WHERE IN THE
WORLD IS
RANGIORA?
contents
Contents:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Location
Namesake
Maori Settlement
European Arrival
From Settlement to
Borough to District
Street Name Origins
Industry
The Waimakariri
River
The Ashley River
Today and
Yesterday
Introduction


Rangiora is a beautiful and
prosperous town.
It has one of the highest
rates of population increase
in New Zealand, and
because of this, has become
the largest centre in the
Waimakariri District.
contents
Location





Rangiora is located 7km off
State Highway One and 10
minutes North of the
Waimakariri Bridge.
It lies between the Waimakariri
and Ashley rivers in the North
Canterbury region of the South
Island.
In early times this area was
covered in dense forest, along
with bush, flax, and grassy
flats.
There were also swamps in the
Southbrook section.
This landscape covered the
coastal plains from river to
river.
contents
A magnified view of the Waimakariri District.
contents
Namesake



The name ‘Rangiora’ comes from
the small evergreen tree which
bears the same name.
Rangiora [Brachyglottis repanda]
is native to New Zealand and
grows to a height of 5 to 7 metres.
It’s leaves were thought to have
beneficial healing properties by
Maori, who used them for
remedying wounds and sores.
contents
Maori Settlers






Moa-hunters were the first Maori inhabitants of the Plains and
forests of North Canterbury.
The Waitaha and Te Rapuwai who followed them had villages near
Cust and were thought to be the last to see the Moa before it’s
extinction.
It is also thought that the residents of these villages started the
destruction of the great forests that surrounded the Cust and
Rangiora areas.
The abundance of food and shelter soon attracted other tribes to the
Waimakariri region.
Rangiora became part of a large area occupied by the Ngatimamoe, and later the Ngai-tahu tribes.
These tribes-people resided on this land for almost a thousand
years before the first European arrival.
Contents:
European Arrival
Before Europeans could officially
commence the planning of a settlement in
Rangiora, the Maori land title had to be
extinguished.
 The Europeans reached an
agreement between themselves and the
Ngai Tahu tribe with regards to the
Waimakariri District, and the Crown was
allowed to purchase the land South of
the Ashley River in 1848.

contents





The first dwelling was built for Charles Obins
Torlesse in 1851, adjacent to the Rangiora
Bush.
Charles Obins Torlesse and his assistant, John
Cowell Boys, were responsible for surveying
the Northern agricultural district for the
Canterbury Association.
This was neccessary in order to map out the
region correctly for marking out possible roads
and habitation areas.
Torlesse’s colonial home was an important
milestone in Rangiora’s history.
It was the turning point in establishing this
settlement as a township.
contents
Survey labourers built this house for Charles Torlesse. It was a simple
construction with an attic but no dormer windows or verandah.
(http://library.Christchurch.org.nz/Heritage/Photos)
contents
A plaque now stands in Johns Road where the first house of the Rangiora
settlement was situated.
contents
From Settlement to Borough to
District.










Once settlements were established, the residents attempted to claim Rangiora as a
borough.
This meant that Rangiora and it’s population would gain certain privileges and rights
of self-Government.
However, the Provincial Government refused to acknowledge them.
Rangiora was thought of as just a series of unplanned and unorganised subdivisions.
The town’s settlers struggled for this acknowledgement even though it was highly
opposed.
Through this struggle, the settlers managed to divert the proposed northern and
coastal railway westwards through their town.
This railway was planned to be part of the major network intending to link many
areas and their branch lines.
The diversion meant that Rangiora became the end stop on the northbound train
from Christchurch, while further tracks were completed.
This meant easier access and more settlers and visitors to the town.
Rangiora became recognised for what it was, and was granted Borough status in
1878.
contents

The Waimakariri District was formed in 1989.
Rangiora
District
Eyre
County
Rangiora
Borough
Areas that the
District consists of:
Oxford
County
Kaiapoi
Borough
Kowai
County
contents
Street Name Origins
J D Turvey Waimakariri District Libraries.













