Canterbury Region

Hidden gems in Canterbury Region

Explore Canterbury’s diverse landscape through these distinct sites. Mount Sunday in the Rangitata Valley served as the filming location for Edoras in The Lord of the Rings, while the Elephant Rocks near Duntroon feature weathered limestone formations. In Akaroa, The Giant's House displays intricate mosaic art and sculpture gardens. The Okains Bay Maori & Colonial Museum houses significant taonga and early settler artifacts. At Lake Tekapo, the Church of the Good Shepherd offers a stone-built example of early 20th-century architecture set against a glacial lake.

Hidden Gems — Map

Christian Michel / CC BY 2.0

A

Church of the Good Shepherd

The Church of the Good Shepherd on the shores of Lake Tekapo on the South Island of New Zealand is a small Anglican church used by various…

Jeff Hitchcock / CC BY 3.0

B

Mount Sunday

A sheer-sided hill in the Rangitata Valley that served as the filming location for Edoras, the capital of Rohan, in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

Pseudopanax / Public domain

C

Elephant Rocks

The Elephant Rocks near Duntroon in North Otago, New Zealand, are a collection of large weathered limestone rocks.

Martina Kellnerová / CC-BY-SA

D

The Giant's House

A historic house in Akaroa featuring a terraced garden filled with large-scale mosaic sculptures, ceramics, and colorful tile installations created by artist Josie Martin.

Schwede66 / CC BY-SA 3.0

E

Okains Bay Maori & Colonial Museum

Located on Banks Peninsula, this museum features a significant collection of Māori artifacts, including a whare taonga, alongside colonial-era buildings and horse-drawn vehicles.

Other Lists

Canterbury Region's Unmissable Highlights Majestic Mountains and Peaks Wilderness Huts and Alpine Shelters Glaciers and Waterfalls Best Viewpoints and Scenic Spots Notable Christian Sites Parks and Recreational Areas