Environmental Management Plan

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

A plan which outlines how to manage the environmental impacts that result from SCIRT works. The first version of this plan was produced on 20 July 2011.

Kaikoura cheese shop rolling again

Audio, Radio New Zealand

After the Christchurch earthquakes, Daniel and Sarah Jenkins decided to pack up everything they own and move to Kaikoura. They opened Kaikoura Cheese and talked to our reporter Max Towle about getting the shop rolling again

Picturing Christchurch

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

As a researcher for Underground Overground Archaeology, I spend my time searching written and visual sources for historical information on the sites the archaeologists are working on. The newspapers available on Papers Past are some of the best sources for rediscovering … Continue reading &...

Tower takes further profit hit on lingering quake claims

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Shares in the insurance company, Tower, have plunged close to 20 percent today after it said its profits will likely fall more than 16-million dollars because of Canterbury earthquake claims.

Springsteen to play in Chch on eve of quake anniversary

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Boss is back - and he and his band, the E Street band, are going to Christchurch on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the Canterbury earthquake this summer.

Death and Taxes

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

He is bed maker to the dead. The pillows which he lays never rumple. The day of interment is the theatre in which he displays the mysteries of this art. Thomas Lamb 1811.   Nothing in this would can be … Continue reading →

Call for more school support for stressed Canterbury kids

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Five years on from the Canterbury earthquakes, many children are still showing signs of stress. Our health correspondent Karen Brown says child health and education experts want children to get more help.

SCIRT minimum standard for working around services

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

A document which stipulates SCIRT's minimum standard for managing the risks arising from working around services.

Majestical mountains

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

In the beginning there was no Te Wai Pounamu or Aotearoa. The waters of Kiwa rolled over the place now occupied by the South Island, the North Island and Stewart Island. No sign of land existed. Before Raki (the Sky … Continue reading →

Just kidding around

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Presenting a selection of children’s ceramic plates and cups excavated in Christchurch for your perusal, with commentary. Jessie Garland References Riley, Noel., 1991. Gifts for Good Children: The History of Children’s China, Part 1, 1790-1890. Richard Dennis, Somerset.

Pipe Lining Specification

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

A document which specifies the technical requirements for the rehabilitation and repair of pipes using lining methodologies during the SCIRT programme of work.

Stakeholder Management Plan

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

A plan which outlines the scope, approach and key deliverables for communications and stakeholder engagement for SCIRT. The first version of this plan was produced on 7 January 2013.

Raymond Morris's painting, 'Sevicke Jones Building, 53 Cathedral Square, 1…

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digital copy of a pen and ink and watercolour painting by Raymond Morris, titled, 'Sevicke Jones Building, 53 Cathedral Square, 1913-2011'.

Close Down Activities Management Plan

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

A plan which documents how SCIRT is to efficiently and effectively ramp down the delivery of its work, demobilise facilities and resources and wind up the organisation.

20160419_7732_7D2-400 The City is in Rebuild phase (110/366)

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

20160419_7732_7D2-400 The City is in Rebuild phase (110/366) A totally different view to a few years ago. Most of the tall buildings have gone and construction is underway on a lot of new buildings, View from across the Estuary in Redcliffs. A couple of days ago the government agency controlling the post-earthquake work (CERA - Canterbury Ea...

Empowered Christchurch Letter to the MBIE Chief Executive

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

A copy of a letter from Seamus O'Cromtha which was sent to the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) on 3 September 2016. The letter was sent on behalf of Empowered Christchurch. In the letter, O'Cromtha calls on the Chief Executive to instruct the Christchurch City Council to stop issuing building consents in areas such as the Avon River floodplain until stop banks have been erected along the river. O'Cromtha comments, "Properties that should be protected by stop banks currently have no protection against flooding".

Born again Baptist bargain barn

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Who would have thought a Bin Inn could have such a sacred past? But as is usually the case with archaeology, once the layers are peeled back, an entirely different story starts unveiling itself. In its glory days this bargain … Continue reading →

House of the Year finalists announced

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The building industry is celebrating the best in home construction with the House of the Year awards tomorrow night. Registered Master Builders chief executive David Kelly says the finalists include designs that have taken lessons from the Christchurch earthquakes.

Mr and Mrs Smith

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

  Of all the house sections in all the world, ‘The Smiths’ had to walk into mine. Between 1897 and 1899, that is… Today on the blog I’ll refrain from making jokes about ‘Brangelina’ and the 2004 movie that shares … Continue reading →

Water, water, everywhere!

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Presenting a selection of the aerated (or soda, if you prefer) water bottles that have surfaced so far on Christchurch archaeological sites. Brace yourselves: there may be water puns (although, honestly, most of the ones we could think of were simply too … Continue reading →

Keys to the City

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Did you ever wonder where the concept of locking things up came from? The reality of human nature seems to be that ever since people have owned things that are deemed valuable, they need to be protected from theft. Not … Continue reading →

Kura Tāwhiti

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Today we’re going back to Christchurch’s hinterland, this time to Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill, a place that’s still an important and valued part of the city’s surrounds. But in the interests of full disclosure, I feel like I should let you … Continue reading →

The heady nature of pseudo-science

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

One of the most interesting things about being an archaeologist or a historian is seeing the development of ideas and knowledge throughout the ages. We are reminded, time and time again, that the ideas and theories that we consider primitive … Continue reading →

Talking treasure

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Words. Words, words, words. Words[1]. We’ve been talking about words this week. Specifically, the words and phrases associated with archaeology (and heritage) in the public sphere that we – as a profession – can find problematic. Even more specifically, the … Continue reading &#...

Anecdotes from the appraisalists

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Call us appraisalists, historical researchers, or even cyber archaeologists. Most of our day consists of using a wide variety of historical material to pull together the histories of sites around Canterbury (and to make sure those archaeologists in the field … Continue reading →

Making sense of it all

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

It is interesting to consider how we are influenced by an intangible map of our senses and emotions tied to our place in the world. We pay little attention to how we feel walking around a familiar neighbourhood, looking at … Continue reading →

The Cater-Ring

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Following on from last week’s blog post, when we discovered a tea set used by a local 19th century caterer – this time we will take a closer look at what catering may have been like for the Victorians. Prior … Continue reading →

Cone mobile hits the streets of Christchurch

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The orange road cone has become a symbol of Christchurch since the earthquakes. Now two men and a trailer have the job of retrieving the hundreds of cones that have gone missing over the past six years.

The story so far

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

As life-changing experiences go, the earthquake on 22 February 2011 was fairly significant. On the one hand, our house was red-zoned (but still liveable), friends lost their lives and the city lost many of the old buildings that, for me, … Continue reading →

How to read a landscape

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Some of you might have been to the St James Conservation Area, a remote and beautiful area managed by the Department of Conservation. You might have been cycling or walking there, or you might have been drawn by the romance … Continue reading →