Rata Street in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Rata Street – Named after the rata, a New Zealand native tree. Named to commemorate the Deans families’ efforts to conserve the native forest trees in Riccarton. The naming was also designed to showcase the Maori names of trees. Rata Road appears on a 1912 map. Rata Street first appears in street directories in 1914. One resident is listed.

A small amount of information from the library website and nothing that I can add to this. Another street that I walked a couple of times last year.. Once on the 360 Trail as part of the Breeze Walking Festival and the second time was walking home from the University.

There are still a few older houses here and the one on the corner of Kauri St and Rata St is lovely. The builders went overboard with the ugly toilet block style of house on this street. The most interesting thing on this street is a well with an iron railing cage over it.

Kauri Street in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Kauri Street – Named after the Agathis australis, commonly known by its Māori name of kauri. Named to continue to commemorate the Deans’ efforts to conserve the native forest trees in Riccarton. The naming was also designed to showcase the Maori names of trees. Appears on a 1912 map. First appears in street directories in 1916.

A small amount of information from the library website and there is nothing that I can add. A tiny street that runs from Riccarton Rd to Rata St. I actually managed to walk this street twice last year. Once when doing the 360 Trail as part of the Breeze Walking Festival. I really recommend this Trail but you have to be fit and prepared to walk every day for 6 days. The next time I walked it was on my way way home from the University. With no detours it should take me only 40 to 50 minutes to walk home but it has been known for me to take two hours or more. There are a couple of businesses at the Riccarton Rd end and the last few times that I have driven down Riccarton Rd there seems to be roadworks at this corner. There are a few older houses among the newer ones. Still one empty section. At the Rata St end there is Riccarton Bush Nursery and it is closed off as private but I remember years ago that there was an entrance into Riccarton Bush from here.

Barry Hogan Place in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Barry Hogan Place – Named after Barry Patrick Hogan (1939-1997). Hogan was a partner in Princess Partnership Ltd which owned the land and buildings at 39-55 Princess Street where this right-of-way is formed. The street was named after him as a mark of respect, and in memory of him, by the developer, Latitude Group. Named in 2006

A small amount of information from the library website and I have nothing to add. I couldn’t actually walk this street as there was a gate across it. A business area in Riccarton which is borderline Addington.

Kahikatea Lane in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Kahikatea Lane – Named after the kahikatea trees of which there are some very fine examples in nearby Riccarton Bush Developed at 94 Matai Street. The developer left the naming of the right of way to the purchasers of the first allotment in the subdivision. Proposed names had a connection with Riccarton Bush. Named in 1998.A reasonable of information from the library website and nothing that I can add to it. I didn’t actually walk this as it looked like a private driveway and had no footpaths.

Matai Street East/ Matai Street West in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Matai Street East / Matai Street West – formerly Matai Street. Also Station Road, Railway Terrace and Riccarton Station Road. Named after the matai tree, a native New Zealand conifer. Named to commemorate the Deans families’ efforts to conserve the native forest trees in Riccarton. The naming was also designed to showcase the Maori names of trees. Named in 1892 when John Deans (1853-1902) split up 150 acres of the Deans Estate into 105 lots which were auctioned. Referred to as “formed and opened up” in The Press in 1898. The eastern end of Matai Street first appears in street directories in 1902 running off Harakeke Street to the northern railway. In 1896 directories, Station Road runs from the West Belt (later Deans Avenue) to Riccarton Road. In 1910 it is re-named Railway Terrace; in 1914 it is Station Road again. In 1915 the Riccarton Borough Council decided that Station Road and Railway Terrace should be renamed under one name, Railway Terrace. The other portion of Station Road was re-named Matai Street. Re-named Matai Street East and Matai Street West by the Riccarton Borough Council in 1984, but the listing in street directories is for Matai Street only until 1993.

A huge amount of information from the library website and all the name changes are confusing.Nothing that I can add here.

