Belfast, New Zealand

Alright, so I'm here in Belfast, New Zealand – not the one in Northern Ireland, though this place is actually named after it! It's pretty cool, about 10 kilometers north of Cathedral Square in Christchurch, and you can tell we're close to the Waimakariri River.

This area has gone by a few names over time, like North Road District, Seven Mile Peg, and Styx, or its Māori name, Purarekanui. The story goes that James McNeight Watt, who came over from Belfast, Northern Ireland, was a partner in the original meat works here. That meat works really kicked off the settlement, and Watt, who did a lot to develop the area, is thought to be the one who gave it its current name.

The meat works, by the way, has been here since 1883 and is now owned by Silver Fern Farms. So, a long history of that industry here.

Looking around, this whole area, including what they call Belfast West and Belfast East, covers about 6.57 square kilometers. It's got an estimated population of around 5,280 people as of June 2025 – so it's a decent-sized suburb.

There’s a school here, Pūtahi Belfast School, which has been around since 1878. It's a primary school for years 1 to 8, and it’s actually split into two campuses – one for the younger kids and one for the older ones. Pretty neat setup.

For sports fans, this is home to the Belfast Rugby Club. Their colors are green and gold, and their main ground is Sheldon Park. You can also see some light industry at the northern end of the suburb. And get this, some pretty famous rugby and cricket players have come from here, like Shane Bond, Bill Bush, Craig Green, and Wayne Smith, who's even an All Blacks assistant coach! Also, Lewis Brown, a former New Zealand Kiwi League player. And there was Mabel Whitaker, a teacher and local historian.

So yeah, a lot of history and activity in this spot!