# Southshore, Christchurch

940 council reports since June 2015, the 78th busiest suburb in the city. 735 photographs on record.

https://www.chch.live/southshore

## Live source links

Link-outs to the source’s own live pages, chch.live does not copy their live values or source text.

- [Christchurch City Council What’s On](https://www.ccc.govt.nz/news-and-events/whats-on)
- [Christchurch City Libraries events](https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/events/)

## The encyclopaedia on it

Southshore is an eastern coastal suburb within Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located on a narrow 2.5 km (1.6 mi) long sandspit that runs along the eastern side of the Avon Heathcote Estuary and west of the Pacific Ocean. The suburb is 8 km (5.0 mi) east of the city centre and 5 km (3.1 mi) south of New Brighton's main retail area.

Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southshore%2C_New_Zealand), a tertiary source

## Living here

New bonds here ran at about **$640 a week** in the April–June 2026 quarter, the middle half $520–$650, across 15 bonds, up 9% on a year ago. That’s about **$90 a week above** the city’s own quarter median of $550. Tenancy Services counts these under the South New Brighton area, which takes in this coast with its neighbours.
- 1-bedroom house, $650 a week · 9 new bonds

Median and quartiles of weekly rents on new private bonds (Tenancy Services), new bonds only, not the whole stock.

## 2023 Census snapshot

About 3,321 people and 1,296 occupied private households, grouped from 23 SA1 areas in South New Brighton. Nearby statistical areas stand in for this place, so this is a proxy rather than a count for the suburb boundary.

- Under 15: about 19% (639 people)
- 65 and over: about 16% (546 people)
- Born overseas: about 20% of stated birthplace
- European ethnicity: about 92% of ethnicity responses
- Māori ethnicity: about 15% of ethnicity responses
- Pacific Peoples ethnicity: about 4% of ethnicity responses
- Asian ethnicity: about 3% of ethnicity responses
- Households with internet: about 87% of stated households
- Households with two or more vehicles: about 58% of stated households

Ethnicity is a multiple-response measure, so those percentages are not meant to add to 100%. Stats NZ uses fixed random rounding to base 3; unavailable or confidential cells are left out, not treated as zero.

[individuals](https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/layer/120766-2023-census-totals-by-topic-for-individuals-by-statistical-area-1-part-1/) · [households](https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/layer/120765-2023-census-totals-by-topic-for-households-by-statistical-area-1/) · [geography](https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/table/111243/) · [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

## As reported (735 on record)
- [216 Rocking Horse Road, Southshore](https://www.chch.live/report/9071391)
- [7 Stilt Ln](https://www.chch.live/report/9052301)
- [7 Stilt Ln](https://www.chch.live/report/9052297)
- [6 Plover St](https://www.chch.live/report/9039609)
- [104 Rocking Horse Road, Southshore](https://www.chch.live/report/8989287)
- [103 Rocking Horse Rd](https://www.chch.live/report/8986392)

[735 photographs on the wall](https://www.chch.live/wall?suburb=southshore)

## The suburb, back then (5 in the archive)

*Placed by the record’s locality join or the name in its own title, a lead, not a claim each frame stood here.*
- [Aerial photomosaic of Moncks Bay and Southshore Spit](https://www.chch.live/then/1920s#p-53791422), 1926 · Canterbury Stories
- [Aerial photomosaic of Southshore](https://www.chch.live/then/1920s#p-53791381), 1926 · Canterbury Stories
- [Aerial photomosaic of Southshore Spit](https://www.chch.live/then/1920s#p-53791384), 1926 · Canterbury Stories
- [View of Sumner Beach and Southshore](https://www.chch.live/then/1950s#p-48498574), 1950 · Canterbury Stories
- [Southshore, Christchurch](https://www.chch.live/then/1970s#p-23135254), 1974 · TAPUHI

