Huntsbury, Christchurch: Suburb Guide to Port Hills Living and Views

Last updated October 2026

Huntsbury is a hillside residential suburb on the fringes of the Port Hills in southern Christchurch, about three to four and a half kilometres south of the city centre. It sits above neighbouring areas such as Cashmere and St Martins, with open views across the city and easy access to shared-use tracks leading toward Summit Road and Mount Vernon.

The suburb grew from early twentieth-century sanatorium land into a quiet residential pocket known for its elevation, community facilities and outdoor links. Visitors and residents find a mix of established homes, regenerating bush edges and direct connections into the wider Port Hills track network. It forms part of Christchurch City Council’s Cashmere ward and the Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote community board area.

Official Suburb Facts

Explore the map

About Huntsbury

Huntsbury occupies sloping ground on the northern flanks of the Port Hills. From many streets the outlook takes in the Christchurch plain, with Mount Vernon to one side and the distinctive form of Te Heru o Kahukura / Sugarloaf and its transmitter visible nearby.

The suburb is residential in character, with housing climbing the hill and pockets of open space and bush that link into the wider Port Hills recreation network.

The hillside was originally the site of the Cashmere Sanatorium complex, a tuberculosis hospital that opened in 1914. Treatment at the time favoured open-air living, and many patients stayed in small huts with permanently open doors and windows.

After antibiotics reduced the need for such facilities, the huts were phased out from around 1950; one restored example remains at the end of the private road Kimbolton Lane. Returned servicemen also used temporary huts while building permanent homes, a practice that drew local comment at the time.

The first residential sections on Huntsbury Hill were sold in January 1920. The suburb amalgamated with Christchurch City on 1 April 1941. A large water reservoir (35,000 cubic metres capacity) was built in 1952 and later became a key part of the city’s drinking-water storage.

After the final tuberculosis patients left, the sanatorium site became Coronation Hospital until that closed in 1991; the remaining buildings were later cleared for the Broad Oaks subdivision.

The 2011 Christchurch earthquake damaged houses, retaining walls and the reservoir. A previously unknown shear zone beneath the reservoir ruptured, shattering the basin and damaging the pump station. The reservoir was later replaced with two structures designed to move independently, and a new pump station was built.

Many homes have since been repaired, though some empty sites and damaged walls remained visible for years afterward. Today the suburb retains a settled hillside feel, with the Huntsbury Community Centre (opened 1975 after community fundraising) providing a local gathering place opposite the reservoir area, and one of Christchurch’s public fountains located at the top of Conifer Place.

Getting Outdoors

Huntsbury is a practical starting point for Port Hills walking and mountain biking. The popular shared-use Huntsbury Track runs about 2.5 km from the end of Huntsbury Avenue up to the Mt Vernon car park on Summit Road (roughly one hour one way). It is a gravel and earth 4WD-style climb through open tussock country and stays open in wet weather; dogs must be on a leash.

From the top, walkers and riders can return the same way or link into other Mt Vernon tracks back toward the city.

A shorter Huntsbury Reserve Track (about 350 m, 10 minutes) starts on Huntsbury Avenue opposite Vista Place and winds through bush to join the Mt Vernon Park track network, including connections toward Gorge Track, Farm Track and Dry Ridge. These routes give quick access to regenerating bush and ridge views without a long drive. Always check current track alerts and weather before setting out, as Port Hills conditions can change quickly.

History and Heritage

The sanatorium era shaped the early identity of the hill. Open-air huts, the later Coronation Hospital phase, and the gradual shift to housing tell a clear story of health care, postwar settlement and suburban expansion. The 1952 reservoir and its post-earthquake rebuild underline the suburb’s role in city infrastructure.

Community fundraising in the early 1970s produced the Huntsbury Community Centre, which opened in 1975 and remains a local landmark with city and hill views. A restored sanatorium hut on Kimbolton Lane offers a tangible link to the open-air treatment period.

Community Facilities

The Huntsbury Community Centre at 30H Huntsbury Avenue provides a main hall (licensed for up to 99 people), kitchen and bar facilities, and a conservatory with panoramic outlooks. It is used for regular classes, meetings and selected community events.

The centre sits across from the reservoir precinct and anchors local activity on the hill. Everyday shopping and services are found a short distance away in St Martins and Cashmere rather than in a large commercial strip within Huntsbury itself.

Near Huntsbury

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

Places

Mt Vernon Farm TrackPort Hills Mountain Bike Tracks · 700 mBowenvale Valley TrackPort Hills Tracks · 1.2 kmRāpaki TrackPort Hills Tracks · 1.4 kmHarry Ell WalkwayPort Hills Tracks · 1.7 kmCashmere PlaygroundNeighbourhood Playgrounds · 2.1 kmVictoria ParkMajor Parks, Gardens and Heritage Parks · 2.2 km

Businesses

All 6Services 5Food & Drink 1

Kings Swim SchoolSwimming Schools · 9.1 kmFeaturedKuri City: Small Dog DaycareDog Day Care Center · 3.9 kmGolden HomesConstruction Company · 4.1 kmOutsourced AdvantageDigital Marketing · 4.5 kmBradley Nuttall Financial AdvisorsFinancial Advisors · 4.8 kmFormaggio’sRestaurant · 1.9 km

Where to Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Huntsbury in Christchurch?
Huntsbury is a residential suburb on the Port Hills fringes in southern Christchurch, roughly three to four and a half kilometres south of the city centre, above areas such as Cashmere and St Martins.

What council ward is Huntsbury in?
It lies in the Cashmere ward and under the Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote Community Board of Christchurch City Council.

How do I get to Huntsbury by public transport?
Metro bus route 17 serves Huntsbury (Bryndwr/Huntsbury). Orbiter services run nearby on Centaurus Road. Check Metro timetables for current stops and times.

Is there a walking or biking track from Huntsbury?
Yes. The shared-use Huntsbury Track runs about 2.5 km from the end of Huntsbury Avenue to the Mt Vernon car park on Summit Road. A shorter reserve track also links into the Mt Vernon Park network. Dogs must be on a leash.

What secondary school zones cover Huntsbury?
Cashmere High School (Te iringa o Kahukura) includes Huntsbury in its enrolment zone. Confirm any specific address on the Ministry of Education school finder or the school’s zone map.

What is the history of the Cashmere Sanatorium site?
The hillside hosted a tuberculosis sanatorium that opened in 1914, with open-air patient huts. It later became Coronation Hospital, which closed in 1991; remaining buildings were cleared for housing. One restored hut survives on Kimbolton Lane.

Is there a community centre in Huntsbury?
Yes. Huntsbury Community Centre on Huntsbury Avenue opened in 1975 after local fundraising. It offers a hall, kitchen and views and is used for classes, meetings and selected events.

What shopping is nearby?
Huntsbury itself is mainly residential. Everyday shops and cafes are close by in St Martins and the Cashmere village area; larger retail is a short drive further into the city.

Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.

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