43°45′00″S 172°49′59″E / 43.750°S 172.833°E / -43.750; 172.833
56-503: Selwyn District is a predominantly rural district in central Canterbury , on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island . It is named after the Selwyn River / Waikirikiri , which is in turn named after Bishop George Selwyn , the first Anglican bishop of New Zealand who, in 1843 and 1844, travelled the length of the country by horse, foot, boat and canoe, leaving in his wake a sprinkling of locations that now bear his name. As of
112-681: A Community Board, which has power delegated to it by the Council. The Selwyn district is within the Canterbury Region so Canterbury Regional Council has responsibilities for regional planning, and water, air, discharge and river bed resource consents . The Selwyn district has powers delegated to it by the Government of New Zealand, and carries out its duties regarding laws such as the Local Government Act 2002 and
168-419: A French whaler, decided that Akaroa would make a good settlement to service whaling ships and made a provisional purchase of land in "the greater Banks Peninsula" from 12 Kāi Tahu chiefs. A deposit of commodities in the value of £6 was paid and a further £234 worth of commodities was to be paid at a later period. He returned to France , advertised for settlers to go to New Zealand, and ceded his interest in
224-623: A continental crust. The peninsula formed as offshore islands, with the volcanoes reaching to about 1,500 m above sea level. Two dominant craters formed Lyttelton and Akaroa Harbours. The Canterbury Plains formed from the erosion of the Southern Alps (an extensive and high mountain range caused by the meeting of the Indo-Australian and Pacific tectonic plates ) and from the alluvial fans created by large braided rivers . These plains reach their widest point where they meet
280-473: A notable feature on the peninsula. The road included portions of the early tracks that were built to move cattle around (e.g. the 15 mile track from Akaroa to Pigeon Bay completed in 1844). Much of the construction was completed in the 1880s with more work carried out in the 1930s, the road is in two sections (both of which have views of the area, as well as parks, walkways, and other recreational features): Estimates suggest that native forest once covered 98% of
336-630: A number of holiday homes in Pigeon bay as well as a yacht club and a camping ground. Pigeon Bay most likely gained its name from early whalers seeing the large number of pigeons ( kererū ) in the forests of Pigeon Bay. The first reference to Pigeon Bay was in 1836. Captain Langlois celebrated his "purchase" of Banks Peninsula on 9 August 1840 by raising the French flag and conducting a 101 gun salute at Pigeon Bay. HMS Britomart visited Pigeon Bay towards
392-534: A phantom sighting of land to the southeast, Cook then ordered Endeavour away to the south without exploring more closely. In 1809, Captain Samuel Chase, in the sealer Pegasus , corrected Cook's charts by determining that "Banks Island" was in fact a peninsula. His first officer, William Stewart, charted this area of the coast. Pegasus Bay is named after their vessel. In 1830, the Māori settlement at Takapūneke
448-575: Is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately 1,200 square kilometres (450 sq mi) and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves. The South Island's largest city, Christchurch , is immediately north of the peninsula. Banks Peninsula forms the most prominent volcanic feature of the South Island, similar to — but more than twice as large as —
504-727: Is a territorial authority area governed by a district council as a second-tier of local government in New Zealand , below regional councils . They were formed as a result of the local government reforms in 1989 . There are 53 districts in New Zealand , and they do not include the 12 city councils , the Auckland Council , and the Chatham Islands Council . District councils serve a combination of rural and urban communities, while city councils administer
560-542: Is a settlement of mostly holiday houses on the Akaroa harbour. Wainui can mean 'big water' or 'big river' or 'big bay'. Wainui was once home to a large Ngāti Māmoe settlement. Wainui has important associations for Ngāi Tahu as the bay was then claimed by Te Ruahikihiki for Ngāi Tahu. He made his claim when he landed at Wainui and dug for fern roots there. (This was one of the many traditional ways to claim land). In Ngāi Tahu legend, Tuhiraki (Mt Bossu) which lies behind Wainui,
616-557: Is a small town which sits at the head of the Akaroa harbour. Diamond Harbour is on Banks Peninsula. The inland valleys of the Port Hills known as McCormacks Bay and Moncks Bay are bays of the Avon Heathcote Estuary , rather that coastal bays of Banks Peninsula. Working around the coast from north to south one encounters: Sumner Bay marks the coastal transition from the long sandy beach of Pegasus Bay and
