“I was quite determined to see the plains if possible and we found a very good, though steep path to the top. The view was very fine, on one side the harbour, as smooth as a lake and quite encircled with high hills and down below, on the other side, the vast plains, as level as the water and nearly as innocent of anything like cultivation or habitation and reaching away to a very fine range of snowy mountains. A river [the Avon] runs through them, close to which is the site of Christchurch and near it are 150 acres of woods [possibly Papanui or Rangiora Bush]”
Charlotte Godley – 8th April 1850
“Our march out of Lyttelton that day resembled nothing so much as a flight of the population from some besieged city. Every article of household requirements, bedding etc had to be carried on our backs.”
George Hart – an 8 year old on board the Cressy.
“Nearly 50 years ago I walked from the vessel to the top of the Bridle Path (on a hot day), to get a bird view of our future home, and took a seat on a large clump of rocks…I sat and wondered. The dreary miles of endless hills and a little, winding stream, with a muddy mouth, not large enough to be useful – out of that we had to make our home and live.”
Recalled by R.H.P Ealing, 16th December 1900.
*photo taken by Annette Bulovic*
