In the Beginning: Pre-1800s Early Maori Settlement The 1800s: First European Settlement & Beginning of Industry The Early 1900s The late 1980s Today Future

Infill Houding The Original Subdivision of Avondale Into Allotments Laurie’s brickyard, 1900 Glendene, 1938; the end of Hepburn Road, cen- tre. Span Farm to the left. Major Transport Route for Maori More And More Industries Near The River The Scow “Rahiri” Typical early brickyard with barges on the Whau, Today’s River circa 1912 The Great North Road, 1870

Te Whau Point 1880s Te Whau Point 1890s Picnic Spot Friends of the Whau Inc. 1999

In 1890, there were only 29 buildings in the Borough and most of the surrounding area was farmland. By 1996, the census records n 1845 the Great North Road was laid out in 64,000 people living in the catchment, in almost response to the threat of attack on by Along the riverbank and harbour coastlines, Maori cultivated food and 22,000 households. Since 1996, people have northland Maori. Initially following New North gathered kai moana, the many shell middens found there today a In the early 1840’s the whole of the Auckland continued to move into the area. To meet the In earlier times, Maori used the Whau for travel between the Waitemata Harbour For most of last century, New Lynn was famous Road as far as Rocky Nook, it then continued reminder of that time. Their scared places (waahi tapu) and pa sites area was declared to be the country of Eden. By the early 1900’s most Avondale and New Lynn population growth, more houses have been built (on the Pacific east coast) and the Manukau Harbour (on the Tasman west for making bricks using the heavy soils as the along Western Springs Road to the present Great also left an imprint on the land, including the pa site at the headland in Pakeha also discovered the joys of this This country was divided into a number of brickyards were situated closed to the railway line. The – especially “in-fill” houses and terraced houses. coast). They paddled canoes up the Whau and the Avondale Stream and then raw material. The first brick kiln was started near North Road. The road from Mt Albert westward known as Te Whau Point. place. In the 1800s, the area survey districts called parishes. Avondale river , though, continued to be used by brickworks at The population of the New Lynn and Avondale carried the canoes over a short stretch of land to Green Bay on the Manukau. the foot of Rata Street in 1861. In 1870, another was known as the Whau Highway or Whau Road. Friends of the Whau Inc. was formed in was the gateway to the west, a picnic spot form part of the Parish of . The parish Keltston and Glendene. As well, scows scows delivered areas is expected to double in the next 20 years, TRACING This is remembered in the name for Portage Road, which runs alongside the brickworks was set up close to the junction of View of north side of Laurie’s brickworks on the 1999 to restore the ecology of the Whau Work on this route continued and by the Unfortunately, over the years, time has taken its toll and small for the well-to-do families of Auckland. It was was subdivided into allotments of about Whau River showing buildings, including the building and roading materials to the landing at the Whau and the population of the whole of the Auckland Avondale Stream, and it is known that seasonal Maori settlements existed at the the Rewarewa Creek and the Manawa Stream late1860s this was the main route to the area. through revegetation and reduction of landslides have occurred from time to time, occasionally dislodging half a day journey from the small town of 100 acres. In 1844 and 1845 most of these drying sheds and chimneys, with the river in the bridge. The Scow “Rahiri” came up the river for the last region is expected to double in the next 50 years. mouth of the river. near Great North Road. Anotrher brick kiln was During the 1870s it was properly formed and pollution. The water is sluggish and not moving. one of the older trees. Auckland to the Whau. allotments were put up for sale. background. time in 1938. It carried a load of firewood. THE HISTORY OF THE WHAU estalished in Queen Mary Avenue in 1893. metalled 1800s 1900 1945 1980 2012 2050 Tanneries Article Eel - Weir Eel - Pot Maori Fish Net Port of New Lynn, 1865 Pollen Brickyard and Pottery, 1860 The Canal That Was Never Dug, early 1883 Factories Discharged Wastes Directly Into The Whau Fishing Spot Avondale Planning Map Shops In New Lynn