Lyttelton Harbour

Lyttelton Harbour Whakaraupo is one of two major inlets in Banks Peninsula, on the coast of Canterbury, New Zealand; the other is Akaroa Harbour on the southern coast. It enters from the northern coast of the peninsula, heading in a predominantly westernly direction. Approximately 15 kilometres in length from its mouth to Teddington, the harbour sits in the erosion caldera of the ancient Lyttelton Volcano, the steep sides of which form the Port Hills on its northern shore. The harbour's main population centre is Lyttelton, which serves the city of Christchurch, linked with Christchurch by the single-track Lyttelton rail tunnel opened 1867, a two lane road tunnel opened 1964 and two roads over the Port Hills. Diamond Harbour lies to the south and the Maori village of Rapaki to the west.

At the head of the harbour is the settlement of Governors Bay. The reserve of Quail Island is near the harbour head and Ripapa Island is just off its south shore at the entrance to Purau Bay. The harbour provides access to a busy commercial port at Lyttelton which today includes a petroleum storage facility and a modern container and cargo terminal. Hector's dolphins, a species endemic to New Zealand, and New Zealand fur seals live in the harbour.