Māori settlement Like the rest of Christchurch, the
Māori were the first settlers to the area. Southshore was considered an important food-gathering place by local Māori. The area and the estuary were home to a wide range of birds and plants. There were many (the Māori term for a type of communal house) around the estuary, which were mainly built from
raupō and other native trees. Southshore holds historical and cultural importance to local Māori because it has an abundance of
pipi and
flounder in the estuary. Archaeological evidence of
middens in the area combined with the Māori history in the area indicates a high potential for the presence of archaeology in the area. In the eighteenth century, Māori predominantly grew
aruhe and
kūmara in the sandy soil around the area of the
Avon River / Ōtākaro. Early European settlers discovered Māori fishing equipment,
eel traps and
hāngī pits, which were used by the Māori primarily to cook seafood. In Southshore's early years, a local jogger presumably discovered a totem in the sand dunes near Tern Street, but others dispute this, as there is no documentation. Later, a
skull was discovered which dated to Māori occupation of the area. Southshore holds cultural significance for Ngāi Tūāhuriri, who are the
kaitiaki (caretakers) of the area, and have special food-gathering rights in the estuary and the area. There was a walking track from the fortified settlement of
Kaiapoi Pā towards South New Brighton, and onwards further to the area now known as Southshore and beyond across the Avon Heathcote Estuary to the
Banks Peninsula. There was also a sand dune walking track called , between the settlement to New Brighton and onwards to .
European settlement Prior to the 20th century the area was known locally to early European settlers as "Sandhills Run". As more settlers arrived, they constructed
baches and established a
dairy station in the suburb. In 1916, most of the suburb was subdivided into residential sections. There was sparse transportation and lack of facilities in the area in the early twentieth century and Southshore had very few permanent residents. The spit was used as a gun range for volunteers to practise during
World War I and following. A local resident between 1940 and 1945 reported that the
New Zealand Army bulldozed the sandhills and removed the vegetation around Caspian Street to set up a position for defence. This work possibly lowered the land surface here, and the area is prone to extensive flooding by estuary and sea waters. In 1958, another local resident filled a
marshy area in use of six sections before building at the Caspian Street and Estuary Road intersection. Development in the suburb was slow because of the absence of facilities; the residents only received a water supply in 1954. In 1953, Southshore residents received electricity. Southshore grew rapidly and was heavily urbanised after
World War II in the late 1940s. Southshore later received a sewerage system in 1967. Channelling and
kerbs were also installed to the suburb's main road, Rocking Horse Road, which often flooded. There is a large public reserve at the southern end of the suburb, which is the location of most of the suburb's recreational activities. Southshore has no primary or secondary schools, the nearest primary school is
South New Brighton School (established in 1922), to the north. A few decades ago, the only residential buildings in Southshore were baches. Today, Southshore is home to a range of residences, from large modern homes with all the early homes that have been mostly renovated. Not much land in the suburb is left undeveloped. Its housing type is mid-20th century to contemporary homes. == Geography ==