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#1732775251628672-436: Is also done. There is also a substantial amount of cropping; wheat and barley are grown on the plains, along with smaller amounts of grapes and other fruit, vegetables, mushrooms and flowers. Selwyn District experienced the strongest economic growth of any district in New Zealand in 2012, with employment growing by 9.5%, compared to the national average of 1%. 1,200 new jobs were created in the district in 2012. The services in
728-498: Is at Taumutu near the exit of Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora). In the late 19th century, European (chiefly British) colonists arrived and carved the area up into farmland. This has remained the predominant pattern ever since. The Selwyn District as a unit of government was formed in the 1989 local government reforms from a legislated merger of the Malvern and Ellesmere counties, along with a portion of Paparua County. Since this time,
784-486: Is elected on a First Past the Post basis. The 10 councillors are elected from four wards on a multi-member First Past the Post basis; the total number of votes a candidate receives are considered: a.) 2 councillors are elected from Ellesmere Ward b.) 2 councillors are elected from Malvern Ward c.) 3 councillors are elected from Rolleston Ward d.) 3 councillors are elected from Springs Ward The Malvern Ward also has
840-544: Is the largest town in Selwyn. Selwyn District, along with Christchurch and Waimakariri District , experienced some damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake . The earthquake epicentre was located just outside Darfield . The district is governed by an elected mayor and a council of 11 members, elected simultaneously every 3 years. The current mayor is Sam Broughton, who was first elected mayor in October 2016 . The mayor
896-598: Is the resting place of the kō (digging stick) of Rakaihautū. He used this digging stick to dig out many of the South Island lakes. In 1856, the Wainui Māori Reserve was established and set aside 432 acres for the Ngāi Tarewa Hapū of Ngāi Tahu. In the 1857 census, there was 40 people living there but by 1861, this had declined to 20 people. A post office was established in 1874, telephone office in 1875, school in 1885 and Presbyterian Church in 1911. Duvauchelle
952-734: The 2013 census . There were 39,108 males, 38,817 females and 222 people of other genders in 27,153 dwellings. 2.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age was 37.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 16,659 people (21.3%) aged under 15 years, 13,320 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 38,031 (48.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 10,131 (13.0%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 84.1% European ( Pākehā ); 9.0% Māori ; 2.4% Pasifika ; 11.4% Asian ; 1.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
1008-612: The Canterbury pilgrims in December 1850. From the 1850s, Lyttelton and then Christchurch outgrew Akaroa, which is now a holiday resort and cruise ship destination and has retained many French influences as well as many of its nineteenth-century buildings. Historic harbour defence works dating from 1874 onwards survive at Ripapa Island in Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō , and at Awaroa / Godley Head . In 2011,
1064-601: The Hurunui District is more arbitrary. The eastern boundary comprises (from north to south) the city of Christchurch , Banks Peninsula , and the South Pacific Ocean . The southern boundary is the Rakaia River , beyond which lies Ashburton District . The western boundary is the main divide of the Southern Alps . Geographical features: Selwyn District contains within it two distinct regions:
1120-733: The Resource Management Act 1991 . In national politics, Selwyn is represented in the Selwyn electorate. Nicola Grigg of the National Party is the incumbent MP. The Selwyn District lies in central Canterbury , and occupies a central position in the South Island . Boundaries: On the Canterbury Plains , the Waimakariri River forms the northern boundary; in the hill country the border with
1176-828: The Waianiwaniwa River , the Hororata River and the Hawkins River . The high country is a sparsely-populated region, mainly consisting of hill and mountain ranges and narrow river valleys. Most of the high country is grassland, including some tussocklands; areas of beech forest remain within the Craigieburn Forest Park and the Arthur's Pass National Park . Climate: The plains have a temperate climate, characterised by warm, dry summers and cool winters. The Southern Alps are responsible for
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#17327752516281232-505: The Waitaha led by their founding ancestor Rākaihautū . The Māori name for the peninsula is Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū (The Storehouse of Rākaihautū) in recognition of his deeds and the abundance of mahinga kai (foods of the forests, sea, rivers and skies). They were followed by Kāti Māmoe , and then the Ngāi Tahu hapū Ngāi Tūhaitara, who arrived in the 1730s. The first European sighting of
