Free listening tour reveals Christchurch quake stories

An innovative audio project is uncovering personal stories from the Christchurch earthquake - and bringing them to a new audience. 

Earthquake Stories is a free listening tour that aims to bridge the gap between the pre-quake and post-quake city.

All you need is a smartphone to unlock this free audio experience.

The self-guided tour takes you around key sites, including the Christ Church Cathedral and the former Forsyth Barr building.

Kris Herbert. Photo: Cole Yeoman
Kris Herbert. Photo: Cole Yeoman
The audio tour was created using the extensive earthquake archives held at Canterbury University, and can be accessed via the Our Stories Project Trust website.

Trust director Kris Herbert says the audio tour draws on stories from over 30 people who were in the city on February 22, 2011.

"We believe that storytelling is a really important part of healing. So we hope that that's what it can offer to residents."

The project has been released to mark the 12th anniversary of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake that claimed 185 lives.

- By Cole Yeoman
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air