by British migrants, and remains an important part of community life. Cricket and rugby union have been popular team sports since the early years of settlement, with the first cricket club established in Christchurch in 1851, and
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#17327980234621408-414: The 2011 Christchurch earthquake). Anglicanism is the largest Christian denomination in Canterbury with 14.8 percent affiliating, while Catholicism is the second-largest with 12.7 percent affiliating. The gross domestic product (GDP) of the Canterbury region was estimated at NZ$ 44.2 billion in the year to March 2022, representing 12.4% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per filled job
1472-728: The Canterbury Regional Council consists of all the river catchments on the east coast of the South Island from that of the Waiau Toa / Clarence River , north of Kaikōura , to that of the Waitaki River , in South Canterbury. It is New Zealand's largest region by area, with an area of 45,346 km . Canterbury was traditionally bounded in the north by the Conway River , to the west by the Southern Alps , and to
1536-647: The Canterbury coastline was approaching the area presently occupied by Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora. Then, as now, the coast was made of unconsolidated sands and gravels from the fans of major rivers such as the Rakaia and Waimakariri . Powerful southerly waves in the Canterbury Bight rapidly eroded these weakly-resistant sands and gravels, and transported them northwards by longshore drift . This massive supply of sea-borne sediments moving towards Banks Peninsula combined with direct river-borne sediment to create
1600-785: The Canterbury region include the Mainland Tactix (netball), Crusaders (rugby) and the Canterbury Kings (cricket). The Crusaders, who play in the Super Rugby competition, are based in Christchurch. They represent Canterbury and other provinces of the upper South Island. They were formerly known as the Canterbury Crusaders . In provincial rugby, Canterbury is represented by three unions; Canterbury , Mid Canterbury and South Canterbury . For historical reasons, players from Kaikōura District still play for
1664-707: The Kaitorete barrier and enclose what became Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora . The barrier is of considerable ecological significance and is home to the majority of the surviving specimens of shrubby tororaro ( Muehlenbeckia astonii ) – a nationally endangered endemic plant. The Kaitorete Spit dune habitat also contains a distinctive moth fauna with naturally rare species. Several species of moth are endemic to Kaitorete Spit including Kiwaia jeanae , Scythris niphozela and Kupea electilis . In July 2015, aerospace company Rocket Lab announced that it would use Kaitorete Spit as their New Zealand satellite launch site. When
1728-596: The Marlborough Rugby Union, which is part of the Tasman Provincial team (Nelson/Marlborough Unions combined). Other sporting teams include the Mainland Tactix (netball), Canterbury United FC (football) and Canterbury Rams (basketball). Christchurch has hosted many international competitions including championship events. A particularly notable international event was the 1974 Commonwealth Games . There are many outdoor sportsgrounds and
1792-567: The Pacific Islands and eastern Asia. Timaru's Richard Pearse Airport serves South Canterbury with daily flights to Wellington . Canterbury is served by 292 primary and secondary schools, educating around 94,000 students from ages 5 to 18. Around 13 percent of students attend state-integrated schools and 5 percent attend private schools, with the remaining 82 percent attending state schools. Christchurch and Timaru have single-sex state secondary schools. Canterbury has two universities:
1856-498: The aftershocks. Many residents in and around the hillside suburb of Sumner self-evacuated. Further damage was reported to buildings inside the cordoned central business district, with an estimate of 75 additional buildings needing demolition. Among the buildings further damaged was the Christchurch Cathedral, which lost its iconic rose window . There was one death and multiple injuries. The area administered by
1920-451: The amount of forest on Banks Peninsula has increased. The amount of dairy farming is increasing with a corresponding increase in demand for water. Water use is now becoming a contentious issue in Canterbury. Lowland rivers and streams are generally polluted and some of the aquifers are being overdrawn. The Central Plains Water scheme is a proposal for water storage that has attracted much controversy. The Canterbury Water Management Strategy
1984-535: The census question. In the 2013 census, just under 20 percent of Canterbury's population was born overseas, compared to 25 percent for New Zealand as a whole. The British Isles remains the largest region of origin, accounting for 36.5 percent of the overseas-born population in Canterbury. Around a quarter of Canterbury's overseas-born population at the 2013 Census had been living in New Zealand for less than five years, and 11 percent had been living in New Zealand for less than two years (i.e. they moved to New Zealand after
