Canterbury (New Zealand) Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
region of New Zealand's South Island
About Canterbury (New Zealand)
Canterbury was settled in the 1850s by colonists from England. The settlement was planned and developed by the Canterbury Company. Parts of upper Canterbiry, known as the Mackenzie Country, is named after 1850s sheep rustler James Mackenzie. Hydro power stations were built at Waitaki in the 1930s and Lake Tekapo in the late 1940s. In the early 1960s, the advent of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology made it possible to export large amounts of electricity out of the South Island to the power-hungry North Island. Subsequently, the Mackenzie Country and thus Canterbury became a hive of hydroelectric scheme construction. The towns of Otematata andTwizelwere established to house workers building the four dams, 50km (30mi) of canals, and six power stations which today produce one-sixt
Top Attractions in Canterbury (New Zealand)
Explore the best things to see and do in Canterbury (New Zealand):
- ★Lake Ruataniwha
- ★McAtamney Gallery
Canterbury (New Zealand) Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: