Halswell is in southwest Christchurch, about 9 km from Cathedral Square along State Highway 75 (Halswell Road). It borders Hornby, Hillmorton and Kennedys Bush, with the Port Hills rising along its southern edge.

Is Halswell Quarry Park free?

Yes. Halswell Quarry Park has free entry and free parking, with gates open from 7.30am until 7pm in winter and until 9pm during daylight saving. There are walking tracks, mountain bike trails, Sister City gardens and a dog exercise area.

Has Halswell grown a lot since the earthquakes?

Yes. Population growth in Halswell has run above 4% per year for over a decade, driven by post-earthquake demand and large new subdivisions including Longhurst, Knights Stream, Aidanfield and Westlake.

What is Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre?

Te Hāpua is the suburb's combined library, indoor pool, community space and meeting venue, run by the Christchurch City Council. It anchors the new town centre off Halswell Road.

Who was Halswell named after?

The suburb is named after Edmund Halswell QC, a 19th-century legal officer who served as Commissioner of Native Reserves after arriving in New Zealand in 1841. The te reo Māori name preserved nearby is Tai Tapu, kept by a village 9 km south.

Which schools are in zone for Halswell?

Children living in Halswell are in zone for Christchurch Adventist School, Villa Maria College, St Thomas of Canterbury College, Middleton Grange School, Te Kura o te Tauawa Halswell School, Ladbrooks School, Our Lady of the Assumption School (Chch), Lincoln High School, Aidanfield Christian School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Halswell?

Use the School Zone Checker on this page — enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Halswell, Canterbury | Schools, Lifestyle & Local Guide

Living in Halswell

Halswell sits about 9 km southwest of Cathedral Square, where the Canterbury Plains meet the foothills of the Port Hills. Once a separate village, it's been swallowed by Christchurch's southwestern growth, especially since the 2011 earthquakes. Subdivisions like Longhurst, Knights Stream, Aidanfield and Westlake have ringed the original village in roughly two decades.

The standout local attraction is Halswell Quarry Park: 60 hectares of regenerated quarry on Kennedy's Bush Road. The quarry operated from 1861 to 1990 and was reckoned to be the longest continuously running quarry in Australasia. Stone from here built the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings, the Canterbury Museum, the old Teachers' College, the Sign of the Takahē and a long list of other Christchurch landmarks. It's now walking tracks, mountain bike trails, picnic spots and sister city gardens. Free entry.

The civic anchor is Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre, with the library, indoor pool and community spaces all in one spot. Halswell School has been running since 1864.

Quick to the city, quick to the hills, quick to the airport. That's been the local pitch for 20 years and it still holds up.

Is Halswell a good place to live?

Halswell is home to roughly 17,436 people. On Suburb's overall livability scale, Halswell scores 69 out of 100, with a safety score of 69/100 and 23% green space.

Schools: Halswell has 15 schools in or near the suburb, spanning early-childhood through to secondary education. See the Schools tab below for the full list.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $890K, and weekly rent typically sits around $480.

Lifestyle: Halswell has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. Public transport stops are within easy reach. The current temperature is 5.5°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Halswell is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety69
Amenities100
Schools87
Housing Affordability42
Green space78
Community56
Transport10

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $890K
Median Weekly Rent: $480/wk
Median HH Income: $107K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): +11.8%
Data Year: 2023

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.

Nearby Suburbs

Browse all suburbs in Christchurch City →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Halswell?: Halswell is in southwest Christchurch, about 9 km from Cathedral Square along State Highway 75 (Halswell Road). It borders Hornby, Hillmorton and Kennedys Bush, with the Port Hills rising along its southern edge.
Is Halswell Quarry Park free?: Yes. Halswell Quarry Park has free entry and free parking, with gates open from 7.30am until 7pm in winter and until 9pm during daylight saving. There are walking tracks, mountain bike trails, Sister City gardens and a dog exercise area.
Has Halswell grown a lot since the earthquakes?: Yes. Population growth in Halswell has run above 4% per year for over a decade, driven by post-earthquake demand and large new subdivisions including Longhurst, Knights Stream, Aidanfield and Westlake.
What is Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre?: Te Hāpua is the suburb's combined library, indoor pool, community space and meeting venue, run by the Christchurch City Council. It anchors the new town centre off Halswell Road.
Who was Halswell named after?: The suburb is named after Edmund Halswell QC, a 19th-century legal officer who served as Commissioner of Native Reserves after arriving in New Zealand in 1841. The te reo Māori name preserved nearby is Tai Tapu, kept by a village 9 km south.

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Halswell

Schools in zone for Halswell

Children living in Halswell have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.

