Little River is a small rural settlement with a fascinating past. Known in Māori as Wairewa, the area has long been an important place for travel, trade and settlement, with Māori communities living around the lake and its surrounding valleys long before European arrival.

In the 1860s, Little River became a centre for the timber industry, as sawmills harvested the area’s extensive native forests to supply the growing city of Christchurch. Getting that timber to market was a challenge, and the settlement grew as transport routes developed. The arrival of the railway in 1886 transformed Little River into a vital transport hub and gateway to Banks Peninsula, connecting local farms, timber mills and communities with Christchurch.

Today, Little River retains its rural character and strong community spirit. The historic railway station, now home to the Little River Craft Station and visitor information centre, stands as a reminder of the town’s industrious past and its enduring role as a welcoming stop on the journey to Akaroa and the wider bays of Banks Peninsula.