Brooklands, Christchurch

The Styx River (Māori: Pūharakekenui) runs along the northern boundary of Christchurch, New Zealand before flowing into the Waimakariri River close to its mouth via Brooklands Lagoon.

Brooklands Lagoon is technically a very elongated estuary near Brooklands, Christchurch. The Styx river drains into it and it is at the mouth of the Waimakariri river. The Waimakariri used to drain out of Brooklands Lagoon towards the Spencer Park end. This changed when engineers dug through the sand dunes to provide a more direct course to the sea in 1930 in order to reduce the risk of flooding from the Waimakariri River. The Lagoon is protected from the Pegasus Bay (and the sea) by Brooklands Spit. To the south of it is Bottle Lake Forest and Spencer Park. The lagoon is approximately 270 hectares in size, 4.5 kilometers long and 800 meters at its widest. Spring tides will bring approximately 1.6 million cubic meters of water into the lagoon.It was frequently used by the locals prior to the 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, where most of Brooklands was red zoned and effectively wiped off the map.

The Waimakariri River is one of the largest rivers in Canterbury, on the eastern coast of New Zealand's South Island. It flows for 151 kilometres (94 mi) in a generally southeastward direction from the Southern Alps across the Canterbury Plains to the Pacific Ocean. The river rises on the eastern flanks of the Southern Alps, eight kilometres southwest of Arthur's Pass. For much of its upper reaches, the river is braided, with wide shingle beds. As the river approaches the Canterbury Plains, it passes through a belt of mountains, and is forced into a narrow canyon (the Waimakariri Gorge), before reverting to its braided form for its passage across the plains. It enters the Pacific north of Christchurch, near the town of Kaiapoi. Instead of being unoccupied Crown land as are most New Zealand river beds, the bed of the Waimakariri River is vested in the Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury).

Kairaki is a small rural community in the Waimakariri District, New Zealand. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "sky eater" for Kairaki.

The Kaiapoi River is a minor river of north Canterbury, in New Zealand's South Island. Originally called the Cam River, it is a tributary of the Waimakariri River, which it joins at the larger river's estuary. The river is 16 kilometres (10 mi) long, and its drainage area is about 430 square kilometres (170 sq mi).The towns of Rangiora, Kaiapoi and Woodend are situated on the banks of the river.The Kaiapoi River has several tributaries, including the Cam River, used for carting logs and wool in the 1890s and 1900s. There are also several streams that join the Kaiapoi River. Some hold a large population of salmon and trout—the Cam River was a fishing spot in the 1940s and still holds a large population of trout today.

The Pines Beach is a small town situated roughly 4 km east of Kaiapoi in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is 1 km north of the mouth of the Waimakariri River. It takes its name from its close proximity to both a pine forest and the beach. The Pines Beach is a relatively small town. The majority of the area consists of residential housing and a park called "The Pines Beach Oval". The village store was demolished after the September 2010 Canterbury earthquake, along with a considerable number of the houses in the village, which were placed into a residential red zone by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority. Empty green spaces upon entering the village from Beach Road is all that remains of these earlier parts of the settlement. The Oval is a small section of land in the centre of the town. It is in the shape of an oval and has a playground, basketball court, swings, a skate park and a BMX track. An annual gala is held on the Oval.

Spencerville is a semi-rural town on the east coast of Canterbury, New Zealand north of Christchurch. The town backs on to Bottle Lake Forest and includes a large (1 hectare) park and 80 hectare camping ground. These amenities, as well as wetlands and an animal and bird park make the town a popular camping area for Christchurch residents.After the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the New Zealand Government classified Spencerville land as Technical Category T3. This requires repairers, builders and developers to meet stricter building standards.

Kainga is a settlement on the southern bank of the Waimakariri River, just north of Christchurch, in Canterbury, New Zealand. It lies immediately to the south of Kaiapoi, on a small road leading northeast from State Highway 1.Originally established as a small group of fishing huts on the south side of the Waimakariri, it later developed into a small residential area. A small forestry plantation lies to the southeast of the settlement.

Norman Kirk Park is a recreational space on the east side of Kaiapoi which is a town in the Waimakariri District of Canterbury, New Zealand. Norman Kirk Park was built on former red zone land that was a residential neighbourhood prior to the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. Norman Kirk Park consists of a dog park, a nature reserve, sports fields, and a BMX track.

Kaiapoi is a town in the Waimakariri District of the Canterbury region, in the South Island of New Zealand. The town is located approximately 17 kilometres north of central Christchurch, close to the mouth of the Waimakariri River. It is considered a satellite town of Christchurch and is part of the Christchurch functional urban area.Kaiapoi is known for its substantial precolonial pā, Te Kōhaka-a-kaikai-a-waro, established by powerful Kāi Tahu nobleman Tūrākautahi. One of the sons of the powerful rangatira Tūāhuriri, Tūrākautahi exerted vast influence over historical Ōtautahi (the site of modern-day Christchurch). His family controlled the pā he established in the area until it was sacked in 1831 by Te Rauparaha and his followers. The pā was one of the greatest centre of knowledge, economics and natural resources, with a highly complex social structure. All decisions were undertaken by the nobility, who consulted with highly skilled tohunga. In selecting the pā site, Tūrākautahi determined that food (kai) would need to be poi ("swung in"- swung over the pā's protective walls via rope, and also because it lay in the middle of a swamp) from other places. This is how Kaiapoi got its name, and can translated as a metaphor for "economics"Kaiapoi suffered extensive damage in the 2010 Canterbury and also the February 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, which rendered many homes uninhabitable and businesses inoperable. Large areas were condemned as part of a residential red zone covering uninhabitable areas.

Bottle Lake Forest is a production forest and recreational park located in Christchurch, New Zealand, approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north-east of the city centre. It makes up the vast majority of the area of the suburb Bottle Lake. The visitor centre at the Forest's entry from Waitikiri Drive provides visitors with information about the different roles of Bottle Lake Forest. It also provides fresh water access, toilet facilities and parking.

The Cam River / Ruataniwha is a small river in Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand. It is a tributary of the Kaiapoi River, itself a tributary of the Waimakariri River. The Cam / Ruataniwha rises just to the east of the town of Rangiora and flows south across the Canterbury Plains towards Kaiapoi. It has two named tributaries, North Brook and South Brook, both of which rise in Rangiora, plus several unnamed streams and drainage canals. The river's official name was changed from Cam River to the dual name Cam River / Ruataniwha by the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998. The Cam river holds a small population of Brown trout and Chinook salmon, with its tributaries spawning grounds for the trout and salmon mostly in the North Brook and South Brook stream, Middle Brook is silted so any trout in the stream do not spawn.