Last updated October 2026
Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa, commonly known as Rāpaki, is a small harbour settlement on the northern shore of Whakaraupō (Lyttelton Harbour) in Christchurch. Nestled in a steep valley beneath the peak Te Poho o Tamatea, it is the heartland of Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke of Ngāi Tahu.
The full name recalls the ancestor Te Rakiwhakaputa, who laid down his rāpaki (waist mat) to claim the area for his descendants.
Today the locality remains a living Māori community centred on its marae, historic church and schoolhouse, and a sheltered bay that is also a mātaitai reserve. Visitors come for the quiet shoreline, cultural significance and easy access from the city via the Governors Bay–Lyttelton road.
Official Locality Facts
- Population (2023 Census)
- About 240, down 7% since 2018
- Land area
- 5.36 km²
- Location
- 8.7 km south of central Christchurch
- Council
- Christchurch City Council
- Neighbouring suburbs
- Governors Bay, Cashmere, Hillsborough, Cass Bay
- Ward or local board
- Banks Peninsula Ward; Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board
- Getting there
- Via Governors Bay–Lyttelton Harbour Road; turn onto Rapaki Drive. Limited parking near the wharf; many park on the main road and walk down. No regular public bus terminus in the settlement itself; services run to nearby Lyttelton and Governors Bay.
- Main shopping
- No retail strip in the settlement. Nearest shops, cafés and services are in Lyttelton and Governors Bay.
- Nearby landmarks
- Rāpaki Marae (Te Wheke), historic church and schoolhouse, Gallipoli Wharf / jetty, Rāpaki Bay beach and mātaitai, Te Poho o Tamatea, Lyttelton, Governors Bay, Cass Bay
Who Lives in Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa
About 240 residents in 100 households. From the 2023 Census, with the New Zealand figure alongside for comparison.
About Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa
Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa sits on the inner eastern shoreline of Whakaraupō, between Lyttelton and Governors Bay on Banks Peninsula. The settlement occupies a steep valley that opens onto a mixed rocky and sandy shoreline with near-vertical cliffs to the west. The bay and surrounding catchment form the core of the takiwā of Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke.
The name records a foundational act of claim. Ngāi Tahu rangatira Te Rakiwhakaputa (of Kāti Kurī descent) secured manawhenua rights around the harbour through a series of encounters and then chose this place as home for his people.
By laying his rāpaki on the beach he claimed Whakaraupō for his descendants; the full place name, Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa, commemorates that act. His sons Manuwhiri and Wheke are also linked to nearby kāinga and the wider harbour story. The New Zealand Geographic Board confirmed the full name as the official locality name.
Rāpaki is one of four Banks Peninsula rūnanga communities of Ngāi Tahu. The marae, known as Rāpaki or associated with Te Wheke, is the meeting ground of Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke. Its wharenui, named Wheke, carries carvings and tukutuku that trace centuries of continuous settlement connected to Te Rakiwhakaputa.
The marae address is 39 Rapaki Drive. The community also maintains a historic church (opened in the late 1860s after the establishment of a Māori mission) and a restored nineteenth-century schoolhouse that now serves meetings and gatherings.
The shoreline and bay support mahinga kai and are protected as the Rāpaki Bay Mātaitai Reserve, with specific bylaws for shellfish and finfish. The bay is described as private in character; visitors are asked to be respectful. A grassed area sits above the shore, with beach access near the end of the track by Korora Tahi Road.
Toilets are located by the wharf. Parking is limited. Water quality at the monitored swim site is assessed by Environment Canterbury in the swimming season; always check current advice and avoid swimming for two to three days after heavy rain.
The settlement remains small and residential in character, with strong cultural and spiritual connections to whenua, moana and awa. Coastal erosion and sea-level rise are recognised risks to beach access, low-lying assets, infrastructure and the urupā near the shorefront. Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke continues to lead protection and enhancement of the environment for future generations.
History and Heritage
Human occupation of Banks Peninsula stretches back many centuries. Waitaha and Ngāti Mamoe preceded the arrival of Ngāi Tahu. Te Rakiwhakaputa led the establishment of his people in Whakaraupō, with battles and settlement extending around the harbour.
Rāpaki became the principal home. In the mid-nineteenth century the Port Cooper Deed and the creation of Rapaki Native Reserve formalised a reduced land base while the community continued.
A Methodist missionary presence and the building of the church in the 1860s marked a new chapter of multi-denominational worship that continues occasionally today.
The schoolhouse opened in 1878, closed for a period, reopened, and finally closed permanently in the mid-1940s because of low rolls; it has since been restored. The modern wharenui replaced an earlier rūnanga hall, carrying forward the name and identity of Wheke.
Getting Outdoors and the Harbour
The bay offers a quiet harbour edge for walking, sitting and, when conditions and advice allow, swimming or kayaking. Fishing from the jetty is subject to mātaitai bylaws and customary permissions.
Above the settlement, Port Hills tracks including the Rāpaki Track connect into the Crater Rim network, climbing through tussock and forest remnants toward summits with wide harbour and plains views.
Dogs on the Crater Rim section from Rāpaki must be kept on a leash. The surrounding peaks and bays (including Motu-kauati-rahi / Cass Bay) form part of the wider cultural landscape of Ngāti Wheke.
Near Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa
Just outside Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa, within 10 km of its centre, nearest first.
Places
Businesses
Where to Learn More
Wikipedia: Rāpaki: Overview of the locality, official name, marae and demographic summary with cited sources.
Māori Maps: Rāpaki Marae: Iwi, hapū, wharenui name, maunga, moana and contact details for Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke.
LAWA: Rāpaki Bay: Swim-site status, facilities notes, mātaitai information and water-quality guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the official name of Rāpaki?
The official locality name is Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa. It is commonly called Rāpaki or Rapaki.
What does the name mean?
It refers to the waist mat (rāpaki) of the ancestor Te Rakiwhakaputa, which he laid down to claim the area for his descendants.
Who is the local hapū?
Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke of Ngāi Tahu hold manawhenua. The takiwā centres on Rāpaki and the catchment of Whakaraupō.
Can visitors go to the beach and marae?
The bay shoreline is accessible but is private in character and a mātaitai reserve; be respectful, follow any signs, and observe fishing bylaws. The marae is a living community space; visit only with invitation or for arranged events unless public access is clearly indicated.
How do I get to Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa from Christchurch?
Drive via the Governors Bay–Lyttelton Harbour Road and turn onto Rapaki Drive. Parking near the wharf is limited; parking on the main road and walking down is often preferred.
Is there a school or shops in the settlement?
There is no current school or main shopping strip within the locality. The historic schoolhouse is restored for community use. Nearest shops and services are in Lyttelton and Governors Bay.
Is the water safe for swimming?
Check the current LAWA status for Rāpaki Bay. The site is monitored in the swimming season. Avoid swimming for two to three days after heavy rain and follow any warning signs.
What else is nearby?
Lyttelton and Governors Bay offer services and harbour views. Port Hills walking tracks, including routes from the top of Rāpaki Track, provide ridge and crater-rim walks. Cass Bay and other harbour bays lie close along the same road.
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Explore Christchurch only lists suburbs officially recognised by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), and Te Rāpaki-o-Te Rakiwhakaputa is one of them. Suburb boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.