The first inhabitants were moa hunting tribes and are believed to have been followed by the Waitaha tribe, who migrated from the east coast of New Zealand’s north island in the 16th century. The Waitaha were followed by the Ngati Mamoe and Ngai Thau tribes and there was a period of significant tribal warfare, with these tribes fighting for control of the area. The Ngai Thau was the dominant tribe and saw the arrival of European settlers. The town’s chief surveyor, Captain Thomas, commissioned the construction of a road to link Christchurch with Lyttelton. This was a much more difficult task than was anticipated and construction was stopped while a horse track was built over the hill. The track was so steep that horses needed to be led by the bridle and the track became known as the Bridle Path. Goods that were too heavy to travel by horse were shipped the short distance on small sailing vessels. In 1856, Christchurch became a city by Royal Charter, making it the oldest city in the country and many of the city’s fine architectural examples date from this period of the late 19th century. | 
