Christchurch: A Chronology to 1989

A timeline of some Christchurch events in chronological order from 1700s to 1989.

Go to a year between 1700 & 1989

June 29, 1951: First regular South Island trans-Tasman flights begin from Melbourne to Christchurch.
June 29, 1989: Minister of Conservation, Phillip Woollaston overturns Department of Conservation veto on the lease of Mt Cavendish Reserve for the Port Hills Gondola project.
June 30, 1849: Canterbury’s first “industrial action” - Maori road workers in Evans Pass (constructing a road across the Port Hills) go on strike as a reaction to verbal abuse and dismissals.
June 30, 1849: New Zealand Company buys the remaining French interests at Akaroa from the Nanto-Bordelaise Company.
June 30, 1975: TV2 transmission starts.
July 1, 1862: New Zealand’s first telegraph in operation between Christchurch and Lyttelton.
July 1, 1865: Lyttelton Harbour breakwaters begun.
July 1, 1865: Severe thunderstorm. Man killed by lightning at Avonside.
July 1, 1935: Evening papers "Star" and "Sun" merge to become the "Star Sun", ending a 6 year newspaper war, the longest and most bitter in New Zealand’s history. The "peace" agreement between the 3 companies concerned also saw the demise of the "Christchurch Times" (once the "Lyttelton Times"), the oldest daily paper in the country.
July 1, 1985: Open road speed limit raised from 80 kph to 100 kph.
July 4, 1902: New Zealand Boxing Association formed in City.
July 4, 1977: Hundreds evacuated as serious flooding affects City.