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2048-494: The city was disrupted. Christchurch residents reported chimneys falling in through roofs, cracked ceilings and collapsed brick walls. A local state of emergency was declared at 10:16 am on 4 September for the city, and evacuations of parts were planned to begin later in the day. People inside the Christchurch city centre were evacuated, and the city's central business district remained closed until 5 September. A curfew from 7 pm on 4 September to 7 am on 5 September
2112-399: The coast. The sea level at that time was 130 meters lower than today, and the coast was up to 50 km east of its present-day position; the Canterbury plains were twice their present width. Melting glaciers led to rapid sea level rise which drowned what is now the continental shelf, and shifted the coastline rapidly westward, swallowing the seaward edge of the plains. Ten thousand years ago
2176-454: The coastline to the highest peaks, and from the warmer climes in the north to the colder in the south. Canterbury has been populated by a succession of Māori peoples over the centuries. When European settlers arrived, it was occupied by Ngāi Tahu , whose numbers had been greatly reduced by warfare, among themselves and with Te Rauparaha and his Ngāti Toa from the North Island, in the early 19th century. In 1848, Edward Gibbon Wakefield ,
2240-495: The downdrift end, but Kaitorete is narrower at the southernmost (updrift) end and widest at the northernmost (downdrift) end. Unlike a spit, it is attached to land at both ends (although somewhat tenuously at its westernmost extremity). At the end of the Last Glacial Maximum 20,000 years ago valley glaciers had advanced in Canterbury and glacial outwash rivers delivered vast quantities of sand, gravel, and silt to
2304-409: The first instance, the land is based upon the constructive tectonic forces of this convergent and transformational tectonic plate boundary. In the second instance, the erosive forces of rain, snow, ice, and rock grinding against rock have developed large gravel fans that extend out from the mountains. In the third instance, there is volcanism punching through the basement rocks and blanket of sediments to
2368-570: The first rugby club in 1863. Interest in organised sports has diversified and now includes a wide range of codes. In 2022, the top five sporting codes in Canterbury based on club membership were netball , touch rugby , rugby union, golf and cricket. There are around 1,200 sports clubs and associations in Christchurch, and in 2022 there were 140,000 affiliated members. Most of the sporting codes remain amateur, and rely upon volunteers as administrators and officials. However, there are some professional teams. Notable teams representing Christchurch or
2432-688: The functions of regional councils. The Chatham Islands Council is not a region but is similar to a unitary authority, authorised under its own legislation. The regional councils are listed in Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Local Government Act 2002 , along with reference to the Gazette notices that established them in 1989. The Act requires regional councils to promote sustainable development – the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of their communities. The current regions and most of their councils came into being through
2496-480: The governing National Party (as part of the coalition-led Sixth National Government of New Zealand ) Vanessa Weenink , Hamish Campbell , and Matt Doocey . Meanwhile, the Christchurch Central , Christchurch East , and Wigram electorates are currently held by opposition ( Labour Party ) members Duncan Webb , Reuben Davidson , and Megan Woods respectively. In contrast to Christchurch, much of
2560-415: The legislation were coordination of civil defence and development of a regional plan, although the constituent TLAs could agree on additional responsibilities at the point of formation of each united council. For example, in a number of cases the united council took responsibility for the allocation of revenue from regional petrol taxes. The united councils were based in the facilities of the largest TLA in
2624-778: The mechanism for collecting it usually involves channelling through the territorial authority collection system. The Auckland Regional Council (now the Auckland Council ) was preceded by the Auckland Regional Authority (ARA), which existed from 1963 to 1989. The Wellington Regional Council was first formed in 1980 from a merger of the Wellington Regional Planning Authority and the Wellington Regional Water Board. In 1978, legislation
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2688-553: The middle part of the South Island, stretching from the east coast to the west coast. The province was abolished, along with other provinces of New Zealand, when the Abolition of the Provinces Act came into force on 1 November 1876. The modern Canterbury Region has slightly different boundaries, particularly in the north, where it includes some districts from the old Nelson Province . A magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred in
