Decision on burial ground to be made soon

What might happen to a historic Māori burial ground on Christchurch red zone land may be known on Tuesday.

Christchurch City Council staff are expected to make a recommendation on the urupā on McCormacks Bay Rd, near the intersection with Main and Beachville Rds, which is more than 600 years old.

The site is part of a list of properties which could be sold by the city council as part of its Annual Plan 2026/27.

The potential sale has drawn strong opposition, led by Redcliffs resident Martin Ward.

He and other residents want it removed from the council’s disposal list.

“If it was a Pakeha cemetery it would’ve been protected by law, if it’s Māori it’s ignored by the people of Christchurch, without the knowledge or understanding of the significance of it,” Ward told Bay Harbour News in March.

The urupā, which lies near Moa Bone Point Cave attracted 35 public submissions and was identified by city council staff as generating the most interest ahead of Tuesday’s workshop.

A workshop held this week was focused on submission analysis.

The McCormacks Bay urupā, also known as the Sumner Burial Ground, was first identified in 1873 during road construction.

The remains of Waitaha settlers – regarded as the earliest people of Te Waipounamu – were excavated by explorer and Canterbury Museum founder Julius von Haast.

The site contained at least six human skeletons buried in crouched positions, along with artefacts including polished stone tools. The burials were overlain by deposits of shellfish, fish, seal and other mammals.

A large oven was also found, with stones visible on the surface of one layer.

Further excavations in 1958 uncovered two more skeletons, along with necklaces and a fish hook point.