AINTREE PLACE: Arlington Park subdivision. Aintree is the site in Liverpool England
of the Grand National.
ALBERT STREET: Albert, Prince consort of Queen Victoria.
ALFRED STREET: Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Victoria.
AMBROSE STREET: Thomas Ambrose was headmaster of Rangiora Borough
School from 1898 to 1921.
ANDREW STREET: Andrew Benton Blackett, son of Henry Blackett – Mayor 18991901.
AQUILA STREET: Aquila Ivory, early settler – Mayor 1883-85.
ARCHER PLACE: The Archer family of Southbrook.
ARLINGTON BOULEVARD: Arlington International Racecourse, Chicago, USA.
ASCOT PLACE: Ascot Racecourse in England.
ASHLEY STREET: Lord Ashley, member of the Canterbury Association.
AYERS STREET: Samuel Ayers, builder and subdivider of land north of High Street
from King Street through to Ayers Street.
BALMORAL LANE: Racecourse in Illinois, USA.
BANKS PLACE: William Alexandra Banks, Mayor from 1921 until 1923.
contents











BELL STREET: CharlesWilliam Bell – Mayor from 1908 until 1910.
BELMONT AVENUE: The Belmont Stakes is one of the Triple Crown Horse Races in the
USA.
BLACKETT STREET: Henry Blackett, an early resident and the first Mayor 1878-80 and
1887-88.
BLAKE STREET: Mr Blake was the engine driver on the early trains on the
Rangiora/Oxford line.
BOYD STREET: Hugh Boyd, Mayor 1885-87.
BOYS ROAD: John Cowell Boys – surveyed the land with Charles Torlesse.
BRIDGET LANE: William Bridget was a shoe factory and shop owner on High Street.
Councillor 1908-1913.
BUCKHAM STREET: George Buckham, telegraphist and first full time Postmaster in
Rangiora.
BURT STREET: William Alfred Burt, businessman and member of the first Council, 187879 and 1880-82.
BUSH STREET: The Rangiora Bush covered most of this area.
BUSS STREET: William Buss – land commission agent and establisher of the Victoria
Street saleyards.
contents













CARMANA GARDENS: Noel Carmana arrived in Rangiora in 1938, and established a fish
and chip shop on High Street.
CHARLES STREET: Named after the Councilor, John Luxton’s son Charles.
CHURCH STREET: St. John Anglican Church built on the corner of High Street and this
street.
COATES PLACE: The Coates family members served many years in the Rangiora Fire
Brigade.
CONE STREET: George Cone, Mayor 1891-92.
DOGGETT STREET: Doggett family were early settlers in this area.
DONCASTER PLACE: Doncaster Racecource in England.
EARNLEY STREET: Named by Rev. B W Dudley after his first parish in England.
EBERT PLACE: Tony Ebert – Gold medalist in weightlifting at the Christchurch
Commonwealth games in 1974.
EDWARD STREET: Edward, Prince of Wales.
EPSOM DRIVE: Epsom Racecourse in England and the Epsom Derby.
FOSTER PLACE: Thomas W Foster, first proprietor of the Red Lion Hotel.
FRASER PLACE: J M Fraser, long serving Town Clerk, 1926-51.
contents










GERALD BEATTIE LANE: Gerald C Beattie taught at Rangiora High School from 19191955.
GOLDING AVENUE: John Golding co-built the Borough Council Chambers.
HAWKINS PLACE: Harry Hawkins began in the grocery business about 1910.
Lawrence D Hawkins served with the St John Ambulance Brigade and Lance I Hawkins
with the Rangiora Rugby Football Club. Donald N Hawkins wrote two text books on
Rangiora’s history.
HINTON PLACE: Jack Hinton was licensee of the Plough Hotel for a period of time.
HOLCRAFT COURT: Harry Holcraft was the proprietor of Parrot’s grocery store on High
Street in the early 1900s.
IVORY STREET: William Emms Ivory established a nursery garden here.
JENNINGS PLACE: Charles Ivory Jennings, Mayor 1896-1898.
KINLEY STREET: named after R R Kinley who owned this area of land.
KIPPENBERGER AVENUE: Major General Sir Howard Kippenberger was one of New
Zealand’s foremost military commanders in World War two.
LEECH PLACE: George John Leech owned the first freehold farm in Rangiora.
contents













