Takapuna is a suburb located on the North Shore of

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. The suburb is an

isthmus An isthmus (; : isthmuses or isthmi) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea count ...

between Shoal Bay, arm of the

Waitematā Harbour The Waitematā Harbour is the main access by sea to Auckland, New Zealand. The harbour forms the northern and eastern coasts of the Auckland isthmus and is crossed by the Auckland Harbour Bridge. It is matched on the southern side of the city ...

, and the

Hauraki Gulf The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana is a coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. It has an area of 4000 km2,Lake Pupuke Lake Pupuke (traditionally known in Māori as Pupukemoana) is a heart-shaped freshwater lake occupying a volcanic crater (or maar) between the suburbs of Takapuna and Milford on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. The heart shape is a r ...

, a volcanic

maar A maar is a broad, low-relief volcanic crater caused by a phreatomagmatic eruption (an explosion which occurs when groundwater comes into contact with hot lava or magma). A maar characteristically fills with water to form a relatively shallow ...

and one of the oldest features of the

Auckland volcanic field The Auckland volcanic field is an area of monogenetic volcanoes covered by much of the metropolitan area of Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, located in the North Island. The approximately 53 volcanoes in the field have produced a divers ...

, is a freshwater lake located in the suburb. Takapuna was settled by

Tāmaki Māori Tāmaki Māori are Māori ''iwi'' and ''hapū'' (tribes and sub-tribes) who have a strong connection to Tāmaki Makaurau (the Auckland Region), and whose rohe was traditionally within the region. Among Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau (the M� ...

in the 13th or 14th centuries, who utilised the resources of Lake Pupuke, and a

pōhutukawa Pōhutukawa (''Metrosideros excelsa''), also known as the New Zealand Christmas tree, or iron tree, is a coastal evergreen tree in the Myrtus, myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that produces a brilliant display of red (or occasionally orange, yellow o ...

grove called . The grove still exists to this day and was an important location for funeral ceremonies. In 1847, the first European farmers settled at Takapuna, and

the Crown The Crown is a political concept used in Commonwealth realms. Depending on the context used, it generally refers to the entirety of the State (polity), state (or in federal realms, the relevant level of government in that state), the executive ...

gifted land at Takapuna to

Ngāpuhi Ngāpuhi (also known as Ngāpuhi-Nui-Tonu or Ngā Puhi) is a Māori iwi associated with the Northland regions of New Zealand centred in the Hokianga, the Bay of Islands, and Whangārei. According to the 2023 New Zealand census, the estimate ...

chief

Eruera Maihi Patuone Eruera Maihi Patuone ( – 19 September 1872) was a Māori people, Māori rangatira (chief), the son of the Ngāti Hao chief Tapua and his wife Te Kawehau. His exact birth year is not known, but it is estimated that he was at least 108 years old ...

in order to create a protective barrier for Auckland.

Jean-Baptiste Pompallier Jean-Baptiste François Pompallier (11 December 1801 – 21 December 1871) was the first Roman Catholic bishop in New Zealand and, with priests and brothers of the Marist order, he organised the Roman Catholic Church throughout the country ...

established St Mary's College at Takapuna in 1849. The area became a popular tourist destination for wealthy families of Auckland in the 1880s, when many large summer residences were being constructed on the shores of Lake Pupuke. By the early 20th century, Takapuna Beach had grown in importance for tourists. The suburb developed in the 1910s due to a private tramway, and by the 1930s gradually became a commercial centre for the North Shore. Takapuna grew in importance after the opening of the

Auckland Harbour Bridge The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane motorway bridge over Waitematā Harbour in Auckland, New Zealand. It joins Saint Marys Bay, New Zealand, St Marys Bay on the Auckland city side with Northcote, Auckland, Northcote on the North Shore, ...

in 1959, becoming the administrative centre for the North Shore.