1288-631: The Waitaki River , and extends 20 nautical miles out to sea, covering an area of about 14,310 km . The relatively small Pōhatu Marine Reserve centres on Pōhatu / Flea Bay on the south-east side of the peninsula and the larger Akaroa Marine Reserve lies at the entrance to the Akaroa Harbour . The Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust aims to improve public walking and biking access and enhance biodiversity on Banks Peninsula. They (in 2020) are raising money to purchase 500ha of land including
1344-529: The 2023 census, Selwyn District is the fastest-growing territorial authority in New Zealand, with a population increase of 29% over the prior five years. The first inhabitants of the area were the Māori who first settled New Zealand from the Cook and Society Islands about 700 years ago. The predominant Māori tribe today, in Selwyn and most of the rest of the South Island, is Ngāi Tahu , whose local marae (meeting house)
1400-601: The Christchurch earthquakes of Feb and June had their epicentres in the Port Hills, significantly affecting communities. Several sites off the coast of the peninsula serve for mariculture cultivation of mussels . Farming has been a traditional industry on Banks Peninsula. Following the major earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, which affected Christchurch and Lyttelton (the harbour serving Christchurch), cruise ships were diverted to Akaroa Harbour. The Summit Road forms
1456-683: The Summit Walkway. They have also been involved in providing tramping huts (Rod Donald Hut and Ōtamahua Hut on Ōtamahua / Quail Island ) for the public to access. Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust was formed in 2001. It works to conserve and enhance the biodiversity and encourage sustainable land management on Banks Peninsula. Work being undertaken in 2020 included work to protect ruru (morepork) and tūī . They also work with landowners to legally protect important biodiversity and landscape values in perpetuity through covenants. Banks Peninsula Ward of Christchurch City Council, which encompasses
1512-599: The Treaty of Waitangi (the signatories including two chiefs at Akaroa in May) and New Zealand's first British Governor, William Hobson , had declared British sovereignty over the whole of New Zealand. On hearing of the French plan for colonisation, Hobson quickly dispatched HMS Britomart from the Bay of Islands to Akaroa with police magistrates on board. While Langlois and his colonists sheltered from unfavourable winds at Pigeon Bay on
1568-538: The administration of many environmental and public transport matters, while the district councils administer local roads and reserves, sewerage, building consents, the land use and subdivision aspects of resource management, and other local matters. Some activities are delegated to council-controlled organisations . There are currently 53 districts in New Zealand . The North Island comprises 34 districts. The South Island and Stewart Island comprise 19 districts. Notes: Banks Peninsula Banks Peninsula
1624-419: The area south of the Port Hills , covers 973.13 km (375.73 sq mi). Banks Peninsula Ward had a population of 8,850 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 615 people (7.5%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 684 people (8.4%) since the 2006 census . There were 3,747 households. There were 4,374 males and 4,476 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female. The median age
1680-603: The bay. Originally, it was known as Vincent's Bay as a result of a Captain John Vincent wrecking his schooner in the bay. It became known as Taylors Mistake in 1853 after another ship wreck in the bay. This time, a Captain Samuel Taylor wrecked his cutter named Hawk at night time. Taylors Mistake is known as Te One-poto in Māori. Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō is a harbour within Banks Peninsula. Within
1736-424: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 12,147 (19.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 33,984 (55.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 11,685 (19.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 51,900, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 9,423 people (15.3%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
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1792-435: The district has enjoyed a stable and prosperous existence. Recent years have seen above-average population growth, making it the fastest-growing local authority in New Zealand in 2013. Most of Selwyn's new residents have moved from Christchurch to settle on small "lifestyle" farms and in Selwyn's small towns which are within easy commuting distance of the city (e.g. Rolleston, Prebbleton, Lincoln, West Melton, Kirwee). Rolleston
1848-422: The harbour lies Ōtamahua / Quail Island and Ripapa Island . Port Levy is the most north facing of the bays on Banks Peninsula. It has been visited by Europeans since the 1820s and known as Koukourarata in Māori. Pigeon Bay has a walking track which follows the eastern side of Pigeon bay out to the head of the bay. It takes about 4 or 5 hours to walk there and back. It has spectacular coastal views. There are
