Editing Banks Peninsula (section)

=== Wainui ===
Wainui is a settlement of mostly holiday houses on the Akaroa harbour.

Wainui can mean 'big water' or 'big river' or 'big bay'. Wainui was once home to a large Ngāti Māmoe settlement.<ref name=":5" /> Wainui has important associations for [[Ngāi Tahu]] as the bay was then claimed by Te Ruahikihiki for Ngāi Tahu. He made his claim when he landed at Wainui and dug for fern roots there. (This was one of the many traditional ways to claim land). In Ngāi Tahu legend, Tuhiraki (Mt Bossu) which lies behind Wainui, is the resting place of the kō (digging stick) of Rakaihautū. He used this digging stick to dig out many of the South Island lakes.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wainui|url=https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/ti-kouka-whenua/wainui/|access-date=7 July 2021|website=my.christchurchcitylibraries.com|language=en-NZ}}</ref>

In 1856, the Wainui Māori Reserve was established and set aside 432 acres for the Ngāi Tarewa Hapū of Ngāi Tahu. In the 1857 census, there was 40 people living there but by 1861, this had declined to 20 people.<ref name=":5" />

A post office was established in 1874, telephone office in 1875, school in 1885 and Presbyterian Church in 1911.<ref name=":5" />