Harewood 1966

LARGE IMAGE OPENS IN A NEW WINDOW

An aerial view of Christchurch Airport in the year that the overseas terminal was completed to the Left of the adjoining 1960 control tower and terminal.

From a recent series of nostalgic postcards by Terry Moyle and Rosie Louise of Contour Creative Studio at Kaiwaka.

Christchurch Airport Timeline

1935 Christchurch City Council selected the present site at Harewood.
1936 227 hectares of land purchased.
1937 A 915 metre runway and 60 square metre terminal constructed.
1940 Harewood Airport opened for commercial flying.
1940 Airport used by RNZAF as a Training Base until 1945.
1946 Passenger terminal opened in former RNZAF hangar.
1948 An additional 260 hectares of land purchased.
1950 December 16, Harewood Airport becomes New Zealand’s first International Airport - 100 years to the day from the arrival of the first Canterbury Association settlers.
1951 First regular South Island trans-Tasman flights begin from Melbourne to Christchurch.
1953 Christchurch hosted the "Great London to Christchurch Air Race" the first time the route had been traversed in less than 24 hours. The "last great air race" was won by an RAF Canberra bomber.
1955 United States Antarctic Operations begin in Christchurch. December 20 first Antarctic flight by US Navy Operation Deep Freeze.
1957 November 21, four killed in a SAFE Air Bristol freighter crash at Russley golf course.
1959 Burnside Road renamed Memorial Avenue as a memorial to the airmen killed in World War 2.
1960 New 6,000 square metre terminal opened.
1962 The main runway was extended to 2,442 metres providing for commercial jet operations.
1966 An International wing was added to the Domestic Terminal.
1975 Extensions to the Domestic Terminal were completed, extending the total floor space to 16,000 square metres.
1980 New International Arrival Hall completed providing an additional 2,800 square metres of floor space.
1984 Main runway extended by 845 metres to 3,287 metres.
1987 Terminal extended to accommodate Ansett New Zealand and Air New Zealand lounges and domestic air bridges.
1988 Christchurch International Airport Limited was established, as a company owned 75% by the Christchurch City Council and 25% by the New Zealand Government.
1988 International check-in and departure area extended by 2,320 square metres.
1989 International arrival area extended by 1,100 square metres and air bridges and associated facilities of 1,000 square metres added.
1990 International Antarctic Centre opened.
1997 Redevelopment of airport public carpark completed with an additional 340 parking spaces.
1998 New International Terminal Building completed creating an additional 28,000 square metres of new floor space.
2007 5.4 million passengers.
2008 Plans announced for the replacement of the 1960 terminal. With a 45 metre high control tower and a cost of NZ$195 million, the development will be completed in late 2010.

Christchurch Airport 1950s

Christchurch Airport at Harewood opened for commercial service in 1940, with passengers flying aboard a four engined de Havilland Dragon Express (above). However, the Second World War got in the way and it wasn't until the 16th of December, 1950 that the aerodrome officially became New Zealand’s first International Airport - a century to the day from the arrival of the first Canterbury Association settlers to arrive directly from London (a few had already arrived via Wellington, but our received history prefers to ignore that inconvenient fact).

From 1946 the passenger terminal (below) had been situated in a former RNZAF hanger about where the far end of the current overseas terminal now stands. It ceased to be used as such after the completion of a new terminal in 1960, but wasn't demolished until 1978.

Regular trans-Tasman flights began on the 29th of June 1951, when Tasman Empire Airways Ltd. chartered an aircraft from QANTAS (below). Under the command of Capt D. F. McMaster the Philippine Trader, a 42 passenger Douglas DC-4 aeroplane began a regular service between Melbourne and Christchurch (the 16 year old aircraft would eventually crash into the sea off Brindisi, Italy shortly after take-off in July 1962).

By 1953 TEAL (Air New Zealand since 1965) in conjunction with BOAC (now British Airways) was offering a three and half day service to London. Local Passengers connected with with a de Havilland Comet jet at Sydney and flew on via the Far East. It was an expensive alternative to a six week sea voyage and intending Christchurch passengers could expect a Travel Consultant from the airline to call upon them at home to discuss the various options.

A couple of distinguished thespians bringing Shakespeare to Christchurch's Theatre Royal; Dame Sybil Thorndike and Sir Lewis Casson in front of the original Control Tower in 1954.

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To promote the Christchurch City Libraries Retrospective: Christchurch life, architecture and design 1940s - 1970s photo competition, we're featuring a series of images from each decade. This week is the 1950s and next week we'll take a look at the 1960s.

Christchurch 1947

LARGE IMAGE OPENS IN A NEW WINDOW

An easterly aerial view of the central city on a late afternoon in January or February 1947.

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To promote the Christchurch City Libraries Retrospective: Christchurch life, architecture and design 1940s - 1970s photo competition, we're featuring a series of images from each decade. This week was the later 1940s and next week we'll take a look at the 1950s.

Christchurch 1983

An aerial view of the central business district in the time before a second generation of hi-rise buildings began to dominate the skyline.

When this photograph was taken the city's tallest building was the 1973 Noah's Hotel (now Rydge's) at the corner of Worcester Street and Oxford Terrace (lower mid-Left).

Chocks Away Forever

More than ninety years of aviation history at Wigram, from first World War bi-planes to modern skydiving, will end in September, 2008.

The 250 hectare aerodrome, which has been operating since 1916, will make way for about 2,000 new houses and will incorporate a retail precinct, schooling and recreational facilities.

Owners Ngai Tahu Property Ltd sent a letter to all tenants this week informing them that the airfield will close on the 28th February, 2009, after being closed to air traffic from September, 2008.

Further reading:

Wigram air traffic to end - The Press, 10 July 2008

Council Short Sightedness - Geekzone, 10 July 2008

Christchurch 1939

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A recent addition to the archive is this extremely rare aerial photograph of central Christchurch in early 1939.

A Southerly aspect from Salisbury Street, centered on Manchester Street, with Madras Street to the Left and Colombo Street to the Right.

The photograph is exactly dateable by the nearly completed Municipal Electricity Department building on the corner of Armagh and Manchester Streets and also by the partially constructed Miller's department store in Tuam Street (currently the Christchurch City Council Civic Chambers).


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