Akaroa

Akaroa
Port Louis-Philippe
Akaroa township and main wharf, in 2004
Akaroa township and main wharf, in 2004
Akaroa is located in Banks Peninsula
Akaroa
Akaroa
Location of Akaroa in Banks Peninsula
Coordinates: 43°48′15″S 172°58′00″E / 43.80417°S 172.96667°E / -43.80417; 172.96667
CountryNew Zealand
RegionCanterbury Region
DistrictChristchurch City
WardBanks Peninsula
CommunityTe Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula
European settlement18 August 1840
Founded byJean François Langlois
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityChristchurch City Council
 • Regional councilEnvironment Canterbury
 • Mayor of ChristchurchPhil Mauger
 • Banks Peninsula MPVanessa Weenink
 • Te Tai Tonga MPTākuta Ferris
Area
 • Total2.03 km2 (0.78 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2023)[2]
 • Total770
 • Density380/km2 (980/sq mi)
Postcode
7520
Local iwiNgāi Tahu

Akaroa is a small town on Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury Region of the South Island of New Zealand, situated within a harbour of the same name. The name Akaroa is Kāi Tahu Māori for "Long Harbour", which would be spelled Whangaroa in standard Māori. The area was also named Port Louis-Philippe by French settlers after the reigning French king Louis Philippe I.

The town is 84 kilometres (52 mi) by road from Christchurch and is the terminus of State Highway 75. It is set on a sheltered harbour and is overlooked and surrounded by the remnants of an eruptive centre of the miocene Banks Peninsula Volcano.[3]

Ōnuku marae, a marae (tribal meeting ground) of Ngāi Tahu and its Ōnuku Rūnanga branch, is located in Akaroa.[4] It includes the Karaweko wharenui (meeting house).[5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Area was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Population estimate tables - NZ.Stat". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  3. ^ Royal Society & February 1958, pp. 207ff.
  4. ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
  5. ^ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.