It covered the southern parts of Christchurch.
Heathcote County was preceded by the Heathcote Road Board, which had its first meeting on 27 January 1864.
[1] An 1863 ordinance from the Canterbury Provincial Council established three road boards along the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River: East, Central, and South Heathcote.
[2] The Roads Ordinance was amended in 1864, and East Heathcote became the Heathcote Road Board, Central Heathcote became the Spreydon Road Board, and South Heathcote became the Halswell Road Board.
[4] The county was abolished through the 1989 local government reforms.