1904-424: The hilly sub-region of Banks Peninsula. A layer of loess , a rather unstable fine silt deposited by the foehn winds which bluster across the plains, covers the northern and western flanks of the peninsula. The portion of crater rim lying between Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō and Christchurch city forms the Port Hills . According to tradition the first Māori settlers of the area now known as Banks Peninsula were
1960-529: The land to the Nanto-Bordelaise Company , of which he became a part-owner. On 9 March 1840 he set sail for New Zealand with a group of French and German families aboard the ship Comte de Paris , with the intention of forming a French colony on a French South Island of New Zealand. By the time Langlois and his colonists arrived at Banks Peninsula in August 1840, many Māori had already signed
2016-695: The land, the New Zealand authorities made a grant of 30,000 acres to the Nanto-Bordelaise Company, which ceded all rights to the peninsula for £4,500. During the 1840s, the peninsula and the Canterbury Plains beyond were considered for colonisation, but it took until 1848 for the Canterbury Association chief surveyor, Captain Joseph Thomas to survey the surrounding plains and prepare for the arrival of
2072-533: The larger urban areas . Three districts ( Gisborne , Tasman , and Marlborough ) are unitary authorities also performing the functions of a regional council. Districts are not subdivisions of regions, and some of them fall within more than one region. Taupō District has the distinction of straddling the boundaries of four different regions. Regional council areas are based on water catchment areas, whereas district council areas are based on community of interest and road access. Regional councils are responsible for
2128-421: The lowlands of the Canterbury Plains to the rocky cliffs of Banks Peninsula. While Sumner is politically and socially considered a suburb of Christchurch, the high Clifton cliffs and the post of volcanic rock on the beach, known locally as Rapanui , or Shag Rock, mark the place where the coastal plains meet the peninsula. Taylors Mistake is a Christchurch swimming beach with a number of holiday houses lining
2184-418: The native bush. Other protected areas on the peninsula include Ellangowan Scenic Reserve (3.14 km ), designated in 1973, Mount Herbert Scenic Reserve (2.42 km ), designated in 1980, Wairewa Stewardship Area (6.51 km ), designated in 1987, and Palm Gully Scenic Reserve (1.11 km ), designated in 1989. A large Marine Mammal Sanctuary, mainly restricting set-net fishing , surrounds much of
2240-406: The older Dunedin volcano ( Otago Peninsula and Harbour ) 350 kilometres (220 mi) to the southwest. Geologically, the peninsula comprises the eroded remnants of two large composite shield volcanoes (Lyttelton formed first, then Akaroa), and the smaller Mt Herbert Volcanic Group. These formed due to intraplate volcanism between approximately eleven and eight million years ago ( Miocene ) on
2296-535: The other side of the peninsula, the British raised their flag at Greens Point between Akaroa and Takapūneke and courts of law convened to assert British sovereignty over the South Island. The French colonists arrived in Akaroa Harbour on 18 August and established a settlement centred on the present-day site of Akaroa. Given that the French colonists had set out for New Zealand on the assumption that they owned
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2352-527: The peninsula was on 17 February 1770 by Captain James Cook and crew during Cook's first circumnavigation of New Zealand. Cook described the land as "of a circular figure ... of a very broken uneven surface and [having] more the appearance of barrenness than fertility." Deceived by the outline of higher land behind the peninsula, Cook mistook it for an island and named it "Banks Island" in honour of Endeavour ' s botanist, Joseph Banks . Distracted by
2408-466: The peninsula. This has the principal aim of the conservation of Hector's dolphin , the smallest of all dolphin species. Eco-tourism based around the playful dolphins has now become a significant industry in Akaroa. The Banks Peninsula Marine Mammal Sanctuary was expanded in 2020, with restrictions introduced on seismic surveying and seabed mining. The sanctuary stretches from the Jed River south to
2464-506: The peninsula. However, Māori and European settlers successively denuded the forest cover and less than 2% remains today, although some reforestation has started. European settlers have planted many English trees, notably walnut . Hinewai Reserve , a private nature reserve , has been established on the peninsula to allow for native forest to regenerate on land that was once farmed. It was established in 1987 and now spans 1250 hectares of native bush. it has 40 km of walking tracks through
2520-468: The plains and the high country. The plains, where most of the population lives and the majority of activity takes place, form an expanse of low-lying, flat, and comparatively dry grassland. The extreme south-east is dominated by Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora , an expanse of water surrounded by marshes, formed by the out-flow of the Selwyn River / Waikirikiri . The tributaries of the Selwyn River include
