Papanui has a population of 3,645 consisting predominantly of Pākehā (New Zealand European & Others) 86.9%, Asian 7.6%, Māori 5.3%, Pacific peoples 3.1%, Middle Eastern/Latin American/African 0.7% (2013 census).

Another meaning, equally applicable to the district in the early days, is a platform set in the branches of a tree to accommodate a bird-spearer.

According to the legend, Tuhaitara, a Ngāi Tahu princess, sent her eldest son, Tamarairoa to Papanui to kill her former husband Marukore.

[7] Before European settlement Papanui, like much of Christchurch, was mostly marshy ground covered with native flax, toetoe and raupō brush.

It is believed in 1800 possibly as many as 5000 Māori lived in Canterbury, but from disease like measles and influenza, introduced through the early whaling settlements on Banks Peninsula, and through tribal wars the number had fallen to around 500 in 1840.

[8] While most of the plains in the South Island of New Zealand were deforested by either the Māori or the so-called moa hunters in the mid-1300s, Papanui Bush was one of the few stands of pine and tōtara left in the Canterbury region at the time of European colonisation.

As chief agent for the association Thomas was also responsible for preparing the infrastructure for the arrival of the first settlers at Lyttelton in December 1850.

When the pilgrims first began to settle in Christchurch in the early 1851, Papanui Bush attracted a number of sawyers who made a living from milling tōtara and pine timber for construction and fire wood.

The settlement soon boasted a hotel, store, blacksmiths, clothing shop, butchers, chemist, dispensers,[9] and a school room appeared in 1853.

The Papanui Bridge was also built over the Avon River in March 1852 to allow the timber to be brought by bullock drawn wagons directly into the Market Square near the city centre.

The land around Papanui proved to be remarkably fertile for farming once ditches and drains were dug to relieve the swampy areas.

Gradually more immigrants settled in Papanui, crops were sown and sheep and dairy farms were established in the surrounding areas.

The second fire occurred in September 1898 and was rebuilt by the licensee John Cooper and was renamed The Phoenix (the beautiful bird rising from the ashes) for its third incarnation.

This building was finally demolished in February 1989 in a Supermarket redevelopment with the site eventually being encompassed by the Northlands Shopping Centre.

In 1957 a new public and lounge bar complex was built on the corner of the Main North Road and Winstone Avenue adjacent to the old building which was finally demolished in March 1969 having served as a landmark for 110 years.

[22] The building of the Firestone (now Bridgestone) tyre factory, in Langdons Road, was commenced on land, some of which was a 5-acre orchard purchased from the Cone family, in 1945.

[24] In November 2010 the company has returned 3.2 acres of the former orchard land alongside the railway line to the city to be used as a public wetlands.

[25] The delicatessen meat company, Verkerks, built a factory on Vagues Road in 1961, and has been stocking the small goods shelves ever since.

Established in 1853, St Paul's Anglican Church on Harewood Road was enlarged twice before being rebuilt using Kauri timber in 1877 to the design of the notable architect Benjamin Mountfort.

Some time later, ringing was suspended because the tower was no longer strong enough but a new one was constructed in 1912 and it was again strengthened in 1981 by an internal steel frame.

On a warm sunny late autumn or early winter's day head to the children's play ground and look into the largely leafless old trees.

This building served as the Town Hall, library and picture theatre for over 50 years, until it was demolished in the late 1970s with the land reverting to a reserve.

From the first days of colonisation horses and bullocks provided the pulling power for wagons, drays, coaches, cabs, vans, traps, gigs and carts of all dimensions.

As the city expanded a police station was built in Papanui in proximity to the railway line on the corner of Winstone Ave.

[37] For Papanui residents in the 1950s and 1960s the name 'Handlebar Harry' will bring back memories of a tall policeman on a push bike.

Constable Ronald Miles was the local enquiry officer and had the habit of riding the streets of Papanui with his typewriter strapped to the handlebars of his cycle.

As an interesting foot note the Watch House has survived the years and can now be seen amongst Lady Isaac's collection of heritage buildings at McArthurs Road, Harewood.

The land was purchased by the City in 1924 after residents, led by Rev Griffin, petitioned the council for a park and has both main entrances sited on St James Avenue.

It was named in a Public Notice drawn up by the Christchurch City Council Bylaws and Finance committee chaired by Councilor Andrews on 30 April 1924.

[40] Rev Griffin did not live to see the park opened, and as a mark of respect Memorial Gates and a rose garden we jointly funded by the residents and the Council in his honour.