Riccarton, New Zealand
Encyclopedia : R : RI : RIC : Riccarton, New Zealand
| Suburb: | Riccarton |
| City: | Christchurch |
| Island: | South Island |
| Surrounded by: | |
| to the north | Ilam and Fendalton |
| to the east | Hagley Park |
| to the south | Addington and Middleton |
| to the west | Sockburn, Hornby |
Riccarton's location on this busy thoroughfare and its proximity to the University of Canterbury in nearby Ilam make it one of the city's busiest retail zones.
A prominent feature is Deans Bush, also known as Riccarton Bush and Putaringamotu. It was one of only two remnants of the original forest which covered the Canterbury plains, escaping the huge fires which swept across the province during the moa hunter period, before European settlement - the other remnant, at Papanui, was cut down in the 1850s. It is dominated by kahikatea trees. A predator-proof perimeter fence has now been erected, with the hope of reintroducing kiwi to the reserve. Immediately adjacent to the bush is Riccarton House, homestead of the Deans family, who along with the Gebbies and the Mansons were the first Europeans to settle in Christchurch in 1840. There is also a replica of their original cob cottage. Riccarton House is now a function centre. The Deans brothers named the River Avon after a river in their home town in Scotland.
The western end of Riccarton is known as Upper Riccarton and is widely accepted as a separate suburb. Upper Riccarton includes a major intersection known as "Church Corner", at the start of State Highway 73 to the West Coast.
Until local government amalgamation in 1989, Riccarton was an independent borough.
Due to its proximity to the University and the relatively low rents in much of the area it is one of the main areas of the city for students.
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.