Wednesday 4th April 2007. Lyttelton and the Bays. New Zealand.

Take yourself back 700 years to a time when Christchurch was the site of a vast tract of wetlands where the early Maori were the only settlers.

The first peoples chose to live here because of the rich resources of the wetlands building their Whare on the high ground along the sandy terraces above the Otakaro River.

Freshwater springs on the northern boundary of the settlement of Puari provided clean water even when the river was in flood.

The site gave the people easy access to fibre plants for clothing, baskets, fish traps and cordage. The waterways and wetlands provided fish, eels and waterfowl and towards the West swamp forest provided timber for whare and canoes.

Puari was a settlement of about 800 people that was lived in by Waitaha and then by the Ngati Mamoe.

Today I take a drive out through the suburbs that are built on these former wetlands heading first to New Brighton and its pier.

A pier had stood on this site between 1894 and 1964 before it was demolished. The current pier (a very plain concrete structure) was opened on November 1st 1997.

We then head on to Mount Pleasant to see the Boat House. I have seen many houses shaped like boats in my time but this one even has a funnel. Sumner is our morning coffee stop where I have brunch at JDV @ The Rock.

Along the waterfront here there is an interesting war memorial of attractive lamp-posts with the names of key theatres listed...In grateful rememberance of the services rendered by Sons of Sumner...Lest we Forget.

Remember that the price of peace is eternal vigilance.

Now its over to Lyttelton via Evans Pass and Rapanui Bush. We make a stop at Windy Rock Point a lookout now dedicated to the New Zealand Artillery of the 1939-1945 war. This whole area is filled with former Battery's that were established for the areas wartime defence.

Since 1849 the port here at Lyttelton has fulfilled a vital role providing a transport link between South Island businesses and essential suppliers and overseas purchasers. Today over 1300 vessels dock annually carrying cargoes from fruit, fish and dairy products to timber, containers, coal, petrol and motor vehicles.

The South Islands main port with the flexibility to handle a wide variety of ships and cargo Lyttelton is an essential economic asset for the well-being of this community and its industry. The port provides a huge base for the areas infrastructure and employment. Indeed, it was out here at Purau Bay that the first European settlement was established when the Greenwood Brothers set up their farm in 1844.

Our drive takes us via Corsair Bay, Cass Bay, Rapaki, Governors Bay, Ohinetahi, Allandale, Teddington, Charteris Bay and Church Bay...through all these little places until we get out to Diamond Harbour.

The scenery was simply stunning and the islands of Lyttelton Harbour set a spectacular scene.

Here we dine at Godley House (1880). The house sits atop Diamond Harbour's first headland and it sits in three acres of gardens that look out towards Lyttelton Harbour. Built by the ship chandler, ironmonger and speculator Harvey Hawkins as a family home the building is a grand affair designed for entertaining.

After lunch I took myself off to the Garden Gallery.

Here I am in rural New Zealand and I see a spread in Hello about Uncle (the favoured uncle of one of my very best friends)...I can't wait to e-mail her and tell her about it...such a small world.

My route back to Christchurch takes me via Dyers Pass and what a view I get from Coronation Hill Reserve out over the city and the Canterbury Plains (spanning 190km the plains are New Zealand's largest area of flat land at low altitude). They say the 955m Christchurch Gondola which offers 360 degree views of the city, Lyttelton Harbour and the Canterbury Plains gives the best view...I would have to disagree.

My final stop today is Victoria Park which opened on June 22nd 1897 in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of HM Queen Victoria...and I could not resist having a go on the chute and the swings.