Highland Park, New Zealand

Coordinates: 36°53′58″S 174°54′21″E / 36.8995°S 174.9058°E / -36.8995; 174.9058
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Highland Park
Map
Coordinates: 36°53′58″S 174°54′21″E / 36.8995°S 174.9058°E / -36.8995; 174.9058
CountryNew Zealand
CityAuckland
Local authorityAuckland Council
Electoral wardHowick ward
Local boardHowick Local Board
Area
 • Land116 ha (287 acres)
Population
 (June 2023)[2]
 • Total4,090
Half Moon Bay Bucklands Beach Mellons Bay
Sunnyhills
Highland Park
Howick
Pakuranga Heights Golflands Botany Downs

Highland Park is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand,[3] located between Howick and Pakuranga. It belongs to the Pakuranga electorate which is currently represented by Simeon Brown.

Geography[edit]

Highland Park is located in the central peninsula of East Auckland, west of Howick, New Zealand.[4] The Pakuranga Stream, a tributary of the Pakuranga Creek, flows through the western portion of the suburb.[5] Aviemore Drive is a major north-south arterial route in the suburb, connecting Pakuranga Road and Bucklands Beach Road to Cascades Road.

History[edit]

Early history[edit]

The Highland Park area is part of the rohe of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, who descend from the crew of the Tainui migratory waka, who visited the area around the year 1300.[6] The mouth of the Tāmaki River was traditionally known as Te Wai ō Tāiki ("The Waters of Tāiki"), named after the Ngāi Tai ancestor Tāiki. Tāiki settled with his followers along the eastern shores of the Tāmaki River, alongside the descendants of Huiārangi of the early iwi Te Tini ō Maruiwi.[7] During the Musket Wars in the 1820s, Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki sought temporary refuge in the Waikato.[8][9] When English missionary William Thomas Fairburn visited the area in 1833, it was mostly unoccupied.[10]

In 1836, William Thomas Fairburn brokered a land sale between Tāmaki Māori chiefs covering the majority of modern-day South Auckland, East Auckland and the Pōhutukawa Coast.[11] The sale was envisioned as a way to end hostilities in the area, but it is unclear what the chiefs understood or consented to. Māori continued to live in the area, unchanged by this sale.[12] In 1854 when Fairburn's purchase was investigated by the New Zealand Land Commission, a Ngāi Tai reserve was created around the Wairoa River and Umupuia areas, and as a part of the agreement, members of Ngāi Tai agreed to leave their traditional settlements to the west.[13][10]

In 1847, Howick was established as a defensive outpost for Auckland, by fencibles (retired British Army soldiers) and their families.[14] In 1851, the Cascade Homestead was constructed for Reverend Wilson, near the Botany Creek waterfall.[15]

Development of the suburb[edit]

In May 1972, the Manukau City Council sold the land at Highland Park Estate to Neil Construction Ltd, who developed housing on 650 subdivisions south of Pakuranga Road. The first houses were sold in February 1974.[16][17] Highland Park Shopping Centre was developed on a nine-acre site in the north of the suburb by Progressive Enterprises, which opened in 1978.[18][17] In the same year, the second Georgie Pie restaurant in New Zealand was opened at Highland Park, and was billed as the first drive-through restaurant in New Zealand.[19] Both the suburb and the Highland Park Centre were themed around the Scottish Highlands, with a fort being constructed at the centre, and many of the street names of the suburb being Scottish in origin.[17]

Demographics[edit]

Highland Park covers 1.16 km2 (0.45 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 4,090 as of June 2023,[2] with a population density of 3,526 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20064,191—    
20134,278+0.29%
20184,512+1.07%
Source: [20]

Before the 2023 census, Highland Park had a larger boundary, covering 1.38 km2 (0.53 sq mi).[1] Using that boundary, Highland Park had a population of 4,512 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 234 people (5.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 321 people (7.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,575 households, comprising 2,163 males and 2,352 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.92 males per female. The median age was 40.3 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 699 people (15.5%) aged under 15 years, 936 (20.7%) aged 15 to 29, 2,001 (44.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 873 (19.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 47.9% European/Pākehā, 4.5% Māori, 4.1% Pacific peoples, 45.1% Asian, and 4.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 56.3, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 44.7% had no religion, 38.4% were Christian, 0.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 2.9% were Hindu, 1.5% were Muslim, 3.5% were Buddhist and 3.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,083 (28.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 498 (13.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $28,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. 576 people (15.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,857 (48.7%) people were employed full-time, 486 (12.7%) were part-time, and 114 (3.0%) were unemployed.[20]

Amenities[edit]

  • The Highland Park Shopping Centre to the north of the suburb.[5]
  • The Cascade Walkway, a public walkway along the Pakuranga Creek that connects Highland Park to Lloyd Elsmore Park in the west.[5][21]
  • William Green Domain, a public park and home for the Fencibles United association football club.[22]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Population estimate tables - NZ.Stat". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Place name detail: Highland Park". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  4. ^ "Highland Park". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Howick Local Board (November 2018). Howick Walking & Cycling Network (PDF) (Report). Auckland Council. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  6. ^ Green, Nathew (2011). "From Hawaīki to Howick – A Ngāi Tai History". Grey's Folly: A History of Howick, Pakuranga, Bucklands-Eastern Beaches, East Tamaki, Whitford, Beachlands and Maraetai. By La Roche, Alan. Auckland: Tui Vale Productions. pp. 16–33. ISBN 978-0-473-18547-3. OCLC 1135039710.
  7. ^ Green, Nat (2010). Ōtau: a Ngāi Tai Cultural Heritage Assessment of Clevedon Village, Wairoa Valley (PDF) (Report). Auckland Council. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  8. ^ Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki and the Trustees of the Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki Trust and the Crown (7 November 2015). "Deed of settlement schedule documents" (PDF). NZ Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Te Naupata / Musick Point". Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  10. ^ a b Heritage Department of the Auckland Regional Council. "Duder Regional Park – Our History" (PDF). Auckland Council. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  11. ^ "13 June 1865". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_0760. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  12. ^ Moore, D; Rigby, B; Russell, M (July 1997). Rangahaua Whanui National Theme A: Old Land Claims (PDF) (Report). Waitangi Tribunal. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  13. ^ Clough, Tom; Apfel, Aaron; Clough, Rod (June 2020). 109 Beachlands Road, Beachlands, Auckland: Preliminary Archaeological Assessment (PDF) (Report). Environmental Protection Authority. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  14. ^ La Roche, Alan 2011, pp. 48.
  15. ^ La Roche, Alan 2011, pp. 325.
  16. ^ "May 1972". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_4655. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  17. ^ a b c La Roche, Alan 2011, pp. 154–155.
  18. ^ "7 November 1978". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_5125. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  19. ^ "25 May 1978". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_5110. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Highland Park (Auckland) (151300). 2018 Census place summary: Highland Park (Auckland)
  21. ^ "Cascade walkway". Auckland Council. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  22. ^ "Our Grounds". Fencibles United AFC. Retrieved 26 June 2023.


Bibliography[edit]

External links[edit]