2752-553: The minds of many people. In 2006, the Banks Peninsula District was merged into Christchurch City following a 2005 referendum. The Canterbury Region is covered by ten general electorates and one Māori electorate. The city of Christchurch as a whole consists of five of these electorates, while the electorate of Waimakariri contains a mix of Christchurch and exurban Canterbury. The Banks Peninsula , Ilam , and Waimakariri electorates are currently held by members of
2816-441: The nation's supply of wheat, 51.1% of its barley stocks and 43.7% of its supply of oats. Canterbury has 25,065 hectares of horticultural land, the largest area in New Zealand. The largest crops are potatoes (4,330 ha), peas and beans (2,700 ha), wine grapes (1,770 ha), berries (1,100 ha), and onions (1,000 ha). The region produces half of the New Zealand's mushrooms , nuts and berries. The region's viticulture industry
2880-404: The next highest category of regional GDP, at $ 3.67 billion, followed by professional, scientific and technical services at $ 3.64 billion. Agriculture contributed $ 3.26 billion to the regional economy in the year ended March 2022. The agriculture sector is diversified into dairy farming, sheep farming and horticulture particularly viticulture . The strength of the region's agricultural economy
2944-537: The population of Canterbury is 694,400 as of June 2024, which gives a population density of 15.6 people per km . The region is home to 13.0% of New Zealand's population. Canterbury Region had a population of 651,027 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 51,333 people (8.6%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 111,594 people (20.7%) since the 2013 census . There were 322,038 males, 326,082 females and 2,907 people of other genders in 251,661 dwellings. 3.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age
3008-480: The powers of a regional council under the Resource Management Act 1991 . The Kermadecs and the subantarctic islands are inhabited only by a small number of Department of Conservation staff and there is no regional council for these islands. Regional councils are popularly elected every three years in accordance with the Local Electoral Act 2001, except for the Canterbury regional council, which
3072-607: The province, particularly in Waipara. Like much of the Canterbury-Otago tussock grasslands the Canterbury Plains have been highly modified since human settlement and now support a large agricultural industry. Prior to the arrival of Māori settlers in the 13th century, much of the modern Canterbury region was covered in scrub and beech forests. Forest fires destroyed much of the original forest cover which
3136-492: The region in 1992 following the abolition of the Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council. Christchurch , the South Island's largest city and the country's second-largest urban area, is the seat of the region and home to 58 percent of the region's population. Other major towns and cities include Timaru , Ashburton , Rangiora and Rolleston . The land, water, flora, and fauna of Canterbury has
3200-415: The region on Saturday 4 September 2010, at 04:35 am. The epicentre was located 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of Christchurch; 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south-east of Darfield , and had a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi). The earthquake caused widespread damage to buildings and power outages, but no direct fatalities. Sewers were damaged, gas and water lines were broken, and power to up to 75% of
3264-586: The regions are based largely on drainage basins . This anticipated the responsibilities of the Resource Management Act 1991 . Most regional boundaries conform with territorial authority boundaries but there are a number of exceptions. An example is Taupo District , split between four regions, although most of its area is in the Waikato region. There is often a high degree of co-operation between regional and territorial councils as they have complementary roles. Regional councils have these specific functions under
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#17327980234623328-470: The resource consent allowed them only twelve rocket launches per year the company went to Māhia Peninsula in the North Island instead. Kaitorete Spit had previously, in the 1960s, been used by NASA for rocket launches. 43°49′40″S 172°33′17″E / 43.8278°S 172.5548°E / -43.8278; 172.5548 Canterbury, New Zealand Canterbury ( Māori : Waitaha )
3392-783: The south by the Waitaki River . The area is commonly divided into North Canterbury (north of the Rakaia River to the Conway River), Mid Canterbury (from the Rakaia River to the Rangitata River ), South Canterbury (south of the Rangitata River to the Waitaki River) and Christchurch City. Canterbury Region covers 44,503.60 km (17,182.94 sq mi). Statistics New Zealand estimates
