# Avon River / Ōtākaro, a waterway of Christchurch A river, 29.2 km as OpenStreetMap draws it, crossing 16 suburbs. Also recorded as “Ōtākaro” and “Avon River” and “Kerrs Reach”. ## Can you swim here [Avon River/Ōtākaro at Margaret Mahy Playground](https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/canterbury-region/swimming/avon-riverotakaro-at-margaret-mahy-playground/swimsite), the LAWA monitor that sits on its reach, LAWA keeps it on special status, graded unsuitable for swimming. 4 more monitored spots sit on its reach. *A water-quality risk grade, not a live verdict, after heavy rain any spot can turn. LAWA's page is the one to check on the day.* ## The suburbs on its banks - [Aranui](https://www.chch.live/aranui) - [Avondale](https://www.chch.live/avondale) - [Avonside](https://www.chch.live/avonside) - [Bexley](https://www.chch.live/bexley) - [Christchurch Central](https://www.chch.live/christchurch-central-city) - [Dallington](https://www.chch.live/dallington) - [Fendalton](https://www.chch.live/fendalton) - [Ilam](https://www.chch.live/ilam) - [Linwood](https://www.chch.live/linwood) - [Merivale](https://www.chch.live/merivale) - [New Brighton](https://www.chch.live/new-brighton) - [Riccarton](https://www.chch.live/riccarton) - [Richmond](https://www.chch.live/richmond) - [South New Brighton](https://www.chch.live/south-new-brighton) - [Upper Riccarton](https://www.chch.live/upper-riccarton) - [Wainoni](https://www.chch.live/wainoni) ## On the register along it Listed places within about 200m of the line, near the water, not necessarily of it. - [Dwelling and Setting](https://www.chch.live/place/3) - [Former Dwelling and Setting, Inveresk](https://www.chch.live/place/5), 17 Armagh Street · List 3117 - [Dwelling and Setting, Red House](https://www.chch.live/place/6), 25 Armagh Street · List 3703 - [Former Magistrates Court and Setting](https://www.chch.live/place/8), 85 Armagh Street · List 5308 - [Holy Trinity Avonside Graveyard and Setting](https://www.chch.live/place/10), 168 Stanmore Road - [Antigua Boatsheds and Setting](https://www.chch.live/place/18), 2 Cambridge Terrace · List 1825 - [Canterbury Club and Setting](https://www.chch.live/place/19), 129 Cambridge Terrace · List 1837 - [Canterbury Club Hitching Post and Setting](https://www.chch.live/place/20) · List 1839 - [Edmonds Band Rotunda Area including Rotunda, Shelter, Balustrades, Landing and Lamp Standards and Setting](https://www.chch.live/place/21), 230 Cambridge Terrace · List 1865 - [Dwelling and Setting](https://www.chch.live/place/22), 361 Cambridge Terrace - [Cuningham House and Setting](https://www.chch.live/place/23), 7 Riccarton Avenue · List 1862 - [Moorhouse Statue and Setting](https://www.chch.live/place/24) ## The reports along it 16,134 reports pinned within 150 m of the line, a pin is where a reporter stood, not a claim about the place. - [Dumped Rubbish](https://www.chch.live/report/9092503), [875 Avonside Dr, Canterbury, Christchurch 8061, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/wainoni/875-avonside-drive) - [Animal - Deceased](https://www.chch.live/report/9092298), [958 Avonside Drive, Avondale, Christchurch 8061, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/avondale/958-avonside-drive) - [Dumped Rubbish](https://www.chch.live/report/9090994), [1 Tilbury Place, Dallington, Christchurch 8061, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/dallington/1-tilbury-place) - [Dumped Rubbish](https://www.chch.live/report/9090840), [113 Locksley Avenue, Dallington, Christchurch 8061, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/dallington/113-locksley-avenue) - [Dumped Rubbish](https://www.chch.live/report/9090818), [95 Locksley Avenue, Dallington, Christchurch 8061, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/dallington/95-locksley-avenue) - [Overgrown Vegetation](https://www.chch.live/report/9089869), [17 Hulverstone Dr, Canterbury, Christchurch 8061, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/avondale/17-hulverstone-drive) - [Park - General Request](https://www.chch.live/report/9089823), [115 Hulverstone Dr, Canterbury, Christchurch 8061, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/avondale/115-hulverstone-drive) - [Dumped Rubbish](https://www.chch.live/report/9089391), [11 Dunarnan Street, Avonside, Christchurch 8061, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/avonside/11-dunarnan-street) - [Dumped Rubbish](https://www.chch.live/report/9087711), [529 New Brighton Rd, Canterbury, Christchurch 8083, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/new-brighton/529-new-brighton-road) - [Rubbish and Bins - General](https://www.chch.live/report/9087658), [3 Rossall St, Canterbury, Christchurch 8014, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/merivale/3-rossall-street) - [Dumped Rubbish](https://www.chch.live/report/9086764), [107 Retreat Road, Avonside, Christchurch 8061, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/avonside/107-retreat-road) - [Graffiti on a traffic light pole or cabinet, or wa](https://www.chch.live/report/9086323), [64 Medway St, Canterbury, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand](https://www.chch.live/richmond/64-medway-street) ## Walks that cross it - [The square and its ring](https://www.chch.live/walks/cathedral-square) - [The boulevard](https://www.chch.live/walks/worcester-boulevard) - [The river bend](https://www.chch.live/walks/the-river-bend) - [The bush and the great houses](https://www.chch.live/walks/riccarton-bush) - [The old estates](https://www.chch.live/walks/fendalton-estates) - [The old north road](https://www.chch.live/walks/st-albans-north-road) - [The houses the avenues kept](https://www.chch.live/walks/merivale-houses) - [The college and the homesteads](https://www.chch.live/walks/ilam-college-and-homesteads) - [The factory garden](https://www.chch.live/walks/linwood-factory-garden) - [The school’s own register](https://www.chch.live/walks/christs-college) - [The city’s stones](https://www.chch.live/walks/civic-stones) - [Belfries and chapels](https://www.chch.live/walks/belfries-and-chapels) - [The old university](https://www.chch.live/walks/the-old-varsity) ## Questions, answered briefly **How long is Avon River / Ōtākaro?** 29.2 km as mapped, 21 ways in the open map, crossing 16 suburbs. **Which suburbs does Avon River / Ōtākaro pass through?** Aranui, Avondale, Avonside, Bexley, and 12 more. **What else is Avon River / Ōtākaro called?** The map also records “Ōtākaro” and “Avon River” and “Kerrs Reach”, the page answers to all of them. **What’s on the record along Avon River / Ōtākaro?** 12 register places sit within 200m of its line, each opens its own record from this page. --- The line is OpenStreetMap’s, named ways tagged river, stream, drain or canal inside the city boundary, merged by name (ODbL). Centrelines, not banks; the live gauges are instruments, kept at https://www.chch.live/rivers. The page: https://www.chch.live/river/avon-river-otakaro Every waterway as data: https://www.chch.live/waterways.geojson The whole roll: https://www.chch.live/river