Christchurch is a major city in the Canterbury Region, and is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand. Established as a colonial outpost of the British Empire in 1850, it is today the second largest city in New Zealand, after Auckland.
The area of modern-day Christchurch was originally swampland with patches of marshland and grassland. Evidence of Māori activity in the area goes as far back as 1250 AD. Māori settlements within the area later settled by colonists took advantage of nearby food gathering sources, such as rivers, streams and the Avon Heathcote Estuary (Te Ihutai), a traditional food-gathering estuary for local iwi. Māori were also believed to have been moa hunter-gatherers, who occupied coastal caves around the modern-day suburb of Sumner.
The Canterbury Association's Chief Surveyor, Captain Joseph Thomas, surveyed the area in 1849 and 1850. Working with his assistant, Edward Jollie, they named the various ports and settlements in the area, and chose a simple grid pattern for the streets of Christchurch. The First Four Ships were chartered by the Canterbury Association and brought the first 792 Canterbury Pilgrims to Port Cooper (later called Lyttelton) in 1850.
Christchurch was heavily industrialised in the early 20th century, particularly the suburbs of Woolston and Addington. Many warehouses, factories and large premises of railway workshops were built along the Main South Line. There was notable development of breweries, flour mills, and light commercial businesses in Christchurch during this time period. Christchurch later hosted the 1974 British Commonwealth Games at the purpose-built Queen Elizabeth II Park.