Burkes Pass, Canterbury Map

About Burkes Pass, Canterbury

Burkes Pass is a locality in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand. It sits at an elevation of around 558 m above sea level. It lies approximately 170 km west-southwest of Christchurch, the regional capital. Burkes Pass is located at 44.0833°S, 170.6500°E. It observes New Zealand Time (NZST/NZDT).

Burkes Pass lies cradled by the sweeping slopes of the Canterbury landscape, a place where the immense sky seems to press down on the rolling hills and the vast, open plains. It lies 59.4 km north-west of Timaru (from Timaru: bearing 306°T), and is situated 14.8 km west of Fairlie. The Opihi River, a ribbon of grey-blue, meanders close by, its waters reflecting the muted colours of the tussock and the hardy grasses that cling to the earth. To the west, the Albury Range rises in a gentle, broken line, their summits often softened by a haze of distance. The air here carries a crispness, a purity that speaks of elevation and the absence of coastal influence, and in the evening, the light can turn the land to shades of bruised plum and muted gold.

The history of Burkes Pass is inextricably linked to the hardy travellers and early settlers who navigated this challenging route. It was a vital crossing point, a place where the ambition of expansion met the unforgiving reality of the terrain. Today, the local economy largely revolves around the agricultural heritage of the region, with sheep and beef farming shaping the familiar patchwork of paddocks that stretch across the land. While the days of arduous journeys have long passed, a quiet resilience persists, a sense of endurance that seems to be woven into the very fabric of Burkes Pass, a characteristic recognised by those who call it home.

About This Burkes Pass Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Burkes Pass, Canterbury, New Zealand — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: -44.08333, 170.65. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time New Zealand and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorial description provides background on Burkes Pass.

Burkes Pass sits within the Canterbury Region. Location data is drawn from the GeoNames geographical database and verified by coordinates, ensuring the correct Burkes Pass is identified even where the name is shared across multiple New Zealand localities.