Etymology

The name Takapuna refers to a spring at Maungauika / North Head, located north of

Torpedo Bay Navy Museum The Torpedo Bay Navy Museum is the official museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Located in Devonport, Auckland, it opened in 2010 to replace an earlier naval museum. History The first Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) museum was established in ...

in Devonport. The name was given by

Hoturoa According to Māori tradition, Hoturoa was the leader of the ''Tainui'' canoe, during the migration of the Māori people to New Zealand, around 1400. He is considered the founding ancestor of the Tainui confederation of tribes (iwi), who now in ...

of the ''

Tainui Tainui is a tribal waka (canoe), waka confederation of New Zealand Māori people, Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki Māori, Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapo ...

'' migratory waka. When the waka stopped at Torpedo Bay, Hoturoa and the crew of the ''Tainui'' met the residents of the area and drank from the spring. Hoturoa named the spring in remembrance of a spring in his homeland of

Hawaiki (also rendered as in the Cook Islands, Hawaiki in Māori, in Samoan, in Tahitian, in Hawaiian) is, in Polynesian folklore, the original home of the Polynesians, before dispersal across Polynesia. It also features as the underworld in man ...

(

Mangaia Mangaia (traditionally known as A'ua'u Enua, which means ''terraced'') is the most southerly of the Cook Islands and the second largest, after Rarotonga. It is a roughly circular island, with an area of , from Rarotonga. Originally heavily popul ...

). While the word in

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

refers to

natural spring A spring is a natural exit point at which groundwater emerges from an aquifer and flows across the ground surface as surface water. It is a component of the hydrosphere, as well as a part of the water cycle. Springs have long been important fo ...

s, the meaning of in this context is unknown, and the name has variously been interpreted to mean "Knoll Spring", "Rock Spring", "Cliff Spring" or "Falling Spring". Over time,

began to refer to the wider area around Maungauika / North Head and the North Shore as Takapuna.

Jules Dumont d'Urville Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville (; 23 May 1790 – 8 May 1842) was a French List of explorers, explorer and French Navy, naval officer who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica. As a botanist an ...

, an early explorer, was the first European to adopt the name to describe the area north of North Head in 1833. During the early colonial era of Auckland, the name was used for the Parish of Takapuna, and modern

Lake Pupuke Lake Pupuke (traditionally known in Māori as Pupukemoana) is a heart-shaped freshwater lake occupying a volcanic crater (or maar) between the suburbs of Takapuna and Milford on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. The heart shape is a r ...

was referred to as Lake Takapuna from the 1860s until the 1940s. The area was known as the Lake District from 1866 until 1882, when the name Takapuna was formally adopted. The name Takapuna was gradually adopted to mean the settlement focused on the southern shores of Lake Pupuke over the 19th century. The areas to the south were known as Devonport, meaning Takapuna had become geographically separated from its namesake.

Geology

The North Shore is primarily uplifted

Waitemata Group The Waitemata Group is an Early Miocene group (geology), geologic group that is exposed in and around the Auckland Region of New Zealand, between the Whangarei Harbour in the North and the Raglan, New Zealand, Raglan Harbour in the South. The Gr ...

sandstone, that was deposited on the sea floor during the

Early Miocene The Early Miocene (also known as Lower Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch made up of two faunal stage, stages: the Aquitanian age, Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages. The sub-epoch lasted from 23.03 ± 0.05 annum, Ma to ...

, between 22 and 16 million years ago. The Takapuna area is home to

, a volcanic

which is one of the oldest known features of the

, erupting an estimated 193,200 years ago. A small scoria cone existed to the west of Lake Pupuke, which was quarried during European settlement. During the eruption of Lake Pupuke, two

lava flows Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a fracture in the crust, on land or unde ...

travelled eastwards through the area, burning vegetation and encasing the lower 1–2 metres of the

tree trunks Trunks are the stems of woody plants and the main structural element of trees. The woody part of the trunk consists of dead but structurally significant heartwood and living sapwood, which is used for nutrient storage and transport. Separatin ...

in lava. The lava solidified into

basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...

rock, creating the Takapuna Fossil Forest, which was exposed an estimated 7,000 years ago due to coastal erosion. Prior to human settlement,

trees dominated the coastal margins of the North Shore. The inland North Shore was a mixed podocarp-broadleaf forest dominated by

kauri ''Agathis'', commonly known as kauri or dammara, is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees, native to Australasia and Southeast Asia. It is one of three extant genera in the family Araucariaceae, alongside '' Wollemia'' and ''Araucaria'' (being ...

