Godley Head Farm Park, also named Awaroa/Godley Head, is a headland in Christchurch where a WWII coastal defence battery, built in 1939, sits on sheer 120-metre cliffs. The DOC site ranks the battery among the top ten New Zealand coastal defence heritage sites. The popular Awaroa/Godley Head Loop Track circles the cliffs with coastal views. Visitors can camp in the middle of the battery site, and Lighthouse Cottage, a lodge inside the campsite, looks up the coastline. Scott's Cabin, built for Captain Robert Scott's Antarctic expeditions, is also here.
Access is by the Summit Road from Sumner, through Evans Pass Road, with a car park about a 50-minute drive from Cathedral Square. The road is sealed but narrow, with sharp corners, and it is popular with cyclists. There are toilets and parking at Godley Head and at Taylors Mistake. The cliffs are steep and unfenced, so children need close supervision. Dogs are allowed on a lead, but not on Taylors Mistake beach in summer. On a clear day the views reach across the harbour to Banks Peninsula. Our pick in Christchurch for coastal views and WWII history on one walk.