Early Canterbury

By annemieke6600
  • 1450

    The Hunters

    The hunters cleared large areas of forest by fire. The Moa become extinct by around 1450.
  • 1500

    Arriving to Canterbury

    North Island Māori (Ngati Māmoe and later Ngāi Tahu) arrived in Canterbury between 1500 and 1700.

  • Abel Tasman

    Abel Tasman discovered the North Island.

  • Captain Cook

    Captain Cook stared mapping Aotearoa (3 voyages)

  • Captain Cook

    Captain Cook finished mapping Aotearoa (3 voyages).

  • Whaling

    First whaling ship in New Zealand.

  • First European Encounter

    When sailors off the Governor Bligh first stepped off onto Banks Peninsula.

  • Maori Deaths

    During the 1820s and 1830s the local Māori population fell, due to conflict with other tribes and European diseases.

  • Creating English Colonies

    NZ Company founded with the aim to create English colonies.

  • Treaty of Waitangi

    Treaty of Waitangi was signed, 6th of February.

  • First Farm

    William and John Deans arrived and established a farm.

  • First Road

    In 1854 the Provincial Council agreed to give money to complete the road.

  • Street Lighting

    This council introduced street lighting in June 1862.

  • Telegraphs

    New Zealand’s first telegraph opened in July 1863 between Christchurch and Lyttelton.

  • Christchurch Cathedral

    Began construction in 1864.

  • First Tunnel

    On 9 December 1867 the tunnel was officially opened as New Zealand’s first rail tunnel.

  • Drainage Solution

    The new Christchurch Drainage Board decided to install a system of sewers in the central city. Building began in 1879, and the system started pumping in 1882.

  • Celebrating 50 years

    Canterbury celebrated its jubilee (50 years).