Christchurch Adventist School
Composite · roll 285 · decile 6
Villa Maria College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 835 · decile 9
St Thomas of Canterbury College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 708 · decile 8
Middleton Grange School
Composite · roll 1387 · decile 9
Te Kura o te Tauawa Halswell School
Full Primary · roll 705 · decile 7
Ladbrooks School
Full Primary · roll 134 · decile 10
Our Lady of the Assumption School (Chch)
Full Primary · roll 324 · decile 10
Lincoln High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1436 · decile 7
Aidanfield Christian School
Composite · roll 457 · decile 8

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Enter your address to check your school zone in Halswell. School enrolment zones (home zones) decide which schools your child has a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Address matching is approximate and based on OpenStreetMap geocoding — confirm an exact result near a zone boundary directly with the school.

Other nearby schools

Schools close to Halswell that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).

Knights Stream School- Mingimingi Hautoa
Full Primary · roll 629 · decile 10 · 2.7 km away
Oaklands Te Kura o Ōwaka
Full Primary · roll 627 · decile 8 · 2.8 km away
Prebbleton School
Full Primary · roll 541 · decile 9 · 3.4 km away
Te Whānau o Otu Mātua
Specialist School · roll 13 · decile 2 · 3.9 km away
Wigram Primary School - Te Piki Kāhu
Contributing · roll 469 · 4.5 km away
Te Kōmanawa Rowley School
Contributing · roll 235 · decile 1 · 4.8 km away

Explore Halswell

Things to do(25)

Knockout Fitness

Scott Park

Halswell Cricket Club

Rachael Palmer Dance School

Blitz Fitness

Halswell United AFC

Curves Halswell

Revival Fitness and Rehabilitation

Westlake Reserve Playground

Culture Fitness Halswell

Car Race Track

Halswell Taekwon-Do

Crocodile XC MTB Park

Halswell Domain

Brooke Beaumont Body Coach

Functional Squad

Halswell Tennis Club

Curves

Muir Park

Kartsport Canterbury Race Track

Halswell Bowling Club

Knights Stream Park

Amelia's Ballerinas

Halswell Hornets Rugby League Club

Quarry Park - Halswell

Parks & green spaces(7)

Scott Park

Westlake Reserve Playground

Crocodile XC MTB Park

Halswell Domain

Muir Park

Knights Stream Park

Quarry Park - Halswell

Healthcare(3)

Halswell Medical Centre

Longhurst Pharmacy

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	22.24	13.46	1.32	11.99
☀️ Feb	21.94	13.08	2.26	10.35
🍂 Mar	18.9	10.1	2.23	9.22
🍂 Apr	17.36	9.01	1.55	8.34
🍂 May	13.98	5.97	1.7	6.13
❄️ Jun	12.06	5.63	1.93	5.36
❄️ Jul	11.2	3.49	2.65	6.38
❄️ Aug	12.21	3.35	1.52	7.71
🌸 Sep	15.19	5.84	1.84	8.92
🌸 Oct	16.89	7.03	2.08	10.36
🌸 Nov	18.21	9.26	1.89	11.5
☀️ Dec	21.25	11.92	2.41	10.87

Living in Halswell

Is Halswell a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Halswell

Schools in zone for Halswell

Christchurch Adventist School

Villa Maria College

St Thomas of Canterbury College

Middleton Grange School

Te Kura o te Tauawa Halswell School

Ladbrooks School

Our Lady of the Assumption School (Chch)

Lincoln High School

Aidanfield Christian School

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

Knights Stream School- Mingimingi Hautoa

Oaklands Te Kura o Ōwaka

Prebbleton School

Te Whānau o Otu Mātua

Wigram Primary School - Te Piki Kāhu

Te Kōmanawa Rowley School

Explore Halswell

🎯Things to do(25)

Knockout Fitness

Scott Park

Halswell Cricket Club

Rachael Palmer Dance School

Blitz Fitness

Halswell United AFC

Curves Halswell

Revival Fitness and Rehabilitation

Westlake Reserve Playground

Culture Fitness Halswell

Car Race Track

Halswell Taekwon-Do

Crocodile XC MTB Park

Halswell Domain

Brooke Beaumont Body Coach

Functional Squad

Halswell Tennis Club

Curves

Muir Park

Kartsport Canterbury Race Track

Halswell Bowling Club

Knights Stream Park

Amelia's Ballerinas

Halswell Hornets Rugby League Club

Quarry Park - Halswell

🌳Parks & green spaces(7)

Scott Park

Westlake Reserve Playground

Crocodile XC MTB Park

Halswell Domain

Muir Park

Knights Stream Park

Quarry Park - Halswell

🏥Healthcare(3)

Halswell Medical Centre

Longhurst Pharmacy

Halswellhealth

Eat & Drink in Halswell

🍽️Places to eat & drink(31)

Hoi An House

Qubed Coffee Lounge

The Long Knight

The Cake Workshop

Nottingham Avenue Fish and Chip Shop

Armadillos Halswell

Halswell Seafood Centre

Suburban Rascal

Halswell Cafe

Steviez Cafe

Pizza Hut

Things to do(25)

Parks & green spaces(7)

Healthcare(3)

Places to eat & drink(31)

Tradies & services(33)

Shops(23)