History
The volcanic crater is one of two from which Banks Peninsula (Horomaka) was originally formed over 12 million years ago. The area was first populated by Māori during the 16th century. During early European settlement some 300 years later the Port Hills presented a challenging barrier between the harbour and the planned settlement of Christchurch, their steepness and ruggedness making access extremely difficult. For many years the majority of settlers used the precipitous Bridle Path to transport themselves and their belongings to the plains on the other side. Today the Lyttelton road tunnel and a separate rail tunnel connect the port and the city suburbs, and three road routes crossing the range – via Evans, Dyers and Gebbies passes – are connected by the Summit Road.
Read more about this topic: Port Hills