The suburb is centred on Avondale Road and so named due to its proximity to the Avon River.

There is ample vacant red zone land in Avondale for activities such as leisure and dog walking.

[4][5] During the 2010–2011 Christchurch earthquakes, Avondale was hit hard by damage to land and buildings due to soil liquefaction, part of Avondale was declared by the government as a residential red zone.

[6][7] The government's red zone declaration was ruled as unlawful by the High Court in August 2013 on the grounds that it was not pursuant to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act.

[8] Many roads remain damaged in Avondale as of 2014, posing a problem for residents, and the Avon river's banks had to be built up in the suburb to avoid flooding.