Avon River Through Christchurch
Paddling the Avon River through the heart of Christchurch / Ōtautahi is an amazing way to see the city! An easy journey that can be done by those with limited experience in kayak or Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP)
Quick Facts
Start - Next to Church of Jesus Christ Latterday Saints, 25 Fendalton Road, Christchurch, 8011
Finish - Dallington Landing, Gayhurst Road, Christchurch, 8061
Distance - 12km
Time - 3 hours
Difficulty - Easy
Cautions - Keep your eyes peeled for low hanging branches and shallow rocks on the faster flowing sections. Never wear an ankle leash on a SUP on moving water.
Remember - wash your boat/board before and after going on the river to help stop the spread of invasive specifis and pests. See more information on the Ministry of Primary Industries website
Start this trip from just downriver of Mona Vale park. You could get on in the park, but this would involve carrying your boats from the car park and running down a rocky first descent that SUPs will struggle with.
There is an access road to the church of the latterday saints off Fendalton Road which has a small bit of public land (grass) between the pavement and river. This is the best place to launch from. There is plenty of on road parking around here. Once you're ready to go, simply lower your boats / SUPs into the river and start heading down with the flow!
There is no difficult white water / rapids on this trip, but there are many bits where the river gets shallow and the flow increases. Keep your boat/board pointing down river and you'll be fine! The first part of this trip takes you around the Norther and Eastern edges of Hagley Park, although you can't really tell as you're lower than the park. Soon you'll get to paddle around the botanic gardens and past the hospital. As you pass the boatshed for Punting on the Avon, the river narrows and speeds up. Now you're right in the city centre. You get a completely different view of Christchurch / Ōtautahi to being on the streets!
As you pass the statue of the man in the water (an Andy Goldsworthy creation), you're leaving the city centre. The river widens out and slows down from here. In low flow, the river may almost come to a stop here. Those who want a shorter journey could get out at the steps at Fitzgerald Reach. Park on Bangor Street for this get out.
The river now heads towards the Red Zone, an area severely damaged by the Christchurch earthquakes and subsequently deemed infeasible to rebuild on. Most of the houses have been removed, but roads, power lines and roadsigns remain, now an eerie park filled with dog walkers and joggers.
Finish the trip at Dallington Landing, with steps on river left just after Dallington Bridge. Park on Avonside Drive, on the other side of the river.