Christchunch

By runningmei
  • Jan 1, 1501

    First inhabitants

    These first inhabitants were moa-hunting tribes and these were followed by the Waitaha who are thought to have migrated from the east coast of the North Island in the 16th century. This migration was joined by the Ngati Mamoe and Ngai Tahu and continued until about 1830.

  • Captain James Cook found christchurch

    The first European landed in inCanterbury 1815, 45 years after Captain James Cook sighted what he named “Banks Island”, later found to be a peninsula.

  • First Europeans settled

    In 1840 the first Europeans settled on the plains and whaling ships were operating out of Lyttelton by 1850.During 1850-1851 the first organised groups of English settlers, the founders of Christchurch, arrived on the ‘first four ships’ into Lyttelton Harbour.

  • Christchurch became a city

    Christchurch became a city by Royal Charter on July 31, 1856, making it officially the oldest established city in New Zealand.

  • First meeting of the Christchurch Municipal Council,

    Responsible local government began when the first meeting of the Christchurch Municipal Council, established under a provincial ordinance, was held on 3 March 1862.