Lyttelton, New Zealand

Lyttelton
Lyttelton inner harbour and township in February 2010
Coordinates: 43°36′S 172°43′E / 43.60°S 172.72°E / -43.60; 172.72
Country	New Zealand
Region	Canterbury
Local authority	Christchurch City Council
Ward	Banks Peninsula
Community	Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula
Electorates	Banks Peninsula Te Tai Tonga (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Christchurch City Council
• Regional council	Environment Canterbury
• Mayor of Christchurch	Phil Mauger
• Banks Peninsula MP	Vanessa Weenink
• Te Tai Tonga MP	Tākuta Ferris
Area
• Total	4.52 km2 (1.75 sq mi)
Population  (June 2024)[1]
• Total	3,310
• Density	730/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Postcode	8082

Lyttelton (Māori: Ōhinehou or Māori: Riritana)^[2] is a port town on the north shore of Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō, at the northwestern end of Banks Peninsula and close to Christchurch, on the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand.

As a landing point for Christchurch-bound seafarers, Lyttelton has historically been regarded as the "Gateway to Canterbury" for colonial settlers.^[3][4] The port is a regular destination for cruise ships. It is the South Island's principal goods-transport terminal, handling 34% of exports and 61% of imports by value.^[4]

In 2009 Lyttelton was awarded Category I Historic Area status by the Historic Places Trust (NZHPT) defined as "an area of special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value",^[5] not long before much of the historic fabric was destroyed in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.