## The record on Southshore
- Southshore enters the written record in 1 January 1926, [“Aerial photomosaic of Southshore Spit and Moncks Bay”](https://www.canterburystories.nz/collections/maps-plans/aerial-photomosaics/1926/ccl-cs-47089), [Canterbury Stories](https://www.chch.live/collection/canterbury-stories).
- “Southshore” appears somewhere in 21 of the archive’s records.
- The first report here: roading/streets, 9 June 2015, at 88–122.
- Its busiest day was 23 May 2018, 9 reports in a single day.
- The street that keeps coming up is [Rocking Horse Road](https://www.chch.live/street/southshore/rocking-horse-road), reported on 339 separate days.
- For elections the suburb’s centre falls inside [Coastal ward](https://www.chch.live/wards/coastal), the [Coastal-Burwood-Linwood community board](https://www.chch.live/boards/coastal-burwood-linwood) is its local layer. The whole roll is at [/wards](https://www.chch.live/wards).

## How fast the council fixes things here (1,436 finished jobs on record)

The median council work order pinned in Southshore took **5 days** to resolve, the city-wide median is 3 days, so this ground runs slower than the city as a whole.
The slowest tenth of finished jobs waited 4 months or longer.
62 tickets are open here now, the oldest was filed 13 October 2021.

Work orders, not resident reports, the council’s MyCouncilTicket stream, and one job can appear in both. A median counts only finished jobs; open ones are named as open, never averaged in. [The ticket roll](https://www.chch.live/fixed) · [the whole city’s fix times](https://www.chch.live/trends#fix).

## Lately
- [Hazard, vehicle](https://www.chch.live/report/9071391), 11 Oct 2026 · 216 Rocking Horse Road, “parking on yellow lines”
- [Trees - General](https://www.chch.live/report/9052301), 8 Oct 2026 · 7 Stilt Ln, “There are a few dead trees which should be removed. They’re starting to be unsightly on the reserve. Another tree truck…”
- [Trees - General](https://www.chch.live/report/9052297), 8 Oct 2026 · 7 Stilt Ln, “These two palm trees have dropped lots of fronds and they’re making quite a mess on the reserve. It would be great if…”
- [Animal - Domestic](https://www.chch.live/report/9039609), 6 Oct 2026 · 6 Plover St, “Hiya I believe this is the dog I made a complaint about recently due to owner having no control of it. I was with my…”
- [Animal - General](https://www.chch.live/report/9014207), 1 Oct 2026 · 2A Penguin Street, “this gentleman was not very aware of our estuary edge dog rules today and did not take kindly to being asked to put his…”
- [Street Gutters / Storm Water](https://www.chch.live/report/8989287), 27 Sept 2026 · 104 Rocking Horse Road, “drains by road have been blocked for weeks causing surface flooding on road and path. both sides of the rd. overflowing…”
- [Water General](https://www.chch.live/report/8986392), 26 Sept 2026 · 103 Rocking Horse Rd, “Toby leak think it’s on the mains line”
- [Rubbish and Bins - General](https://www.chch.live/report/8958986), 21 Sept 2026 · 179 Rocking Horse Rd, “Flax left in bush”
- [Facility - General Request](https://www.chch.live/report/8938373), 17 Sept 2026 · 21A Caspian Street, “Under the sand is wooden steps on a chain. it has got buried under the sand. can you please uncover the steps before…”
- [Dumped Rubbish](https://www.chch.live/report/8932937), 16 Sept 2026 · 3A Penguin St, “Dumped rubbish. It has been here for weeks. Fully blocking path Children and people in wheelchairs have to use the…”
- [Abandoned Vehicle](https://www.chch.live/report/8904498), 11 Sept 2026 · 191 Rocking Horse Road, “no registration and no warrant fitness since 2025 Red Vitz car parked on road outside 189 Rockinghorse Rd South Shore…”
- [Animal - Domestic](https://www.chch.live/report/8901924), 11 Sept 2026 · 135A Rocking Horse Road, “Owner had no recall over his dog. I was up by sand dunes with my little dog on long line. His dog ran to us from low…”

## Reports per year
- 2015, 29
- 2016, 35
- 2017, 42
- 2018, 56
- 2019, 37
- 2020, 69
- 2021, 110
- 2022, 149
- 2023, 126
- 2024, 102
- 2025, 99

