Oi Manawa - Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial

Ōi Manawa (meaning “the place of the heart”) – Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial is for remembrance, reflection and comfort.

Between September 2010 and December 2011, the Canterbury Plains, including Christchurch, were shaken by a devastating sequence of earthquakes that forever changed the region and its people.

The first major quake struck at 4.35am on 4 September 2010. Measuring magnitude 7.1 and centred near Darfield, around 50 kilometres southwest of Christchurch, it caused widespread damage. Miraculously, no lives were lost, but homes, businesses, roads, and infrastructure were severely affected. In the months that followed, relentless aftershocks kept people on edge, creating a constant sense of uncertainty.

Then, at 12.51pm on 22 February 2011, disaster struck again. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit close to the city, just 10 kilometres from the centre of Christchurch. Though lower in magnitude, it was far more destructive. Its shallow depth caused the greatest ground acceleration ever recorded in New Zealand. Buildings collapsed, streets were torn apart, and lives were lost in an instant.

That day, 185 people from 20 different countries were killed, and many more were injured. Around 25,000 homes suffered serious damage, and more than half of the buildings in the central city were eventually demolished. The scale of loss, human, physical, and emotional,  was overwhelming.

Further damaging earthquakes followed on 13 June and 23 December 2011, triggering more building failures, liquefaction, and rockfalls. In total, Christchurch endured more than 11,000 aftershocks. All the while, people were grappling with broken homes, disrupted workplaces, fractured communities, and the deep psychological toll that comes with prolonged trauma.

While the impacts of the earthquakes are still felt, Christchurch’s ongoing rebuild stands as a testament to hope. Out of profound adversity has come creativity, connection, and an enduring sense of care for one another.

"The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial is a place to remember, to mourn, to express gratitude and to reflect.  It pays respect to those who lost their lives, those who were seriously injured and survivors. The memorial also acknowledges the shared trauma and the support received during the response and recovery that followed." Oi Manawa - Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial