Waimakariri District is a local government district, located in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island. It is named after the Waimakariri River, which forms the district's southern boundary, separating it from Christchurch City and the Selwyn District. It is bounded in the north by the Hurunui District and in the east by the Pacific Ocean.

The district was established on 1 April 1989 following the merger of Rangiora District and Eyre County. The district covers , and is home to people.

Geography

The Waimakariri District lies to the north of the Waimakariri River in North Canterbury. The major urban areas are Rangiora and Kaiapoi, which are respectively about 30 and 20 minutes travelling time by car from the centre of Christchurch City.

There are other urban settlements, including Woodend and Oxford, as well as a number of village and beach settlements.

The District occupies some 225,000 hectares, and extends from Pegasus Bay in the east to the Puketeraki Range in the west. It is bounded to the north by the Hurunui District.

Urban areas and settlements

The Waimakariri district has five towns with a population over 1,000. Together, they are home to % of the district's population.

{| class="wikitable"

!Urban area

!Population

<small>(</small>

!% of district

|-

|Rangiora

| align="right" |

| align="right" |%

|-

|Kaiapoi

| align="right" |

| align="right" |%

|-

|Woodend

| align="right" |

| align="right" |%

|-

|Pegasus

| align="right" |

| align="right" |%

|-

|Oxford

| align="right" |

| align="right" |%

|}

Other settlements and localities in the district include:

  • Kaiapoi-Woodend Ward:
  • Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Sub-Division:
  • Clarkville
  • Kaiapoi
  • Kairaki
  • Ohapuku
  • The Pines Beach
  • Flaxton
  • Tuahiwi
  • Woodend-Sefton Sub-Division:
  • Coldstream
  • Pegasus
  • Saltwater Creek
  • Sefton
  • Waikuku
  • Waikuku Beach
  • Woodend
  • Woodend Beach
  • Oxford-Ohoka Ward:
  • Ohoka-Swannanoa Sub-Division:
  • Eyreton
  • Eyrewell
  • Mandeville North
  • Ohoka
  • Swannanoa
  • West Eyreton
  • Wetheral
  • Wilsons Siding
  • Oxford Sub-Division:
  • Ashley Forest
  • Ashley Gorge
  • Bennetts
  • Bexley
  • Burnt Hill
  • Carleton
  • Coopers Creek
  • Gammans Creek
  • Glenburn
  • Glentui
  • Horrellville
  • Lees Valley
  • Oxford
  • Okuku Range
  • Rockford
  • Starvation Hill
  • The Warren
  • View Hill
  • Okuku Hills
  • Rangiora-Ashley Ward:
  • Ashley Sub-Division:
  • Ashley
  • Loburn
  • Loburn North
  • Okuku
  • Whiterock
  • Cust
  • Fernside
  • Springbank
  • Summerhill
  • Rangiora Sub-Division:
  • Rangiora
  • Southbrook

History

In pre-European times, there were several important Ngāi Tahu settlements in the area now occupied by the Waimakariri District. The centre of Ngāi Tahu was the pā (fort) of Taurakautahi, known as Kaiapoi. Today, the hapū Ngāi Tūāhuriri is based at Tuahiwi, to the north of Kaiapoi. People who identify themselves as having Māori ancestry presently represent 8.5% of the District's population, and most of these people live in the eastern part of the District.

During the early years of European settlement, Kaiapoi developed as a river port. Rangiora was the area's main market town, and the development of Oxford was based on timber milling. The roles of the District's main urban areas have changed during recent years, mainly as the result of the rapid population growth.

During the colonial era, the area was also known as Courtenay, but the Maori name Waimakariri ultimately prevailed. The township of Courtenay is today part of the Selwyn District. The name Waimakariri translates from te reo Māori to 'cold water', referring to the snow melt source of the river in the Southern Alps.

European settlement concentrated on the fertile soils of the plains. Until the middle of the 20th century, extensive agricultural and pastoral farming predominated. More recently, horticultural and forestry have gained in importance. Today, some 11% of the District's labour force is now involved with agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Demographics

Waimakariri District covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km<sup>2</sup>.

The district has experienced a rapidly growing population that is predicted to continue to increase. Despite rapid growth, Waimakariri has retained its rural/small-town character and a high proportion of residents are involved in an extensive range of community and recreational organisations.