## What gets reported
- Trees & parks, 243
- Roads & footpaths, 237
- Rubbish & dumping, 190
- Water & drains, 100
- [Graffiti & vandalism](https://www.chch.live/problems/graffiti), 83
- Vehicles & parking, 36
- [Animals & pests](https://www.chch.live/problems/animals-pests), 26
- Everything else, 24

## Exactly what people say
- [Roading/Streets](https://www.chch.live/problems/road-damage), 156
- [Parks](https://www.chch.live/problems/parks-maintenance), 104
- [Rubbish/Recycling](https://www.chch.live/problems/bins-recycling), 72
- [Dumped Rubbish](https://www.chch.live/problems/dumped-rubbish), 62
- [Overgrown Vegetation](https://www.chch.live/problems/overgrown-vegetation), 61
- [Graffiti](https://www.chch.live/problems/graffiti), 56
- [Rubbish and Bins - General](https://www.chch.live/problems/bins-recycling), 41
- [Park - General Request](https://www.chch.live/problems/parks-maintenance), 37

## The streets that keep coming up
- [Rocking Horse Road](https://www.chch.live/street/southshore/rocking-horse-road), reported on 339 separate days
- [Heron Street](https://www.chch.live/street/southshore/heron-street), reported on 42 separate days
- [Penguin Street](https://www.chch.live/street/southshore/penguin-street), reported on 33 separate days
- [Plover Street](https://www.chch.live/street/southshore/plover-street), reported on 29 separate days
- [Tern Street](https://www.chch.live/street/southshore/tern-street), reported on 27 separate days
- [Caspian Street](https://www.chch.live/street/southshore/caspian-street), reported on 27 separate days
- [Marine Parade](https://www.chch.live/street/southshore/marine-parade), reported on 26 separate days
- [Godwit Street](https://www.chch.live/street/southshore/godwit-street), reported on 13 separate days

Zoned for [Avonside Girls' High School](https://www.chch.live/school/324-avonside-girls-high-school) · [Christchurch Adventist School](https://www.chch.live/school/317-christchurch-adventist-school) · [Haeata Community Campus](https://www.chch.live/school/704-haeata-community-campus) · [Hillview Christian School](https://www.chch.live/school/341-hillview-christian-school) · [Marian College](https://www.chch.live/school/343-marian-college) · [Middleton Grange School](https://www.chch.live/school/335-middleton-grange-school) · and 4 more zones, the drawn zone is indicative; the Ministry’s written scheme is the legal boundary.

## The green here (4)
- [Southshore Beach Park](https://www.chch.live/park/1621-southshore-beach-park), Regional · 28 ha
- [Spit Reserve](https://www.chch.live/park/1441-spit-reserve), Regional · 27 ha
- [Wimbrels Way Reserve](https://www.chch.live/park/1605-wimbrels-way-reserve)
- [Plover Reserve](https://www.chch.live/park/979-plover-reserve), playground, 23 pieces

A park lands in the suburb its centre falls inside, a centroid call, not a containment claim.

