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Location Information:
The
Port Hills form the northern rim of
the ancient Lyttelton volcano,
separating the port of Lyttelton
from the city of Christchurch in
Canterbury, New Zealand. The
volcanic crater is one of two from
which Banks Peninsula (Horomaka) was
originally formed over 12 million
years ago, the Port Hills range
running approximately east-west and
rising to summits of between 350 and
500 metres above sea level. The
range is notable for its significant
geological, environmental and
recreational importance.
Several suburbs of Christchurch
extend onto the northern slopes of
the Port Hills, including Cashmere,
Heathcote Valley and Sumner. Other
parts of the hills are used for
farming and forestry, as well as a
significant number of scenic
reserves created for recreational
and conservation purposes, following
an initiative by Christchurch
councillor Harry Ell at the turn of
the 20th century. In 1948 the Summit
Road Scenic Society was formed to
continue development and maintenance
of the reserves.
The
hills are an important recreation
area for Christchurch residents,
with several public parks and
reserves, including tracks for
mountain biking and walking. A
gondola lift to the top of Mount
Cavendish was opened in 1992,
providing convenient access to the
summit and a major tourist
attraction for the Canterbury area.
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