"They came out in old cars... they had wheelbarrows and shovels and it has lifted the spirits - not only because they're there, but they've cleaned up the streets.... the place is already looking tidier," Waimakariri district mayor Ron Keating said.
Volunteers are going to play a huge part in the Canterbury recovery, Civil Defence controller Jon Mitchell says.
"While local authorities, central Government and its agencies, and emergency services will continue to put in a huge co-ordinated effort, we will also need members of the community to continue to pitch in and help each other when required.
"It is important that we, as a regional community, continue to support each other through the long-term process of recovering from this event."
Thousands of students and others in the community had put in a great effort so far helping out.
Offers of help had been received from all over New Zealand and even from as far away as Britain, Mr Mitchell said.
People had offered food, machinery, labour, accommodation and even emotional support for people at home or in welfare centres.
"While this is fantastic, we'd prefer that people sent financial assistance rather than stuff. Donated goods create more work for local organisations who are already busy meeting local needs.
"Normal retail services are available in Canterbury and an influx of donated goods can actually undermine the local economy which is trying to get back on its feet."
Kaiapoi's 12,000 residents were "staggeringly" resilient in the wake of the devastating Canterbury earthquake, but they had had enough of people arriving just to take photos and look at the damage.
"The rubber-neckers are just driving everyone crazy. They just drive out of Christchurch. They just came off the motorway and last Sunday they were chocka.
It's macabre, and they were bumper to bumper and unfortunately we weren't ready for it," Mr Keating said.
The police and army may have to control all four entries into the town this weekend, "just to let people get on with their lives", he said.
Almost 400 Kaiapoi, Pines Beach and Kairaki homes are categorised unsafe.
The town is also losing one of its two supermarkets, Blackwells Deaprtment Store, the museum and its 104-year-old Post Office, as demolition begins today.
Donations for victims of the Canterbury quake have reached $11 million. It includes $3.5m pledged to the Red Cross and the $5m Government contribution to the mayoral fund - now combined into one fund.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said Fletcher Building had also given Christchurch City Council a $1m grant to go towards the protection and rebuilding of heritage buildings.
The Waimakariri District Council estimates the cost of repairs to its region could range from $67m to $120m, to replace community buildings, utilities, road and footpath repairs.
Chief executive Jim Palmer said repairing parks and buildings alone, including the library, was likely to cost about $7.6m, to be met by insurers, the council and government funding.
Repair of roads - which cannot be insured - could cost $25 million - $35 million but the Government had signalled it would meet up to 90 percent of that.
Fire crews from around the country are being deployed in Christchurch this weekend to relieve tired staff and increase resources at the front line, Internal Affairs Minister Nathan Guy said.
While most schools will reopen on Monday, but the students of some may end up at other schools such is the scope of the damage at some schools.
Gerry Brownlee, the minister responsible for co-ordinating the Government's recovery response to the Canterbury earthquake, announced the first stage of streamlined measures to deal with the large volume of claims arising from the earthquake.
It includes the payment from early next week of claims for property and contents damage or loss where there has been no structural damage to the building.
The Christchurch City Council pushed through a new policy for earthquake-prone buildings, meaning they will have to reach a much higher standard of structural strength.