## The ground that moved
The February 2011 survey drew mapped ground failure over 36.1% of this outline, about 40 hectares. A patch is a footprint, not a finding about an address; the count for the whole city is at [liquefaction](https://www.chch.live/liquefaction).
The Crown’s 2011 classification drew 13.0% of this outline, about 14 hectares inside the residential red zone. A mapped area files under the suburb its middle sits in, and a classification is the record of a decision, not a finding about an address; the whole line is at [redzone](https://www.chch.live/redzone).
The 2011 grading filed 34.6% of this outline, about 38 hectares, mostly **TC3**. A category is a verdict for a patch of ground, not a finding about an address; the grades are at [technical-categories](https://www.chch.live/technical-categories).
The flood record drew water over 33.2% of this outline, about 37 hectares, across 1 named event. A patch is one event’s observation, not a live hazard finding; the record is at [floods](https://www.chch.live/floods).
The mapped tsunami extent covers **96%** of this outline, about 105 hectares. The sea’s modelled reach, not a prediction, the plan’s inundation line, not the evacuation zones; the share is read from a sampled join. The whole extent is at [tsunami](https://www.chch.live/tsunami).
The plan’s schedule of sites significant to Ngāi Tahu covers **100%** of this outline, about 110 hectares, ngā tūranga tūpuna, ngā wai. Shares read from a sampled join; a recognition overlay, not a catalogue. The whole schedule: [cultural](https://www.chch.live/cultural).
The plan’s ecological schedules cover **46%** of this outline, about 50 hectares across **2** scheduled sites, all of it protected under Schedule A. Shares read from a sampled join; a recognition overlay, not a survey. The whole ledger: [ecology](https://www.chch.live/ecology).
The plan’s landscape schedules cover **48%** of this outline, about 52 hectares across **4** scheduled areas, **48%** of it outstanding, the plan’s strongest landscape standing, and **100%** of it sits inside the coastal environment. Shares read from a sampled join; a protection overlay, not a ranking of views. The kept view: [landscape](https://www.chch.live/landscape).
The plan’s flood map draws **38%** of this outline inside **high flood hazard** ground, about 42 hectares across **17** mapped areas. The broader flood-management watch covers **66%** of it, Southshore. Shares read from a sampled join; a model’s map, not a promise. The waiting water: [flood-hazard](https://www.chch.live/flood-hazard).
The plan’s water-margin layers cross this outline, and an esplanade line holds a public edge here. The margin is the plan’s drawing, not a survey of the bank. The drawn water: [water-margin](https://www.chch.live/water-margin).
The rebuild’s cameras filed **475** photographs on this ground, 2010–2016, stormwater work mostly. Each frame is a receipt the dig left behind, a work log, not a survey of what stands now. The whole record: [rebuild](https://www.chch.live/rebuild).
The remembered names stand on this ground, **4** inscribed plaques, [Spit Reserve](https://www.chch.live/plaque/83198-spit-reserve), [Southshore Beach Park](https://www.chch.live/plaque/310862-southshore-beach-park) among the grounds. The plaque is the register’s pin, not a surveyed spot; the whole roll: [plaques](https://www.chch.live/plaques).
The rulebook binds this ground, **5** drawn instruments, 3 of them dog rules, 2 camping zones, a certified self-contained van can stay the night at City Coastal Restricted Zone; the other zone bans it outright; the outline sits inside the takiwā of Te Ngai Tuahuriri Runanga. The bylaw is the instrument, this the map of it, the rulebook: [rules](https://www.chch.live/rules).
The files record **119** parcels of made or characterised ground inside this outline, about 19 hectares, mostly sand, silt, topsoil, 2 carry fill the file can’t vouch for. A record is the file’s word on what was laid, not a fresh survey; the layer is at [fill](https://www.chch.live/fill).
The 2019 liquefaction study put **33%** of this outline in the **medium** class, 90% of the outline fell inside an assessed area, and 1 assessed area here carry the free-face flag for possible lateral spreading. A class is the model’s verdict on a patch of ground, not a finding about an address; the study is at [vulnerability](https://www.chch.live/vulnerability).
The council’s structure register stands **5** assets on this ground, 5 boardwalks, sited at Spit Reserve, Southshore Beach Park. Site names are the register’s own labels; the layer is drawn on [the map](https://www.chch.live/map?layer=structures).
The register counts **276** living trees inside this outline, **2** veterans among them, mostly Cabbage tree, Ngaio, Pohutukawa. The file remembers **87** trees felled here. A tree record is the register’s word on what stands or stood; the canopy is at [trees](https://www.chch.live/trees).
The plan files **46%** of this outline under **Open Space Coastal**, **38%** residential, the rest mostly Residential Suburban 38%, Specific Purpose (Flat Land Recovery) 11%. A zone is a permission, not a description, the mix is a sampled read of the plan’s polygons; the district’s zoning is at [zones](https://www.chch.live/zones).
GeoNet’s catalogue puts 10 magnitude-3+ epicentres inside this outline since the sequence opened, the biggest a M3.9 in 2011. An epicentre is where the instruments placed the break, not a measure of the shaking here; the whole catalogue is counted at [sequence](https://www.chch.live/sequence), and the story in plain language is [the earthquakes explainer](https://www.chch.live/how-nz-works/canterbury-earthquakes).

