Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
behind the main house, cute little
Deans Cottage
is the oldest building on the Canterbury
Plains, dating from 1843.
Even more venerable is the small patch of predator-free bush behind the cottage. En-
closed by a vermin-proof fence, this is the last stand of kahikatea floodplain forest in Can-
terbury. Kahikatea is NZ's tallest native tree, growing to heights of 60m; the tallest trees
here are a mere 30m and around 300 to 600 years old. A short loop track heads through
the heart of the forest.
International Antarctic Centre
( 0508 736 4846;
www.iceberg.co.nz
;
38 Orchard Rd, Christchurch Airport; adult/child $39/19; 9am-5.30pm)
Part of a huge complex built for the administration of the NZ, US and Italian Antarctic
programs, this centre gives visitors the opportunity to see penguins and learn about the icy
continent. Attractions include the Antarctic Storm chamber, where you can get a taste of
-18°C wind chill.
The 'Xtreme Pass' (adult/child $59/29) includes the '4D theatre' (a 3D film with mov-
ing seats and a water spray) and rides on a Hägglund all-terrain amphibious Antarctic
vehicle. An optional extra is the Penguin Backstage Pass (adult/child $25/15), which takes
visitors behind the scenes of the Penguin Encounter.
A free shuttle departs from outside the Canterbury Museum on the hour from 10am to
4pm, and from the Antarctic Centre on the half-hour.
EDUCATION CENTRE
Orana Wildlife Park
(
www.oranawildlifepark.co.nz
;
McLeans Island Rd, McLeans Island; adult/child $28/9; 10am-5pm)
Orana de-
scribes itself as an 'open range zoo' and you'll know what they mean if you opt to jump in
the cage for the lion encounter (an additional $35). There's an excellent, walk-through
native-bird aviary, a nocturnal kiwi house, and a reptile exhibit featuring tuatara. Most of
the 80-hectare grounds are devoted to Africana, including rhinos, giraffes, zebras, lemurs
and cheetahs.
ZOO
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
(
www.willowbank.co.nz
;
60 Hussey Rd, Northwood; adult/child $28/11;
ZOO
9.30am-7pm Oct-Apr, to 5pm May-Sep)
About 10km north of the central city, Willowbank focuses on native NZ critters (in-
cluding kiwis), heritage farmyard animals and hands-on enclosures with wallabies, deer
and lemurs. There's also a re-created Maori village. In the evening this is the setting for
