Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō

Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō is a volcanic harbour on Banks Peninsula. It is fed by streams from surrounding hills that are mostly ephemeral but contribute a significant sediment load to the harbour with rainfall runoff. The catchment includes farmland, patches of native bush and urban settlements including Lyttelton, Diamond Harbour, Governors Bay and Purau. The harbour supports marine life, coastal birds, recreation, and cultural values, while the streams with perennial and/or pooled intermittent flows provide habitat for fish species that are rare within the Canterbury region.