Pollution Muddy Urbanism Lab Benjamin Gittos, from Murray Gittos collection. European settlers used the Whau for Daniel Pollen When the effluent [from Astley’s tannery] flowed down the river The 5th Auckland Triennial marine transport. In 1865, the “Port of swimmers would quickly get out of the water… In the early New Lynn” was a bustling trade centre, twentieth century another source of pollution was Binsted’s with five public wharves. When the tide abbatoirs, which were sited on New Lynn land now occupied by went out, the vessels settled into the Ken Maunder Park. “When they let the blood out into the Whau mud and waited for the next tide. Boats eels would come to get it.” Eel Sculpture at Olympic Park carried the products of local industries The Challenge of the Whau, 1994 including brickworks, a leather tannery, a gelatine and glue factory and firewood cutting. Occasionally Astley’s tannery in New Lynn would discharge Inspection of the Proposed Canal 1903 large quantities of waste into the upper reaches of the Whau. As the effluent flowed down the river swimmers would quickly get out of the water. In the streams and estuaries, the Maori caught eels [tuna] with spears, pots, and kanae (mullet) with nets...The small freshwater fish, the inanga were caught and eaten In 1852 D Pollen, recognizing the fresh or preserved... From the Bay of Plenty Times, 18 May 1880. In the early twentieth century another source of pollution was Sheet 1B of a large cadastral map suitability of the clay, set up a brickmaking View from the signal mast at New Lynn railway station Binsted’s abattoirs, which were sited on New Lynn land now of , created 1947- “ Any river is really a summation of a whole valley. It shapes not only industry on part of his property adjoining During the first half of this century showing shops and businesses on the north side of Totara Prehistoric Archeological Sites of the Waitakere Rangers and West occupied by Ken Maunder Park. 53, showing part of Avondale. Auckland, by B.W. Hayward and J.T. Diomand, 1978 the Whau River. Daniel Pollen had a the Whau River continued to be Avenue including the two-storey Oags Buildings. Shops the land, but also the life and also culture of the valley. To think of set-up involving brick and pottery kilns “ When they let the blood out into the Whau eels would come to a popular fishing spot. Eels were include J. R. McCorquindale’s tools and paints shop, on his land near the tip of the Rosebank get it” also abundant. Local boys had Rowan’s fabric bargains shop, and a dry cleaners. The Peninsula from around 1860. Pollen’s About 1866 Benjamin Gittos and sons opened their their own fishing method. The construction of a canal linking the Manukau and Waitemata parapet above the upper storey of Oags Buildings displays business probably closed in the late tannery in the area that is now bordered by Tait Street, any river as nothing but water is to ignore the greater part of it”. Harbours seemed, to the early settlers of Auckland, a most the date of construction (1925) and its name. Rowan’s 1970’s. In the last quarter of the 19th Blockhouse Bay Road, New North Road and the “When the tide was out we used desirable project.Two possible routes for a canal were discussed. has prominent signage along the top of the side wall of century, other brickmaking operations Oakley Stream. Raw materials were brought in by to put tyres in the creek. We’d go One ran from Otahuhu through to the Tamaki, and the other from this building. In the left foreground is part of the railway were established along the Whau towards scow to a wharf near the Whau bridge an transported back later to get the eels out of Green Bay and Blockhouse Bay through to the Whau. pedestrian footbridge with view of Totara Avenue down to New Lynn and Kelston. to the works by horse and cart. From 1870 onwards them.” The Triangle and Great North Road showing the top of the there were a number of protests from Avondale and Har Borland “If the canal were made it would be a most pleasant ending to the Bank of New Zealand’s building with its BNZ pole sign Mount Albert residents about pollution of the stream. sea journey to Auckland, via the West Coast, for the Whau River is In the 1880’s the works were forced to close down and very pretty in parts, and when it is utilised as a canal there would Beyond Your Doorstep the business was moved to Grey Lynn. WHAUprobably arise a demand for residential sites.” (NZ Herald, 1903). ?