2576-471: The relatively low rainfall, and also lead to a foehn wind , the "Canterbury Nor'Wester". This strong, hot and dry wind is most common in spring and summer, and on occasion reaches damage-causing strength. In the mountain country of the Southern Alps, conditions are much colder and wetter. Selwyn District covers 6,381.15 km (2,463.78 sq mi). Its population at the 2023 New Zealand census
2632-527: The small towns primarily serve the surrounding community. The major exception is the town of Lincoln, home to a University and a number of Crown Research Institutes and other organisations concerned with scientific research. Rolleston is also home to IZONE – New Zealand's largest business park. The Selwyn District Council owns 11% shareholding in Orion , the local electricity distribution company. Districts of New Zealand A district in New Zealand
2688-498: The summits of Mt Herbert/Te Ahu Pātiki and Mt Bradley with the intention to set up a conservation park protecting and restoring native biodiversity. The land is currently farmland but over time the trust intends to return it to native bush. In May 2021, the money was raised to purchase the land. The Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust plans to upgrade fencing and remove feral grazing animals. The Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust are also involved in developing Te Ara Pātaka, also known as
2744-452: The town of Rolleston . Rolleston's population grew about nine times between 2003 and 2023, and by about three times between 2013 and 2023. Between the 2013 and 2023 censuses, Rolleston grew by 18,800 people, which was more than half of the whole region's growth. Selwyn District had a population of 78,144 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 17,583 people (29.0%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 33,549 people (75.2%) since
2800-478: Was 26.8%, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people objected to giving their religion, 58.9% had no religion, 29.0% were Christian, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.5% were Muslim, 0.7% were Buddhist and 3.4% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 2,400 (32.3%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 804 (10.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 36,000, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
2856-434: Was 48.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 1,410 people (15.9%) aged under 15 years, 999 (11.3%) aged 15 to 29, 4,710 (53.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,728 (19.5%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 93.1% European/Pākehā, 8.3% Māori, 1.3% Pacific peoples, 3.1% Asian, and 2.0% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). The proportion of people born overseas
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#17327752516282912-498: Was 78,144, giving it a population density of 12.2 people per km. Selwyn District is the fastest-growing territorial authority in New Zealand. Between the 2018 census and the 2023 census , its population grew by 29.0%; the next-fastest district was Queenstown-Lakes District at 22.1%. Similarly, between the 2013 census and the 2023 Selwyn District's population grew by 75.2%, a greater percentage increase than any other district over that time. Most of this population growth has been in
2968-544: Was sacked, and the local Ngāi Tahu chief, Tama-i-hara-nui captured, by Ngāti Toa chief, Te Rauparaha , with the assistance of the captain of the British brig Elizabeth, John Stewart. It was partly as a result of this massacre that the British authorities sent James Busby , as official British Resident, to New Zealand in 1832. During the 1830s, several European whaling bases were established on Banks Peninsula. In 1838 Captain Jean François Langlois ,
3024-542: Was spoken by 96.5%, Māori language by 1.5%, Samoan by 0.4% and other languages by 12.7%. No language could be spoken by 2.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 23.8, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 30.4% Christian , 1.6% Hindu , 0.7% Islam , 0.2% Māori religious beliefs , 0.7% Buddhist , 0.3% New Age , and 2.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.7%, and 6.4% of people did not answer
3080-479: Was that 3,807 (51.2%) people were employed full-time, 1,383 (18.6%) were part-time, and 135 (1.8%) were unemployed. Akaroa is a small town on the edge of the Akaroa harbour. Little River is a small town which sits at the end of the Little River Rail Trail. There are several art galleries, a camp ground, rugby club and primary school there. The area is known to Māori as Wairewa. Wainui
3136-450: Was that 35,805 (58.2%) people were employed full-time, 9,300 (15.1%) were part-time, and 1,056 (1.7%) were unemployed. The Selwyn District has six towns with a population over 1,000. Together they are home to 67.2% of the district's population. (June 2024) Much of the district's economy is based around farming. Most of this is pastoral: beef cattle and sheep in drier areas, and dairy and deer farming in wetter areas. Some horsebreeding
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