Christchurch

Our house is a typical New Zealand wooden bungalow set in private, treed grounds. Out back is a studio and playhouse. The house has been modernised and fitted with a logfire and heatpump to handle even the wildest of weather. The garden is private and secure, with iron gates and a block wall on the street.

Christchurch was founded as an "English" settlement around 1850 and has been undergoing a massive rebuild after a series of devastating earthquakes eight years ago. Our house sailed through the quakes unscathed, but much of the city`s English heritage tumbled, including our iconic cathedral. So the city has re-started virtually from scratch.

Christchurch is the tourist gateway to the magnificent Southern Alps, which offers skiing, white-water rafting, tramping, and extreme climbing. The international airport is barely 10 minutes from our house.

Nearby Banks Peninsula is a little like the Scottish Highlands, with high-level walks and picturesque bays. The historic French settlement of Akaroa on the tip of the peninsula is a delightful day trip from Christchurch. The spa village of Hanmer is also a a short rip away.

Up the rugged east coast is Kaikoura, now famous for whale watching. And further north are Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds, a vast playground for boaties. The Kaikoura coast and scenic highway were severely damaged in a more recent earthquake, but a massive roading programme has restored the coastline and earned an international construction award.

About the location

Ilam is a few kilometres north-west of Christchurch City and is popular for its gardens, parks and schools. The roads are broad and leafy, and well served by buses.

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