Pūtaringamotu Riccarton Bush Bylaw 2025
Pursuant to section 15(3) of the Riccarton Bush Act 1914, the Riccarton Bush Trustees hereby make the following bylaw.
This Bylaw may be cited as the Pūtaringamotu Riccarton Bush Bylaw and will come into force 28 days after the date of publication of this notice in the New Zealand Gazette.
“Board” means the Riccarton Bush Trustees.
“bicycle” means and includes a tricycle, tandem, motorcycles or quad and any like kind of machine or conveyance propelled by pedal or mechanical power.
“disability assist dog” has the same meaning as section 2 of the Dog Control Act 1996 and generally means any dog certified to assist a person with a visual, hearing, mobility or other disability.
“house grounds” means the area of Riccarton Property excluding Riccarton Bush.
“notice” means any Public Notice issued by the Board or under its authority and posted on or near the place to which it refers or indicates.
“paths” mean and include all paths that are formed or may be formed within the Riccarton Property.
“Riccarton Bush” means part of the area controlled by the Board as defined by the Riccarton Bush Act 1914 Schedule 1 and is generally that area enclosed by the predator proof fence.
“Riccarton Property” means that part of the area controlled by the Board and defined by the Riccarton Bush Act 1914 Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 and the Riccarton Bush Amendment Act 1947 Second Schedule, and is generally Riccarton Bush, the House Grounds and includes Riccarton House and Deans Cottage.
“staff” are the persons responsible for the observance of this Bylaw.
“vehicle” means a contrivance equipped with wheels, tracks, or revolving runners on which it moves including a skateboard, in-line skates, roller skates and wheelbarrows. It does not include a perambulator, pushchair or wheelchair.
The Riccarton Bush shall be open daily throughout the year (except on such days and at such times as the Board may be by law entitled to close the same) from 6.00am to sunset and no person shall enter or remain therein except during such time. The House Grounds shall be open daily throughout the year (except on such days and at such times as the Board may by law be entitled to close the same) from 6.00am to sunset and no person except those attending functions at Riccarton House arranged with the authority of the Board shall enter or remain therein except during such times.
No person shall enter or leave the Riccarton Bush or House Grounds except by gateways provided for the purpose, or go through, climb or ride over or through or sit upon or willfully damage any fence, gate or barrier within the limits of the Riccarton Property. All persons visiting the Riccarton Bush and House Grounds shall keep to the paths provided except in the case of lawns to which the public have the right of access on foot. Children under twelve years of age will not be permitted to enter the Riccarton Bush unless accompanied by some responsible person over the age of eighteen years.
No meetings or assemblages of persons of any kind for sports, games, public meetings or organised picnics or any other purpose whatsoever shall be held within the limits of the Riccarton Property without permission in writing of the Board and subject to payment of such fee, if any, as the Board may from time to time by resolution decide and in the event of such permission being granted to any person for an organised picnic then such picnic shall be held at such place in the Riccarton Property as shall be indicated by the Staff and such person shall be responsible to the Board for the proper conduct of the persons taking part in such organised picnic and for any damage done by them. No intoxicated or idle and disorderly persons shall enter or be allowed to remain within the limits of the Riccarton Property. No person shall sell or offer for sale any article of food or merchandise or any kind of drink or carry on any trade, calling or fete within the limits of the Riccarton Property without the permission in writing of the Board. No person shall leave bottles, glass, crockery, paper, remnants of food or other litter or deposit any rubbish within the limits of the Riccarton Property except in receptacles provided for the purpose.
