Kaiapoi is a town in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand, located close to the mouth of the Waimakariri River, and approximately 17 kilometres north of Christchurch. Kaiapoi takes its name from a Māori pā [1]which was built just north of the site of the current town around the year 1700. The name itself refers to the scarcity of food that existed around the Pa. 'Kai' means food in Maori and 'poi' means to swing, as the food had to be 'swung' into the pa. The pa is often mistakenly called Kaiapohia, which is actually an insult to local Ngai Tahu who lived on the Pa. They were besieged by a North Island chief who destroyed the pa in 1832. Kai-apo-hia actually means the piling up of bodies to eat, something the chief Te Rauparaha ordered. Kaiapoi is also known as the 'River Town' after the Kaiapoi River, a tributary of the Waimakariri River that flows through the center of the town. This was originally the main arm of the Waimakariri River, but extensive flooding led to a diversion so the majority of the water travelled down the South arm of the Waimakariri. The river used to have a port before the construction of the Waimakariri River bridge, and was an important point for the transport of goods to and from Christchurch. Kaiapoi is located in the Waimakariri District. In the 2006 census, the population of the town was 10,200, with a further 1,700 residents in the surrounding district. This represents a growth rate of 11% over the previous five years. Image File history File links NZ-Kaiapoi. ... Image File history File links NZ-Kaiapoi. ... The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. ... The South Island The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. ... The Waimakariri River is a river in Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand. ... Christchurch (Māori: ) is the regional capital of Canterbury, New Zealand. ... The Kaiapoi River is a minor river of north Canterbury, in New Zealands South Island. ... The Waimakariri River is a river in Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand. ... The Waimakariri River is a river in Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand. ... Christchurch (Māori: ) is the regional capital of Canterbury, New Zealand. ...

The State Highway 1, which is a motorway at this point, passes by the west of the town. Originally the main street through Kaiapoi was State Highway 1, but the Northern Motorway was built to replace it some years ago. The Main North Line railway runs through Kaiapoi, and the town once served as the junction for the Eyreton Branch, which provided rail access to communities west of Kaiapoi such as West Eyreton (though it ran to the north of Eyreton itself). This branch line opened in 1875 and closed fully by April 1965. State Highway 1 State Highway 1 is the most significant single element of the New Zealand roading network State Highway 1 can be considered as a single highway running the length of both main islands, a total of 2027 km. ... Motorway symbol in UK, France and Ireland. ... The Main North Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway, is an important railway line in New Zealand that runs north from Christchurch up the east coast of the South Island to Picton. ... The Eyreton Branch was a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealands national rail network. ... West Eyreton is a small rural village in the Canterbury region of New Zealands South Island. ... Eyreton, originally known as Eyretown, is a small village in the Canterbury region of New Zealands South Island. ... A branch line is a relatively minor railway line which branches off a more important through route. ...

Kaiapoi was well known for its Woollen Mill, and many woollen items produced at the mill can still be found throughout the world.

A freezing works (meat processing plant) was also a major employer in the town, and once this and the Woollen Mill had closed there was some economic turmoil in the town, and concern over its future. It however has survived and prospered, and although there is some local industry, a large percentage of the population works in the neighbouring city of Christchurch. Kaiapoi has many facilities and parks for sport and recreation. On the town border is the famous Woodford Glen Speedway, and the National Scout headquarters. Dirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks in New Zealand. ...

Coordinates: 43°22′54″S, 172°39′26″E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...