The east and west is split by Mona Vale Ave. Christchurch Girls High School now takes up an entire block of Matai St East and personally I think it looks so ugly. I am obviously biased towards the wonderful building in Cranmer Square which sadly has been demolished. The school is built on land where Riccarton Mill used to sit.
Matai Street West has a mixture of new and old houses. A few older wooden villas which I love. At least one ugly toilet block style here. There is a cycleway here that joins up with a bigger cycleway that runs along side of the railway line. There is a fence between cycleway and train track.
There is a fantastic looking brick building near the railway end of Matai Street West and I googled it. It is the Britten Stables and the new owners have turned it into luxury accommodation. A bit too expensive for this oldie who likes to stay at YHAs. I am amused to see on the airbnb website that it is Britten Stables Observertory.

Nikau Place in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Nikau Place – formerly Matai Terrace. Matai Terrace first appears in street directories in 1939. Re-named Nikau Place because of confusion for the postal authorities with Matai Street. Residents had been asked by the Riccarton Borough Council to suggest a name. One of them, Betty Crawford (later Hutchins), an employee of the Dept of Lands & Survey, and her husband, Bryan, had recently returned from holiday in Nelson. They had admired the stands of nikau palms near the beginning of the Heaphy Track. Betty Crawford also suggested the name because of the street’s proximity to Riccarton Bush and also because many local streets are named after native birds and trees. She was delighted when the council agreed with her suggestion. Nikau Place first appears in street directories in 1968.

A reasonable amount of information from the library website and I can’t see that I can add anything here. A small street that runs off Matai Street West. Large houses with a couple of obvious modern houses. There were other houses that I couldn’t tell if they were the originals or rebuilt to look exactly the same. No photos here. Not a nikau palm in sight.

Kerenu Lane in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Kerenu Lane – formerly 46A-F Matai Street West Named after the kereru, the native wood pigeon which is seen in this area each year. Named in 2002.
A small amount of information from the library website and nothing that I can add here. A tiny private lane next to Britten Stables and I didn’t walk it as it looked like a driveway.

Mona Vale Avenue in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Mona Vale Ave – formerly Station Road, Riccarton Station Road, Railway Terrace and Matai Street. Named because of its proximity to Mona Vale.
A small amount of information from the library website and nothing that I can add. Houses are on one side and the railway track on the other side. Many new houses here but there was one gorgeous older house. I ended up chatting to a German tourist who had been staying with a friend at this older house and he said that it had been modernised inside and very comfortable.
I love visiting Mona Vale but didn’t have time today as I was walking home to Addington from the University. Yes, I know that it wasn’t the most direct route home but I am attempting to walk different streets whenever I walk home. Catching bus with gold card and then walking home is fun and no parking issues.

Ayr Street in the suburb of Riccarton, Christchurch

Ayr Street – Named after the town of Ayr in Ayrshire, Scotland. Named to continue the theme of naming streets in Riccarton after places in Ayrshire, Scotland, from whence the Deans family originated. Ayr Street is first mentioned in The Press in 1878. First appears in street directories in 1900.

A small amount of information from the library and nothing that I can add to it.
A pleasant street with a mixture of new and old houses. A couple really stood out especially the fake tudor style houses. I have to go back and look at a property at the Deans Ave end as I could swear that it was a private lane but nothing on-line. Nothing on google maps.

Athelstan Street in the suburb of Spreydon, Christchurch

Athelstan Street  – Probably named after Athelstan (c.895- 939) – Athelstan was the first king of all England, and Alfred the Great’s grandson. Athelstan Street is first mentioned in The Press in 1913 when 32 sections in Spreydon were auctioned.

A small amount of information from the library website. Athelstan was actually a popular name in the late 1800s and early 1900s. There was an Edward Athelstan Worthy who was a teacher at Christs College and he drowned in France in 1894.

There was also Leonard Athelstan King a builder in Christchurch. Also John Athelstan Parsons who lived in Kaikoura but he moved to Christchurch in 1897 and he worked for the Land Board. Another possible reason for the name is to do with the Athelstan Druid Lodge who had their first meeting in Christchurch in 1880.

This small street has Barrington Mall on one side and a few houses on the other side along with a few businesses. The businesses are related to health as there is a dentist and medical centre.