Diverse and welcoming
Canterbury offers stunning landscapes, from mountains to coastline, with a balanced lifestyle in urban and rural settings. Christchurch provides modern amenities, great schools, and job opportunities. The region is ideal for outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, and surfing, all within reach. It’s a welcoming, diverse, and vibrant place to live.
The Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps, and nearby coastlines offer incredible weekend escapes. Whether you are after a balanced city life or peaceful rural living, Canterbury delivers space, community, and opportunity in one of the country’s most diverse and welcoming regions.
Never ending outdoor activities
Canterbury offers stunning landscapes, vibrant communities, and year-round adventure — including world-class skiing in winter and mountain biking all seasons.
Never ending outdoor activities
Canterbury offers stunning landscapes, vibrant communities, and year-round adventure — including world-class skiing in winter and mountain biking all seasons.
The Christchurch Campus
Situated on the Christchurch Campus is Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch Women’s Hospital, Waipapa (a purpose-built ‘state of the art facility’ for acute services which opened in 2020) and Christchurch Outpatients.
Christchurch Hospital is the largest tertiary, teaching and research hospital in Te Waipounamu with 836 beds, delivering a full range of emergency, acute, elective and outpatient services, and has the busiest emergency department in Australasia.
Christchurch Women’s Hospital delivers a full range of tertiary and secondary maternity services.
Burwood Hospital is one of Aotearoa’s centres of excellence for rehabilitation and elective orthopaedic surgery and houses our Older Persons Health services. It is also one of only two leading providers of specialist Spinal Rehabilitation Care in Aotearoa.
Our Specialist Mental Health Services deliver inpatient, outpatient, community based and mobile services to both adults and children.
Ashburton and Rural Health Services covers specialist medicine and community services with several smaller rural hospitals that work closely with local primary care.
Christchurch Hospital
Burwood Hospital
Ashburton Hospital
Chatham Islands Health Centre
Oxford Community Facility
Ellesmere Community Facility
Christchurch Outpatients
Waikari Community Facility
Christchurch Women's Hospital
Darfield Community Facility
Hillmorton Hospital
Rangiora Health Hub — Canterbury
Tūārangi Home (older persons care)
Kaikōura Health
Canterbury Health Services
- Acute Medical Assessment
- Acute Stroke
- Anaesthesia
- Canterbury Health Laboratories
- Cardiology
- Cardiothoracic
- Cath Lab
- Colorectal
- Coronary Care Unit
- COVID Ward
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Dental
- Dermatology
- Diabetes
- Dialysis
- Emergency Department
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy
- General Medicine
- General Surgery
- Gynaecology
- Hyperbaric Medicine
- Infection Prevention and Control Service
- Intensive Care Unit
- Medical Physics & Bioengineering
- Medical Progressive Care
- Māori Health
- Musculoskeletal
- National Bowel Screening
- Nephrology
- Neurology and Neurosurgery
- Nuclear Medicine
- Occupational Therapy
- Ophthalmology
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Orthopaedics
- Otolaryngology
- Pain Management
- Perioperative Services
- Pharmacy
- Physiotherapy
- Plastic Surgery
- Quality and Patient Safety
- Radiology
- Respiratory
- Rheumatology and Immu
- Child and Family Safety Service
- Children's Emergency Care
- Children's Oncology and Haematology
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
- Paediatric Medical Ward
- Paediatric High Care
- Paediatric Outpatient Department
- Paediatric Surgical Ward
- Bone Marrow Transplant Unit
- Haematology Day Unit
- Medical Oncology
- Oncology Research
- Palliative Care
- Radiation Oncology
- Birthing Suite — tertiary and secondary level care
- Maternity Ward and Maternity Assessment
- Community Maternity Units: Ashburton, Rolleston, Rangiora
- Brain Injury Unit
- Community Dental Service
- Infusion Service
- Older Persons Health
- Older Persons Mental Health
- Orthopaedic Services
- Perioperative Services
- Public Health Nursing Team
- Spinal Unit
- Adult Acute Inpatient Services
- Adult Community Mental Health Services
- Adult Emergency Mental Health Services
- Anxiety Disorders
- Child, Adolescent and Family Emergency Services
- Child and Adolescent Inpatient Services
- Child, Adolescent and Family Community and Outreach Services
- Christchurch Opioid Recovery Service
- Community Alcohol and Drug Service
- Eating Disorders
- Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (Totara House)
- Forensic Mental Health Services
- Intellectual Disability Service
- Kennedy Detox Unit
- Mothers and Babies Service
- Psychiatric Service for Adults with an Intellectual Disability (PSAID)
Towns and cities in Canterbury
Canterbury is located on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. Christchurch is the second largest city in Aotearoa and the largest city in the South Island.
The Canterbury region delivers healthcare services to over 600,000 people — from Kaikōura in the North, to Ashburton in the South, as well as the Chatham Islands. Other towns include the rapidly growing Rolleston and Rangiora.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island. Known as the Garden City, it offers parks, beaches, and a backdrop of mountains. With a growing economy, strong community spirit, and excellent schools, Christchurch is a vibrant, welcoming place to live, work, and explore.
Ashburton
Ashburton, population about 21,000, offers a relaxed rural lifestyle in Canterbury. It features strong farming roots, quality schools, and healthcare. Surrounded by mountains and rivers, it’s perfect for outdoor lovers. Close to Christchurch, it combines small-town charm with easy city access, making it a great place to live.
Kaikōura
Famous for its dramatic coastline and marine life. Kaikōura is a top spot for whale watching, seafood, and eco-tourism. Surrounded by mountains and ocean, Kaikōura offers a unique lifestyle with natural beauty, a strong community spirit, and deep connections to Māori culture and heritage.
Rolleston
Rolleston is one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing towns, increasing from around 2,800 residents in 2001 to nearly 28,000 in 2023. Situated 22 km southwest of Christchurch on the Canterbury Plains, it offers a family-friendly, semi-rural lifestyle with excellent schools, new cafes, and community amenities like Te Ara Ātea civic centre.
Rangiora
Rangiora is a thriving North Canterbury town with approximately 19,400 residents. Located just 29 km north of Christchurch, it offers excellent schools, health services like Rangiora Health Hub, boutique shopping, and riverside recreation. Its strong community feel and proximity to the city make it a welcoming place to live.
Chatham Islands
Health New Zealand oversees healthcare services in the Chatham Islands through the Chatham Islands Health Centre, located in Waitangi. The Chatham Islands Health Centre provides general practice services, including GP consultations and urgent care.