Topic: Opawa - Christchurch Suburb
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Named after Ōpāwaho, the Maori name for the Heathcote River.
The area known today as Opawa derives its name from the pā once located where the present-day Judges Street and Vincent Place intersect.
It was known as Ōpāwaho, which refers to its function as a waho (outpost). It was a resting place for Ngāi Tahu travelling between Kaiapoi and Banks Peninsula..
The land in this area was once marshy and covered in grasses, raupō and tussock.