LINDON STREET: John Lindon – Councilor 1923-27.
LUDLOW LANE: Ludlow Racecourse in Hereford England.
LUXTON PLACE: John Luxton, Councilor 1878-80.
MCALPINE PLACE: George McAlpine , timber merchant and Councilor 1938-53.
MCKENZIE PLACE: John A McKenzie, Mayor 1971-1980.
MARTYN STREET: Frank Martyn, farm owner in this area.
MATSON CLOSE: H Matson and Son were Stock and Station Agents.
MILESBROOK CLOSE: Bruce Miles, developer.
MURRAY STREET: Walter Lewis Murray, butcher and Labour Party stalwart – Councilor
1919-1925.
PALMER STREET: R A Palmer, owner and subdivider of this area.
PARKHOUSE DRIVE: Jaynie Parkhouse, gold medalist in swimming at the Christchurch
Commonwealth Games in 1974.
PENTECOST ROAD: Named after the Pentecost family who have farmed in the Western
Boundary of Rangiora since the 1980s.
PERCIVAL STREET: Westby Hawkshaw Percival was one of the businessmen at the
forefront of having the railway pass through Rangiora.
contents













QUEEN STREET: Queen Victoria.
ROWSE STREET: William Arthur Rowse, Mayor 1923-25 and 1931-36.
SEDDON STREET: Richard John Seddon – Prime Minister of New Zealand 1893-1906.
STEPHENS STREET: Soloman Stephens – first proprietor of the Plough Hotel and
Councilor 1879-85 and 1888-91.
STRACHAN PLACE: James Ernest Strachan, Principal of Rangiora High School 1917-48.
THORNE PLACE: Frederick Thorne was on the first council 1878-1880.
TREFFERS AVENUE: Mark Treffers, Gold medalist in swimming at the 1974 Christchurch
Commonwealth Games.
TYLER STREET: Charles William Tyler – longest serving Mayor 1936-61.
WARD PLACE: Ronald Ward – town clerk 1956-1972.
WHITE STREET: William White – on the first council 1878-79 and 1880-82.
WILL PLACE: Named after Doctor Thomas Arthur Will who practiced in Rangiora from
1905.
TODDS ROAD: David Todd was one of the first to settle in the Rangiora Swamp area.
TORLESSE STREET: Charles Obins Torlesse – first settler in Rangiora 1851.
contents
Industry
 The primary industry
for Rangiora was
agriculture and
farming.
 Until the mid 1950s,
the sale-yards for
Rangiora were
situated in the main
street of town.
contents
 Other industries have
grown since then,
including the town’s
central business
district.
 This meant less
wealth was being lost
to Rangiora’s
neighbouring city of
Christchurch.
contents


However, farming is still very strong in
this area.
Of the 225,000 hectares that make up
the district of Waimakariri today,
177,000 are used in some sort of
farming activity.
contents
The Waimakariri River





The Waimakariri River is one of
the largest rivers in New
Zealand.
It’s source is the Main Divide of
the Southern Alps in Arthurs
Pass National Park.
It’s flows are controlled by the
weather in the upper basin. Rain
from the North-West and melting
snow will generally swell the
river.
The Waimakariri has a mean flow
of 126 cubic metres per second
(cumecs).
In flood this can increase to any
range exceeding 4,000 cumecs.
contents
The Ashley River
 The Ashley River
originates in the
Puketeraki Ranges
behind Lee’s Valley.
 It is fed by the Southerly
rainfall and snow.
 It is the home for
numerous species of
wildlife, and is
surrounded by native
bush.
contents
Today and Yesterday
contents
Victoria Park.
contents
contents
High Street – Rangiora town centre
contents
contents
These magnificent buildings are still standing today
contents
Rangiora, a small step into the past and a large step into the future!
THE
END