Lyttelton (Māori: Ōhinehou), the Port town of Christchurch, stands on the north shore of Lyttelton harbour at the northwestern end of Banks Peninsula on the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. As a landing point for Christchurch-bound seafarers, Lyttelton has historically been regarded as the "Gateway to Canterbury" for colonial settlers. The port remains a regular destination for cruise liners and is the South Island's principal goods-transport terminal, handling 34% of exports and 61% of imports by value.
In 2009 the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT) awarded Lyttelton it was awarded Category I Historic Area status - defined as "an area of special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value".