Hillsborough, Christchurch: Suburb Guide to Port Hills Edge Living

Last updated October 2026

Hillsborough is a mixed residential and industrial suburb on the south-eastern side of Christchurch, sitting between the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River flats and the lower slopes of the Port Hills. Once farmland known as Broomfield, it developed around the Garland family holdings and later brickworks at the base of the hills.

Today the suburb combines quieter residential streets nearer the river with industrial land closer to the hills, plus direct access to Port Hills walking tracks. It sits within Christchurch City and is a practical base for people who want city access with hill-edge open space nearby.

Visitors and prospective residents find a low-key southern suburb with clear links to St Martins shopping and the wider Port Hills network.

Official Suburb Facts

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About Hillsborough

Hillsborough occupies a distinctive strip of Christchurch where the flat land south of the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River meets the rising Port Hills.

Residential pockets sit mainly toward the river and northern side of the suburb, while much of the land at the base of the hills is zoned industrial. This split reflects long use of the lower slopes for industry, including former brickworks that once operated along the hill edge.

The area was first taken up as farmland. Edward Garland settled here with his wife Annie in 1854 and called the property Broomfield Farm, grazing cattle on the low ground and sheep on the Port Hills slopes.

The name Hillsborough later replaced Broomfield; by the time the area was integrated into greater Christchurch the name Hillsborough was in exclusive use. Garlands Road still follows the line of the original farm driveway and keeps the family name in everyday use.

Further early European history is tied to properties such as Glenmore on Peartree Lane. Land in the wider area was purchased in the early 1850s for Henry Selfe Selfe of the Canterbury Association; the house later known as Glenmore became associated with Major Henry A. Scott and later the Acland family, and later still with brickworks management.

Heritage New Zealand lists Glenmore as a Category 2 historic place, noting its links to early settlement and the brick-making industry along the Port Hills.

Today Hillsborough remains a practical, mixed-use southern suburb rather than a purely residential village. Streets near the river and toward neighbouring St Martins feel residential, while the industrial zone and hill-base land give the southern edge a working character.

Murray Aynsley Hill forms part of the statistical and landscape setting on the Port Hills fringe. The suburb offers straightforward access into the city and equally quick access onto Port Hills tracks, making it useful for walkers and mountain bikers as well as people living or working locally.

Getting Around

Garlands Road is a main thoroughfare through the suburb and links toward surrounding southern neighbourhoods. Hillsborough Terrace leads to the car park used for Mt Vernon Farm Park walks.

Metro buses serve the wider southern corridor; the Orbiter and route 27 (Northwood/Huntsbury) run via St Martins shops and connect to the central Bus Interchange and other parts of the city. Cycling and walking links follow the river corridor and climb onto the Port Hills tracks. Drivers reach the central city in a short trip via the southern arterial network.

Getting Outdoors

The standout outdoor asset is immediate access to the Port Hills. From the car park at the end of Hillsborough Terrace, walkers can join Mt Vernon Farm Park tracks managed with the Port Hills Park Trust Board.

Options include the Valley Track (about 3.5 km one way toward Summit Road and the Rāpaki Track car park), the shorter Rogers Track link, and the shared-use Farm Track toward Lamar car park on Summit Road.

Dogs must be on a leash on these tracks. Hillsborough Domain / Park on Bishopworth Street provides local green space with a pavilion. The Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River corridor offers riverside walking and cycling connections toward neighbouring suburbs.

History and Heritage

European settlement began with pastoral farming in the 1850s. Edward Garland’s Broomfield Farm gave way to the Hillsborough name as the district grew. Industrial brickmaking later occupied parts of the hill base, leaving a lasting industrial footprint still visible in land use.

Glenmore (6 Peartree Lane) is a Category 2 historic place that illustrates successive phases: early Canterbury Association-linked ownership, occupation by the Scott and Acland families, and later use linked to the Glenmore Brickworks. The suburb’s street names and remaining heritage fabric keep these layers of farm, industry and residential growth readable on the ground.

Near Hillsborough

Just outside Hillsborough, within 5 km of its centre, nearest first.

Places

Bowenvale Valley TrackPort Hills Tracks · 1.9 kmVictoria ParkMajor Parks, Gardens and Heritage Parks · 2.6 kmFerrymead Heritage ParkMuseums · 2.8 kmRadley PlaygroundNeighbourhood Playgrounds · 2.8 kmHarry Ell WalkwayPort Hills Tracks · 2.9 kmCharlesworth ReserveNeighbourhood Parks · 3.5 km

Businesses

All 3Food & Drink 2Services 1

Kuri City: Small Dog DaycareDog Day Care Center · 4.6 kmFormaggio’sRestaurant · 3.4 kmGasson St Bakery CafeBakery · 4.2 km

Where to Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Hillsborough in Christchurch?
Hillsborough is a southern suburb of Christchurch City, roughly south-east of the central city between the Heathcote River flats and the lower Port Hills.

Is Hillsborough mainly residential or industrial?
It is mixed. Residential areas sit mainly toward the river and northern side; much of the land at the base of the Port Hills is industrial, reflecting earlier brickworks and ongoing industrial zoning.

How do I get to the Port Hills from Hillsborough?
Drive or walk to the car park at the end of Hillsborough Terrace. From there, Mt Vernon Farm Park tracks (Valley Track, Rogers Track, Farm Track) climb toward Summit Road and link with the wider Port Hills network.

Are dogs allowed on the local tracks?
On the Mt Vernon Farm Park walks starting from Hillsborough Terrace, dogs must be on a leash.

What is the main shopping area for Hillsborough?
Everyday shopping is centred on the nearby St Martins shops strip, which has a supermarket, cafés and local services.

Which council ward covers Hillsborough?
Hillsborough is in the Heathcote Cashmere ward and under the Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote Community Board of Christchurch City Council.

What is the origin of the name Hillsborough?
The land was first farmed by Edward Garland as Broomfield Farm from 1854. The name Hillsborough later became established and was in exclusive use by the time the area joined greater Christchurch; Garlands Road preserves the family name.

Is there a historic place to see in Hillsborough?
Glenmore at 6 Peartree Lane is a Heritage New Zealand Category 2 historic place associated with early Canterbury settlement and later brickworks management. It is private property.

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Explore Christchurch only lists suburbs officially recognised by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), and Hillsborough is one of them. Suburb boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.