3456-434: The surface. Upon this solid foundation, and slowly over the billions of years, life made up of a countless generations of interconnected adaptations developed into the unique flora and fauna of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The remnants populations of these unique species are visible today in the publicly protected conservation lands. The species of Waitaha/Canterbury were adapted to the climate and geography that traverses inland from
3520-654: The surrounding Canterbury region is dominated by the National Party due to its ties to rural farming and business interests. The large Kaikōura electorate covers all of the Marlborough Region and northern Canterbury and is represented by National MP Stuart Smith . The substantial Waitaki electorate, held by National MP Miles Anderson , covers most of South Canterbury and neighbouring North Otago . Rangitata and Selwyn are held by National members James Meager and Nicola Grigg respectively. Under
3584-445: Was $ 126,733, 4.6% below the national average of $ 132,815. For the year ended March 2022, the manufacturing industry was the largest contributor to the Canterbury regional economy, at $ 4.1 billion. Primary manufacturing (the process of creating a product from raw materials) represented $ 2.48 billion of the total. Manufacturing industries in the region employed 10.6% of the filled jobs in the region. The construction sector represented
3648-648: Was $ 41,400, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 57,885 people (10.8%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 274,113 (51.0%) people were employed full-time, 79,245 (14.7%) were part-time, and 12,546 (2.3%) were unemployed. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 80.3% European ( Pākehā ); 10.6% Māori ; 3.7% Pasifika ; 13.3% Asian ; 1.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
3712-454: Was 39.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 113,751 people (17.5%) aged under 15 years, 125,919 (19.3%) aged 15 to 29, 297,834 (45.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 113,520 (17.4%) aged 65 or older. Of those at least 15 years old, 101,367 (18.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 279,984 (52.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 124,818 (23.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income
3776-474: Was centred just to the north of Lyttelton, 10 kilometres south-east of Christchurch, at a depth of 5 km. Although lower on the moment magnitude scale than the quake of September 2010, the intensity and violence of the ground shaking was measured to be VIII on the MMI , which is among the strongest ever recorded globally in an urban area due to the shallowness and proximity of the epicentre. The quake struck on
3840-483: Was established by French settlers in Akaroa . Since then, wine-growing is concentrated into two regions: Waipara and Burnham . Recently, there have been vintages from plantings from Kurow further to the south. White wine has typically predominated in Canterbury from Riesling , Sauvignon blanc , Chardonnay , Gewürztraminer , and to a lesser extent Pinot blanc and Pinot gris . Pinot noir has had some success in
3904-490: Was passed enabling the formation of regions with united councils . Twenty regions were designated, excluding the Auckland and Wellington areas. For most of the country this was the first regional level of government since the abolition of provinces in 1876. Councillors were not elected directly – they were appointed from the various territorial local authorities (TLAs) within the region. The only responsibilities mandated by
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#17327980234623968-477: Was put in place. The New Zealand Army was deployed to assist police and enforce the curfew. There were 63 reported aftershocks in the first 48 hours, with three registering 5.2 magnitude. The total insurance costs of the event were estimated as up to $ 11 billion, according to the New Zealand Treasury. A large aftershock of magnitude 6.3 occurred on 22 February 2011 at 12:51 pm. It
4032-557: Was spoken by 96.3%, Māori language by 2.1%, Samoan by 1.0% and other languages by 13.8%. No language could be spoken by 2.0% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 24.6, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 32.2% Christian , 1.7% Hindu , 1.0% Islam , 0.3% Māori religious beliefs , 0.8% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.1%, and 6.8% of people did not answer
4096-473: Was succeeded by tussock grassland. By the 19th century, only ten percent of this forest cover remained, and the European settlers introduced several new exotic grass , lupin , pine and macrocarpa that gradually supplanted the native vegetation. Much of the native vegetation was isolated to the alpine zones and Banks Peninsula. From a minimum of about one percent of its original forest cover in circa 1900,
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