History of Canterbury

By max.walker
  • Jan 1, 1000

    First Maori settlers in Canterbury

    These polynesian settlers hunted Moa and cleared some of the bush to make homes for themselves in Canterbury.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1000 to

    History of Canterbury

  • Jan 1, 1500

    North Island Maori arrive

    The North Island Maori either kill or take the Maori into their tribe before taking over Canterbury

  • Cook sight Canterbury

    Captain Cook sails past the Canterbury Peninsula on his ship The Endeavour. Cook thinks the ship is an island and names it Banks Island after a botanist on his ship.

  • Nga Tuahuriri control most of Canterbury

    They controlled from the Hurunuri River in the North to Lake Ellesmere in the South.

  • Sealers set foot on Banks Peninsula

    Sealers are the first to set foot on Banks Peninsula and name Lyttleton Harbour as Port Cooper.

  • Whaling Station on-shore at Banks Peninsula

    Whaling station at Peraki set up by Captain George Hempelman.

  • First attempt at farming and settling by Europeans on the Canterbury Plains

    James Herriot from Sydney attempted to farm in Canterbury. Their first crop was succesful but a plague of rats made them decide to leave.

  • Major Thomas Bunbury arrives in Canterbury to collect signatures for the Treaty of Waitangi

    Only two Maori cheifs signed in the end.

  • British Flag raised in Akaroa

    Captain Owen Stanley raised the British flag at Akaroa just before the arrival of 63 french colonists.

  • First House on the Canterbury Plains

    Deans brothers built this house in Canterbury, Riccarton.

  • Meeting to discuss Canterbury Settlement

    People decided to make ready made towns like they had in England and prepared everything for when colonists arrived.

  • Naming of Christchurch

    Canterbury association was formed and they decided to name the capital city 'Christchurch' after a college in England.

  • First Four Ships

    The Charlotte Jane was the first boat to arrive.

  • First school opened

    The first school that was opened was in Lyttleton

  • First issue of the Lyttleton Times

  • Christchurch becomes New Zealands first city

    Chch becomes New Zealands first city under the terms of a Royal Charter

  • Road from lyttleton from to Christchurch completed.

    The first dog cart was driven over the road. The road however was not pleasant and not many people dared travel it.

  • Lyttleton tunnel is completed

    This was New Zealands first rail tunnel and allowed travel from Lyttleton to Christchurch