## Documents that name it

*These are leads, not verified claims, search ties, not read sources.*
- [Aerial photomosaic of Southshore Spit and Moncks Bay](https://www.canterburystories.nz/collections/maps-plans/aerial-photomosaics/1926/ccl-cs-47089), [Canterbury Stories](https://www.chch.live/collection/canterbury-stories) · 1926-01-01T00:00:00Z
- [Aerial photomosaic of Southshore](https://www.canterburystories.nz/collections/maps-plans/aerial-photomosaics/1926/ccl-cs-47076), [Canterbury Stories](https://www.chch.live/collection/canterbury-stories) · 1926-01-01T00:00:00Z
- [Aerial photomosaic of Southshore Spit](https://www.canterburystories.nz/collections/maps-plans/aerial-photomosaics/1926/ccl-cs-47077), [Canterbury Stories](https://www.chch.live/collection/canterbury-stories) · 1926-01-01T00:00:00Z
- [Aerial photomosaic of Moncks Bay and Southshore Spit](https://www.canterburystories.nz/collections/maps-plans/aerial-photomosaics/1926/ccl-cs-47088), [Canterbury Stories](https://www.chch.live/collection/canterbury-stories) · 1926-01-01T00:00:00Z
- [View of Sumner Beach and Southshore](https://www.canterburystories.nz/collections/archives/wildey/ccl-cs-45998), [Canterbury Stories](https://www.chch.live/collection/canterbury-stories) · 1950-01-01T00:00:00Z
- [Southshore, Christchurch](http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23135254), [TAPUHI](https://www.chch.live/collection/tapuhi) · 1974-01-01T12:00:00.000Z
- [LIST OF CIVIL UNION](https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2005-go2475), [New Zealand Gazette](https://www.chch.live/collection/new-zealand-gazette) · 2005-04-22 12:00:00 UTC
- [LIST OF CIVIL UNION CELEBRANTS](https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2006-go350), [New Zealand Gazette](https://www.chch.live/collection/new-zealand-gazette) · 2006-01-20 12:00:00 UTC
- [Notice of Intention to Remove Companies From the Register](https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2006-ds6294), [New Zealand Gazette](https://www.chch.live/collection/new-zealand-gazette) · 2006-09-14 12:00:00 UTC
- [LIST OF CIVIL UNION](https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2007-go297), [New Zealand Gazette](https://www.chch.live/collection/new-zealand-gazette) · 2007-01-23 12:00:00 UTC

## The wire on Southshore
- [Knobbled Orbweaver seen — Rocking Horse Rd near Plover St, Southshore, Christchurch 8062, New Zealand](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/406755854), iNaturalist · max_mutant, 8 Oct 2026
- [Something seen — Southshore Spit Reserve, Christchurch, Canterbury, NZ](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/405288267), iNaturalist · katrina_muir, 3 Oct 2026
- [Karaka seen — Rocking Horse Rd near Torea Ln, Southshore, Christchurch 8062, New Zealand](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/404657048), iNaturalist · otago, 30 Sept 2026
- [Something seen — Southshore, Southshore, Christchurch 8062, New Zealand](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/404570391), iNaturalist · dmc838, 30 Sept 2026
- [Tunneling Mud Crab seen — Southshore, Christchurch 8062, New Zealand](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/402581413), iNaturalist · mac_durning, 23 Sept 2026

[The whole wire](https://www.chch.live/wire)

## The crash record (10 injury crashes)

10 crashes that hurt somebody on record inside the suburb’s outline, 3 seriously hurt, nobody killed.

The corner that keeps appearing: [Rocking Horse Road at Heron Street](https://www.chch.live/crashes?road=rocking-horse-rd&suburb=southshore), 2 injury crashes.