No person shall take, pluck, gather, remove any tree, shrub, seed, grass, wood, earth, gravel, or break or cut any tree, plant, flower, shrub, or grass from or within the limits of the Riccarton Bush and House Grounds. No person shall damage, remove, disturb, break, destroy, cut names, letters, works, figures or devices or deface any buildings, gates, fences, posts, barriers, seats, signs or other board or labels or plants or trees or any notices thereon fixed or movable, trees, garden implements or other property within the limits of the Riccarton Property and in the custody of the Board. No person shall in any of the conveniences provided in the Riccarton Property, deface by writing or otherwise or in any manner damage the walls, windows or any appurtenance to the said conveniences or use same or act otherwise than in a cleanly and decent manner whilst therein. No person shall use indecent, foul or abusive language or conduct themselves in an indecent or disorderly manner or do or practice anything calculated to offend or annoy the public or lead to a breach of the peace within the limits of the Riccarton Property. No persons visiting the Riccarton Property shall light or attempt to light any fire without the permission of Staff and then only in such place as shall be indicated by the Staff.
No person shall take, carry or use firearms or any fireworks or explosive substance, or any weapons or instruments of a dangerous character or bows and arrows or catapults within the limits of the Riccarton Property.
No persons visiting the Riccarton Property shall shoot at or injure or destroy by any means whatsoever any bird, animal (or other wildlife) nor shall any person willfully take destroy or injure the nest or egg of any bird (or other wildlife). No dogs, other than Disability Assist Dogs are permitted within Riccarton Bush, Riccarton House or Deans Cottage. Any person in the employ of the Board or authorised by the Board, may seize or take custody of any dog (other than a Disability Assist Dog) found in Riccarton Bush, Riccarton House or Deans Cottage. The dog can then be handed to the Christchurch City Council. All dogs in the House Grounds shall be leashed. Any person in the employ of the Board or authorised by the Board, who has reasonable grounds to believe that a dog is not leashed, may seize or take custody of the dog. The dog can then be handed to the Christchurch City Council. No person shall ride, lead or take any horse, pony, cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys or other animals within the limits of the Riccarton Property.
No person shall ride, propel, carry or bring a bicycle within the limits of the Riccarton Bush. No person shall ride, propel or carry a bicycle over any path or lawn in the House Grounds except over such parts as may be laid off for vehicular traffic by the Board. No person shall ride or drive any vehicle on any path or lawn within the limits of the Riccarton Property except upon such parts of the House Grounds as may be laid off for vehicular traffic by the Board. All vehicles entering the House Grounds shall be parked only upon such parts as may be laid off for parking vehicular traffic by the Board and no person shall in any way obstruct any of the entrances, thoroughfares or paths of the Riccarton Property.
Nothing in these Bylaws shall prevent or interfere with the carrying on of the work of employees and staff of the Board or anyone authorized by the Board in or about any work in connection with the Riccarton Property.
Section 19 of the Riccarton Bush Act 1914 stipulates that every person who commits any breach of any Bylaws made by the Board is liable on conviction to a penalty not exceeding $1000 and shall also be liable to pay the amount of any damage done by such person which penalty and damage may be recovered in accordance with the Summary Proceedings Act 1957.
The current Riccarton Bush Bylaw 1955 in force made by the Board is hereby repealed, provided that this repeal shall not affect the past operation of any such repealed bylaw, or the validity or invalidity of anything done or suffered, or any right required, or duty or liability incurred under that Bylaw.
Adopted by resolution of the Riccarton Bush Trustees at a meeting held at Christchurch on 23 October 2024.
Signed for and on behalf of the Riccarton Bush Trustees by the Chair, ROBERT SHEARING, qsm, Chairperson.
Dated this 15th day of May 2025.
Approved by Her Excellency The Right Honourable Dame Cindy Kiro, gnzm, qso, Governor-General of New Zealand on 23 of May 2025 under section 15(3) of the Riccarton Bush Act 1914.
Rt Hon Dame CINDY KIRO gnzm, qso, Governor-General of New Zealand.
Note: This Bylaw applies to the area of land under the control of the Board as defined in The Riccarton Bush Act 1914 Schedules 1 and 2, and the Riccarton Bush Amendment Act 1947 Second Schedule, and all property fixed or moveable which may from time to time or appurtenant to the Riccarton Property under the control of the Board.