Historic Riccarton House (1856) sits proudly amid 12 hectares of pretty parkland and forest beside the Avon River, and hosts the popular Christchurch Farmers' Market on Saturdays. Guided tours of the house run from 2pm Sunday to Friday (adult/child $18/5).
Even more venerable is the small patch of predator-free bush behind the cottage. Enclosed by a vermin-proof fence, this is the last stand of kahikatea floodplain forest in Canterbury.
Kahikatea is NZ's tallest native tree, growing to heights of 60m; the tallest trees here are a mere 30m and around 300 to 600 years old. A short loop track heads through the heart of the forest.
