Christchurch-Little River Railtrail

The Christchurch to Little River Railtrail, when complete, will extend 45 km from Hornby (a suburb of Christchurch City) to Little River in the Banks Peninsula. This Railtrail is being built in sections and to date over 30 km have been completed. The completed sections are:

• a 3.5 km asphalt pathway from Shands Rd to Prebbleton that opened on 20th September, 2009 (Section 1).
• a 7 km asphalt pathway between the townships of Prebbleton and Lincoln that opened on 30th November, 2006 (Section 2).
• a 20 km metalled pathway from Motukarara to Birdlings Flat and Birdlings Flat to Little River, which was the first part to open on 28th May, 2006 (Sections 5 and 6).

The Railtrail Trust is working with the Selwyn District Council and Environment Canterbury to complete the sections that will connect Lincoln to Motukarara.

Where to go? There are some suggestions for hiking and biking along the Railtrail in Overview/Sections on the Railtrail Info tab.

What will you see? The walkway/cycleway passes through a spectacular landscape with a thousand years of human history.  The Railtrail passes through rural areas and settlements on the Canterbury Plains and skirts past the massive flanks of the ancient volcanoes which make up Banks Peninsula, hugging the shoreline of a vast lagoon, Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere, and its smaller twin, Te Roto o Wairewa/Lake Forsyth.  The lakes and associated rivers and wetlands are rich in wildlife and natural vegetation. 

How can you help? The Railtrail is a community project.  For more information about how you can help visit the 'Friends' section.