White Gorge

North Canterbury begins 30 minutes drive north of Christchurch on State Highway One and continues north as far as the Conway River and west as far as the Southern Alps. 

The region is seperated into two districts, each with its own District Council which has the responsibility to the rate payers of that district for the upkeep of the roads and amenities. 

Location and Climate

Rural Mail Boxes
24, July 2009
24, July 2009
The main towns in each district are listed below:

Waimakariri

Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Woodend, Oxford, Cust, Pegasus, Ashley, Sefton

Hurunui

Amberley, Waipara, Culverden, Cheviot, Hawarden, Waikari, Hanmer Springs, Waiau

Climate

The seasons in the district and the Canterbury Region vary dramatically, with the climate heavily influenced by the Southern Alps to the west. Long dry spells can occur in summer, causing drought conditions.  Temperatures are highest when hot dry northwesterlies blow over the plains. Summer temperatures are often cooled by a north-easterly sea breeze, and the typical maximum daytime summer air temperature ranges from 21°C to 32°C. Snow is common in the mountain ranges during winter and the typical maximum daytime winter air temperature ranges from 7°C to 14°C.

An indication of North Canterbury’s climate can be obtained from the weather stations in the area. However, the climate may be considerably different from these recorded values only a few kilometres away from the weather stations, due to the number of microclimates in the Canterbury area.