Port Hills
The Port Hills are a range of hills between Lyttelton Harbor and the city of Christchurch in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand .
Emergence
The Port Hills are the remnants of the twelve million year old Lyttelton volcanic crater. The highest elevations of the hills rise between 350 and almost 500 meters above sea level.
use
Several suburbs of Christchurch extend over the northern slopes of the hills, other parts are used for agriculture and forestry . The transition between the city of Christchurch and Lyttelton can hardly be seen in many places in recent years.
The Summit Road runs on top of the hills and is a route that is particularly popular with tourists. A road tunnel and a separate rail tunnel under the hills through connect Lyttelton and Christchurch. Three streets cross the Port Hills via Evans , Dyers and Gebbies passes .
The hills are an important recreational area for Christchurch city residents as there are many public parks and reserves in the mountain range, including mountain biking and hiking trails. The Christchurch Gondola travels to the top of Mount Cavendish (448 m).
In the time of the early European settlement, the Port Hills formed a difficult barrier between the port and the Christchurch plain, as the steepness and roughness of the hills meant that the road could not be built without difficulties. The port area was only easily accessible once the tunnels were built through the mountains.
literature
- Christchurch City Council (Ed.): Port Hills . Christchurch (English, online PDF 684 kB [accessed on August 9, 2016] flyer).
Individual evidence
- ^ Port Hills natural history . Christchurch City Council , accessed August 9, 2016 .
- ↑ Topo250 maps . Land Information New Zealand , accessed August 9, 2016 .
Coordinates: 43 ° 33 ' S , 172 ° 40' E