LYTTELTON
Post earthquake comment is in red.
This place is another wonder in the
townscapes of New Zealand. Lyttelton ostensibly is a suburb of
Christchurch but in truth is in a totally different suburban space.
Lyttelton is a mariner township with its roots clearly on display
where as Christchurch some 2kms through a tunnel is a millennium away.
Before the tunnel Lyttelton was a long and inconvenient distance.
After the tunnel was built which was a commercial necessity, Lyttelton
became an outer suburb of Christchurch. That said, Lyttelton still
seems to be very independent from Christchurch.
Since the Feb 2011 the town is now very
dependent on Christchurch and the regional plan to rebuild. Our
observation seems Lyttelton is out of sight and is lagging
support. The town is in bad shape and appears very sad.
Banks Peninsula on
which Littleton I sited was first sighted by Europeans on 16 February
1770 from the Endeavour
during James Cook's first voyage to New Zealand. Originally the
Harbour was called Cook's mistake by one of the earliest European
visitors.
Lyttelton is now a busy port town and
is the third busiest after Auckland and Tauranga. The majority of the
South island commercial freight activities are through this historic
port. 
Lyttelton is an ‘old’ community and is
on display with the number of hotels that continue to trade.
Now gone Closed?? gone
gone Closed
??
Now gone
Lyttelton Harbour is the northern major sea inlet on Banks Peninsula,
the one prominent feature on the coast of Canterbury, New Zealand.
Banks Peninsula was once a volcanic island and Lyttelton Harbour the
sea-filled crater of a volcano that erupted 11 million years ago.
Lyttelton today.    is
devastating.
The harbour is now an inlet on the northwestern side
of Banks Peninsula, extending 18 km inland from the southern end of
Pegasus Bay. It is surrounded by steep hills formed from the sides of
an extinct volcanic crater, which rise to a height of 500 m.
Lyttelton was formerly called Port Cooper and Port
Victoria. It was the original settlement in the district (1850). The
name Lyttelton was given to it in honour of George William Lyttelton
of the Canterbury Association, which had led the colonisation of the
area.
The churches are all historic. Now gone gone and gone
 Closed
until rebuild.
The museum
Still here opens with restricted hours, but one
suspect will give great insight into Lyttelton’s early years.
Now gone

Still here just.
The Lyttelton War Memorial is now an isolated monument
given the construction of the tunnel.
  
The cenotaph is now somewhat isolated from the town.
Awaiting rebuild.
When in Lyttelton allow a minimum of two days and include the ferry
trip to Diamond Bay. In the interim be sure to visit the Time Drop on
the hill.
Now gone
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