History of Canterbury/Waitaha

  • May 12, 1000

    The first humans in Waitaha

    The first humans arrive in canterbry
  • Feb 9, 1450

    The moana became extinct

    The moa became extinct in 1450 ad
  • First site of Canterbury peninsular

    On 16 February 1770 Captain James Cook in his ship the Endeavour first sighted the Canterbury peninsula. He thought it was an island, and named it Banks Island after the ship’s botanist, Joseph Banks.