Lyttelton Harbour

Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō
View of Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō
Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō as viewed from near the Sign of the Bellbird
Map showing location of Whakaraupō
Map showing location of Whakaraupō
Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō
Location of Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō in New Zealand
LocationBanks Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand
Coordinates43°36′54″S 172°43′48″E / 43.615°S 172.730°E / -43.615; 172.730 (Whakaraupō)
River sourcesTe Rapu, Waiake Stream, Te Wharau Stream, Purau Stream
Ocean/sea sourcesPacific Ocean
Basin countriesNew Zealand
Max. length15 km (9.32 mi)
Max. width5.5 km (3.42 mi)
IslandsOtamahua / Quail Island, Aua / King Billy Island, Kamautaurua Island, Ripapa Island
Sections/sub-basinsOtokitoki / Gollans Bay, Motukauatirahi / Cass Bay, Governors Bay, Head of the Bay, Te Wharau / Charteris Bay, Kaioruru / Church Bay, Te Waipapa / Diamond Harbour, Purau Bay, Te Pohue / Camp Bay, Waitata / Little Port Cooper
SettlementsLyttelton, Cass Bay, Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa, Governors Bay, Ōhinetahi, Charteris Bay, Diamond Harbour, Purau
Map
Location and extent of Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō in relation to Christchurch

Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō is a major inlet on the northwest side of Banks Peninsula, on the coast of Canterbury, New Zealand; the other major inlet is Akaroa Harbour, which enters from the southern side of the peninsula. Whakaraupō enters from the northern coast of the peninsula, heading in a predominantly westerly direction for approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) from its mouth to the aptly-named Head of the Bay near Teddington. The harbour sits in an eroded caldera of the ancient Banks Peninsula Volcano,[1] the steep sides of which form the Port Hills on its northern shore.[2]

The harbour's main population centre is Lyttelton, which serves the main port to the nearby city of Christchurch, linked with Christchurch by the single-track Lyttelton rail tunnel (opened 1867), a two lane road tunnel (opened 1964) and two roads over the Port Hills. Diamond Harbour lies to the south and the Māori village of Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa to the west. At the head of the harbour is the settlement of Governors Bay. The reserve of Otamahua / Quail Island is near the harbour head and Ripapa Island is just off its south shore at the entrance to Purau Bay.

The harbour provides access to a busy commercial port at Lyttelton which today includes a petroleum storage facility and a modern container and cargo terminal.[3]

Hector's dolphins, a species endemic to New Zealand, and New Zealand fur seals are found in the harbour.

  1. ^ Hampton, S.J.; J.W. Cole (March 2009). "Lyttelton Volcano, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand: Primary volcanic landforms and eruptive centre identification". Geomorphology. 104 (3–4): 284–298. Bibcode:2009Geomo.104..284H. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.09.005.
  2. ^ "Geology of the Provinces of Canterbury and Westland, New Zealand" (web). New Zealand Texts Collection. NZETC. 1879. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  3. ^ "Page 12 – Lyttelton Harbour". Story: Canterbury places. Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 13 July 2012. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2010.