About the town » Papanui, Christchurch City, Canterbury, New Zealand

Papanui is a major suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is situated five kilometers to the northwest of the city centre. Papanui is a middle socio-economic area with a population of 3,543 consisting predominantly of Pākehā (NZ European & Others) 92.3%, Māori 5.7%, Pacific peoples 2.5%, Asian 5.0%, Middle Eastern/Latin American/African 0.5% (2006 Census). The suburb is located at the junction of three busy thoroughfares; Papanui Road leading to the City, the Main North Road that leads to North Canterbury and Harewood Road that leads to Christchurch International Airport. However, as with most Christchurch suburbs, Papanui has no defined borders. Christchurch is internationally known as the "Garden City" and Papanui is a fine example of the city's gardening prowess. The city has warm summers and cool winters, and is the gateway to Mount Hutt and other Southern Alps ski-fields, and to whale watching in Kaikoura.