Wed, 4th Mar, 2026 Linfield Park free camp, Christchurch to Ingrid’s place, Rangiora, NZ (exploring Christchurch)

6.30am - the sun is just rising. It is 5 degrees outside but we have the heater on so all good. Clear sky which is great for our walking tour. The full moon is going down.

Drive into the city to find a car park but the free ones were already full. We went into a pay car park and a lady said we can pay the early bird fee of $16.50 and that covers us all day. I had to download an app to do it but eventually I got it sorted. Back into the camper which was nice and warm to eat our breakfast.

I emailed Simon from the walking tour and he said we can join in with another guide, Demi, at 10am.

We wandered along to the meeting spot at the Art Centre but we were early so we wandered about the old buildings which were previously the Canterbury College. Even the downpipes are a work of art.

Met Demi and the other wanderers who were from Canada, USA and Ireland. She said that when pronouncing the word ‘Maori’ it sounds more like Morldy as they roll their ‘r’s.

Demi was born here and remembers the earthquake as she was at school and her family had to live elsewhere for a year and a half till their house was habitable again. 80% of the buildings were damaged in Sept 2010 and Feb 2011 (7.1M and 6.3M) earthquakes. We thought the town was going ahead with all the cranes but they are actually still restoring buildings still and there are more car parking allotments now where buildings were demolished - too damaged to repair. Also there just wasn’t the tradesmen to be able to rebuild all the homes and city buildings so it has taken a very long time and is still ongoing. The Cathedral was saved from the demolition ball at the last moment but the renovations are still ongoing and now they hope to have it finished in 2031. Sad to hear of the 185 people that passed away because of the earthquakes and most (115) were in one building where there is a nice memorial garden. One lady survived with her baby as they were on the top floor.

Demi provided so much information as we wandered along - should have brought a notepad! Too much for me to remember so I googled up the history as well from the Christchurch City Library web page.

"The first people arrived about AD1000 and were hunters the Moa - a very large flightless bird which is now extinct. Those people used fire to burn off all the trees and by 1450AD the Moa were all gone.

The Maori arrived in the area between 1500 to 1700AD. They killed the remaining Moa hunters or took them into their tribes.

Captain Cook sighted the Canterbury peninsula and thought it was an island which he named Banks Island after the ship’s botanist, Joseph Banks.

During the 1820s to 1830 the local Maori population declined due to fighting between the different tribes and impact from disease brought in by passing Europeans as more whaling and sealing ships visited the area.

Akaroa on the coast was settled first with French colonists.

Founded by the Canterbury Association in 1850 as a planned Anglican settlement. Four ships brought settlers to the port at Lyttleton in December 1850 and they then moved across to Christchurch through the following year. It is NZ’s oldest city (declared as a city in 1856), is known as the Garden City and is the largest city on the South Island with a population of over half a million."

Back to our walking tour photos. As well as the old buildings that have been restored there are lots of newer modern ones like this Art Gallery. As we walked along the Avon River we saw lots of Canadian Geese.

The story of how women fought for the right to vote in NZ.

Alongside another modern building (Te Pae - the Convention Centre) and into Cathedral Square. We walked along past the Cathedral, we will come back to it later.

This is me in Cathedral Square in 1982. There were markets here and I was ‘smelling’ the flowers at one of the carts. I had very short hair then. The Newmans Coach Tour (12 Mar to 1 Apr) I was on started in Auckland and finished in Christchurch. I had written a diary (fancy that) and took photos - not that good but it is helps with the memories. The hotel we finished at was demolished after the earthquakes so can’t visit it. Will put in photos from that trip as we make our way in the reverse direction.

Fabulous mural of Antarctica then more as we wandered along. So many are on walls of car parks and the cars block the view. Demi explained the Maori facial markings (moko kauae) to us - for this lady they show her genealogy, her place in their hierarchy and her personal journey.

Hard to believe these beautiful buildings were damaged and since been restored. Fabulous decision of the government to restore them too when it would have been a lot cheaper to just knock them all down.

Along Regent Street where she pointed out a very good ice cream shop for later on.

Some more murals. I think this is Pacific Tower which was built well and survived the earthquakes.

