Opawa

Suburb in Christchurch, New Zealand

Opawa
Suburb
Main retail area on Opawa Road, looking south-east towards Mount Cavendish
Coordinates: 43°33′05″S 172°39′43″E / 43.551342°S 172.661937°E / -43.551342; 172.661937
Country	New Zealand
City	Christchurch
Local authority	Christchurch City Council
Electoral ward	Heathcote
Community board	Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote
Established	1860s
Area [1]
• Land	81 ha (200 acres)
Population  (June 2023)[2]
• Total	1,320

Waltham		Woolston
	Opawa
St Martins		Hillsborough

Opawa (/oʊpɑːwɑː/) is an inner residential suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located approximately 3.5 kilometres (2.2 miles) south-east of the city centre. Prior to European settlement, much of the area consisted of marshlands and mixed-use vegetation. By the 1860s, the area was sparsely populated by settlers and became an agricultural dairying locality, with many of the early settlers of English descent. It developed little during its early years in becoming a residential suburb. As Woolston emerged as an industrial hub nearby, Opawa was heavily urbanised, transforming it into an upscale residential area with a population largely comprised of factory workers and businesspeople. Opawa also contributed in the development of Christchurch with its former brickmaking and clay industries.

Opawa is predominantly residential, and lies mostly within a U-shaped bend of the Heathcote River, that contains a light retail precinct centred on Opawa Road. Its population largely consists of European New Zealanders, and contains numerous landmarks known for their connection with the early settlers in the area. Like the rest of Christchurch, the area was first inhabited by the Māori people. Opawa's main roads are Ensors Road and Opawa Road. State Highway 76 (Brougham Street) and the Main South Line are situated further north of the suburb. In its formative days, Opawa was a riding of the Heathcote County Council, until it later amalgamated in to the city area in 1916.

At a national level, the suburb is part of the Christchurch Central parliamentary electorate. Locally, the suburb is part of the Heathcote Ward for Christchurch City Council local body elections. Opawa contains three primary schools, two kindergartens, a retirement village and a rest home. The suburb is home to two prominent sporting clubs, the Opawa Bowling Club and the Opawa Lawn Tennis Club. Additional sporting amenities are located in Hansen Park which contains two rugby fields, two football fields and the clubrooms of a local athletics club. Notable people with Opawa connections include some of the early settlers and several people who were born or educated in the suburb.