Rangiora is a rural town 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest town in North Canterbury and the seat of the Waimakariri District Council. The Ashley River is just to the north of the town.

Understand

Rangiora had a population of 15,000 (in 2013). The urban population has grown by over 10% in the last five years, while the rural population has increased more than 25%.

Rangiora suffered damage in the 2010–11 Canterbury earthquakes and a few parts still remain to be fixed.

Rangiora has seen exponential growth since the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, which pushed a lot more people out to Rangiora. It is very popular with people migrating from the UK.

The highest official temperature ever recorded in New Zealand was 42.4°C (108.3°F) at Rangiora on 7 February 1973. It is usually 1 degree hotter than in Christchurch.

Get in

Metro provides a public bus service from Christchurch on its Blue Line.

See

• Northbrook Colonial Museum, Spark Lane (off Northbrook Rd). 

Do

• Dudley Park Aquatic Centre, 47 Church St. Indoor swimming pools. 
• SkatePark
• Mitre 10 mega Gymnastics facility
• Ashley River

Eat

Three supermarkets. New World is popular with the older folks. Countdown is new.

A selection of restaurants of high quality, few dairies and fish n' chip shops, McDonalds and KFC with a splash of bakery.

Lots of rural houses sell their own foods, fruits, milk, produce, flowers, spices, wine, drink, and luxuries on their roadside counters.

Sleep

• Lilybrook Motel, 60 Percival St, ☏ +64 3 3136142. from $130. (updated Sep 2015)

Go next

• Kaiapoi
• Waipara