- [Every crash it holds](https://www.chch.live/crashes?suburb=southshore)
- [The city’s whole record](https://www.chch.live/crashes)

## The crime record (104 recorded victimisations)

104 victimisations on the NZ Police record inside the suburb’s outline, September 2022–August 2026, mostly theft, about 8 a year per 1,000 residents. Reported is not all, how much never reaches the record depends on the offence.

- [The suburb on the crime map](https://www.chch.live/crime?grain=suburb&area=southshore)
- [The city’s whole record](https://www.chch.live/crime)

## The buses through it (16 stops)

16 Metro stops inside the suburb’s outline, in ECan’s stop record, served by [route 60](https://www.chch.live/buses/60).
- Caspian St near Rocking Horse Rd near Caspian St
- Caspian St near Rocking Horse Rd near Caspian St
- Rocking Horse Rd near Godwit St near Rocking Horse Rd
- Rocking Horse Rd near Godwit St near Rocking Horse Rd
- Rocking Horse Rd near Heron St near Rocking Horse Rd
- Rocking Horse Rd near Heron St near Rocking Horse Rd
- Rocking Horse Rd near Penguin St near Rocking Horse Rd
- Rocking Horse Rd near Penguin St near Rocking Horse Rd
- Rocking Horse Rd near Petrel Ln
- Rocking Horse Rd near Plover St near Rocking Horse Rd
- Rocking Horse Rd near Plover St near Rocking Horse Rd
- Rocking Horse Rd near Tern St near Rocking Horse Rd
- Rocking Horse Rd near Tern St near Rocking Horse Rd
- Rocking Horse Rd near Torea Ln
- Rocking Horse Rd near Whimbrels Wy
- Southshore

- [Every route in the record](https://www.chch.live/buses)

## Businesses here (1 in the directory)

From OpenStreetMap, the council’s licensed-premises register and its 2024 Find Christchurch directory, each kind opens at this suburb’s shelf.

- [Fast food](https://www.chch.live/businesses/fast-food#in-southshore), 1

- [The whole directory](https://www.chch.live/businesses)

## Next door
- [Redcliffs](https://www.chch.live/redcliffs)
- [Moncks Bay](https://www.chch.live/moncks-bay)
- [Clifton](https://www.chch.live/clifton)
- [South New Brighton](https://www.chch.live/south-new-brighton)
- [Richmond Hill](https://www.chch.live/richmond-hill)
- [Mount Pleasant](https://www.chch.live/mount-pleasant)

[Compare](https://www.chch.live/compare) Southshore with [Redcliffs](https://www.chch.live/compare?a=redcliffs&b=southshore) · [Moncks Bay](https://www.chch.live/compare?a=moncks-bay&b=southshore) · [Clifton](https://www.chch.live/compare?a=clifton&b=southshore) · [South New Brighton](https://www.chch.live/compare?a=south-new-brighton&b=southshore) · [Richmond Hill](https://www.chch.live/compare?a=richmond-hill&b=southshore) · [Mount Pleasant](https://www.chch.live/compare?a=mount-pleasant&b=southshore), same record, side by side.

## Questions, answered briefly

**What is Southshore?**

Southshore is an eastern coastal suburb within Christchurch, New Zealand. The public record holds 940 council reports for it, the first filed in June 2015.

**How many people does the 2023 Census count for Southshore?**

About 3,321 people and 1,296 occupied private households (nearby SA1s): grouped from Stats NZ SA1 areas through this site’s suburb join. Indicative, not a LIM.

**What gets reported in Southshore?**

940 reports on record, most often trees & parks (243), roads & footpaths (237), rubbish & dumping (190). 111 of them in the year to 14 October 2026.

**How many crashes has Southshore had?**

10 injury crashes on the police record inside the suburb’s outline, 3 seriously hurt, nobody killed. [The suburb’s crashes, mapped →](https://www.chch.live/crashes?suburb=southshore)

**Does Southshore have buses?**

16 Metro stops inside the suburb’s outline, served by 60.

Data: https://api.chch.live/suburb?name=Southshore · Reports: https://api.chch.live/reports.rss?suburb=Southshore