Checked out ‘The Church Pub’, formerly the Trinity Congregational Church. Next door is the Irish Pub.

Not everything looks new again. Maybe they are still waiting on insurance.

This was a ‘temporary’ church erected out of ‘cardboard’ for the people of Christchurch to use and it became an important landmark so it is still here. It was designed by a Japanese architect, Shigeru Ban in conjunction with local architecture firm, Warren & Mahoney. It opened in August 2013. There are 86 large cardboard tubes used for its walls and roof. Will go back and explore inside later.

Across from it is a big open park land where everyone could congregate when there were more tremors etc.

The new stadium is nearly finished but they haven’t provided any parking!

There is a lovely garden area on the site of the CTV building which collapsed in the 2011 earthquake, killing 115 people and many more were injured. The old foundations are still here.

Continued on to two big concrete walls that were from the Berlin Wall when it was torn down. The murals are changed regularly.

Another site where the building was beyond repair. Now a nice park.

Busy intersection for the trams.

Through the Bridge of Remembrance which amazingly survived the earthquakes. Maori artwork.

Back along the lovely tree-lined banks of the Avon River to the Antigua Boat Sheds of 1882.

First Superintendent of Canterbury.

We finished at the Botanical Gardens. Thanked Demi for a fabulous time - we learnt so much. Wandered through the gardens. Spotted some men in the Avon River pulling out weed.

Watched the ‘punts’ come down the river.

The Royal Oak tree planted in 1869 and the Peacock Fountain. No peacocks on it as it’s name comes from the gentleman who gifted it to the city.

Found a map of the gardens but our legs were getting tired so we headed back towards the camper.

First we walked through the old University buildings. Lots of ‘supports’ visible on the buildings.

Interesting artwork hanging on a wire.

Back to the camper for a late lunch. It is a beautiful day, 26 degrees in the camper, yeah.

Walked back down another road and found some more buildings being repairs - The Provincial Council Buildings. Walked to the end of the street then back down the other side where we found plaques about the buildings. They have put a ‘roof’ over the remains of one to preserve it.

Back into town to check out a few things Demi pointed out and also find the ice cream shop she mentioned. A guy she went to school with started off making the ice cream and selling it from a cart till the business grew that he opened a shop. Now he has a couple of shops.

Back to Cathedral Square to read the information provided about the restoration work.

The war memorial.

Steve found a friend as we continued along.

The modern accommodation. I prefer the old world styles.

Back to the park where we found a plaque etc.

Across to the Transitional Cathedral. There were sections of the ‘cylinders’ and the roof sheeting to check out. Amazing.

I found my ‘souvenir’ of NZ. I had bought a lamb’s skin, wooden tiki, ornamental spear etc for Mum & Dad and myself which I still have - well not the lamb’s skin. That was well used when I raised our boys - plenty of photos of them laying on it.

Outside of the church.

Headed back. How did they get up there to do that graffiti.

Another big mural.

Another mural in a big open area - obviously where a building used to be.

Back to the Cathedral Square - this sculpture survived the earthquakes looking at this photo.

Found the mall again with the ice cream shop. I got Hokey Pokey which was very nice and creamy and Steve went for salted caramel. I shared mine with my new friend.

Headed back to the camper around the other side of the Provincial Council Buildings and found more information.

One last mural.

Back to the camper then we headed north towards Kaiapoia. Stopped to check the Fanfare Sculpture by the highway.

Across the Waimakariri River.

Headed into rural country as we turned onto long Tram Road and headed to Ingrid and Aidan’s place near Rangiora. Aidan is away working so we will miss seeing him. They have plenty of room and have cows and sheep as Aidan grew up on a farm.

Great to see Ingrid again and meet Ava (7) and Spencer (5).

They had fun exploring the camper which we just parked in the drive for the night. Chatted and watched the kids on the playground equipment and playhouse as the sun was still high because of the day light saving as well. Inside to read some books with the kids then have pizza for dinner with them. They are coming to Cairns later in the year so will catch up with them again. Said good night and headed back into the camper to sleep - a tad chilly outside.

Our bed is quite comfortable and wide but the pillows are a bit soft. Just a pain to get in and out of for Steve as he is on the other side so I have to pull my legs up for him to get out.