Banks peninsula is located to the south of Christchurch, and was formed by two huge volcanoes, the craters of which now form Akaroa and Lyttleton harbours.
First sighted in Captain James Cook's first voyage past New Zealand, Banks peninsula was named by Cook after the Endeavour's botanist, Joseph Banks. A thriving whaling colony in the 1830s, the peninsular was heavily deforested by early European Settlers.
The peninsular is accessible by road into Akaroa or through the tunnel to Lyttleton harbour. Akaroa still has a lot of ties to its French heritage and is a delightful place to visit.
A good way of viewing the peninsular is from the gondola which has amazing views to the North and South. There is also a company which runs tramps across the Banks peninsular track, exploring this amazing geological masterpiece from locations otherwise inaccessible.