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1983
- January 19
- Tornado and hailstorm strike western City. Damage severe at Halswell.
- February 21
- Friendship link with Gansu Province (China) established under sister city programme.
- March 15
- New Zealand’s first "test-tube" baby born at St Georges Hospital.
- April 1
- City Council takes over central area parking enforcement from Ministry of Transport.
- April 13-14
- Visit of Chinese Premier, Zhao Ziyang.
- April 17
- Visit of Dr. Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury.
- April 28-29
- Visit of Prince and Princess of Wales.
- May 28
- Visit of Professor Zhu Xuanren, Vice Governor, Gansu Province China.
- June 28
- Author Margaret Mahy awarded Britains prestigeous Carnegie Medal for her children’s book, "The Haunting".
- July 20
- Record Ranfurly Shield rugby score - Canterbury defeats North Otago 88-0 at Lancaster Park.
- July 24
- New Zealand’s first "test-tube" twins born at Christchurch Hospital.
- September 25
- Coldest recorded day in September with a maximum of 5.9o.
- September 27
- Visit by Duke and Duchess of Wellington.
- September 30
- Christchurch City Council adopts recommendation to close Victoria Street to traffic through Victoria Square.
- October 3
- Rugby player Robbie Deans becomes highest scorer of points in 79 year history of the Ranfurly Shield with 187 points from thirteen games.
- October 27
- New office building on the corner of Manchester and Kilmore Streets has New Zealand’s first exterior lift.
- November 8
- Opening of Canterbury Centre. The building (55m) becomes the city’s tallest, above the Police Station (53m) and the University Hight Library (51m). But the Cathedral spire at 62m remains the highest structure.
- December
- Civic Theatre demolished.
- December 6
- 16 year old Christchurch student David Tan completes B.Sc Honours degree at Canterbury University to become New Zealand’s youngest ever university graduate.
