Located at the Southern end of the Cantebury plains midway between Christchurch and Dunedin, Timaru is the second largest city in Canterbury. Archaeologists have suggested that Māori iwi (tribes) were permanently settled in the district before 1400 AD. The area includes over 500 sites with traces of Māori rock art, particularly in the rock overhangs and caves of the Opuha and Opihi river valleys, to the west of modern-day Timaru. European settlement began with the construction of a whaling station in 1839. The town was founded in the late 1870’s and is renowned for its grand Victorian and Edwardian buildings, constructed in local volcanic bluestone. The city’s excellent museum has moa-hunter artefacts and an abundance of whaling relics; the art gallery holds the third largest public art collection in the South Island. Join your expedition team and local guides for a tour showcasing the history, culture and natural beauty of the region.