. To the west of Takapuna is Smiths Bush in the Onewa Domain, a remnant native forest, dominated by

kahikatea ''Dacrycarpus dacrydioides'', commonly known as kahikatea (from Māori language, Māori) and white pine, is a Pinophyta, coniferous tree endemism, endemic to New Zealand. A Podocarpaceae, podocarp, it is New Zealand's tallest tree, gaining hei ...

and taraire trees. By the 1850s, Takapuna was primarily a

mānuka Mānuka (; ''Leptospermum scoparium'') is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family (biology), family Myrtaceae, native to New Zealand (including the Chatham Islands) and south-east Australia. Bees produce mānuka honey from its necta ...

scrubland, with significant coastal areas dominated by

harakeke ''Phormium tenax'' (called flax in New Zealand English; in Māori; New Zealand flax outside New Zealand; and New Zealand hemp in historical nautical contexts) is an evergreen perennial plant native to New Zealand and Norfolk Island that is an ...

Geography

Takapuna is an isthmus between the

Hauraki Gulf The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana is a coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. It has an area of 4000 km2,Shoal Bay, a long narrow bay of the

. Takapuna is surrounded by the suburbs of Hauraki, Auckland, Hauraki to the south-east, Northcote to the south-west, Hillcrest and

Wairau Valley Wairau Valley is the valley of the Wairau River in Marlborough, New Zealand and also the name of the main settlement in the upper valley. State Highway 63 runs through the valley. The valley opens onto the Wairau Plain, where Renwick and B ...

to the west, and

Milford Milford may refer to: Place names Canada * Milford (Annapolis), Nova Scotia * Milford (Halifax), Nova Scotia * Milford, Ontario England * Milford, Derbyshire * Milford, Devon, a place in Devon * Milford on Sea, Hampshire * Milford, Shro ...

north of

. The highest point in the suburb is above sea-level, located at the Killarney Street and the Terrace. Two beaches are located in the eastern parts of the suburb. Takapuna Beach is found to the south, which faces toward

Rangitoto Island Rangitoto Island is a volcanic island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand. The wide island is a symmetrical shield volcano cone capped by central scoria cones, reaching a height of . Rangitoto is the youngest and largest of the appr ...

across the

Rangitoto Channel The Rangitoto Channel is an area of the Hauraki Gulf in the Auckland Region of New Zealand's North Island. The channel is north-east of the Waitematā Harbour, and is located between the North Shore and Rangitoto Island. The channel's traditio ...

. Further north along the coast is Thorne Bay, which features a rock formation called Black Rock, at the northern point of the bay. Barrys Point is a headland in Takapuna south of Esmonde Road that extends into Shoal Bay.

History

Māori history

Māori settlement of the

Auckland Region Auckland () is one of the 16 regions of New Zealand, which takes its name from the eponymous urban areas of New Zealand, urban area. The region encompasses the Auckland, Auckland metropolitan area, smaller towns, rural areas, and the islands o ...

began around the 13th or 14th centuries. The Devonport-Takapuna area was one of the earliest settled in the region, known to be settled by the

ancestor Peretū.

Toi-te-huatahi Toi-te-huatahi, also known as Toi and Toi-kai-rākau, is a legendary Māori people, Māori ''tupuna'' (ancestor) of many Māori people, Māori iwi (tribes) from the Bay of Plenty area, including Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāi Tūhoe. The B ...

and his followers settled and interwed with these early peoples. Around the year 1350, the ''

'' migratory canoe visited the Takapuna area, stopping at the freshwater spring southwest of Maungauika / North Head. Some members of the crew decided to settle permanently in the area, including Taikehu, and intermarried with the people of the North Shore.

Kāinga A kāinga ( southern Māori: ''kaika'' or ''kaik'') is the traditional form of village habitation of pre-European Māori in New Zealand. It was unfortified or only lightly fortified, and over time became less important than the well-fortified ...

were found throughout the wider Takapuna area, protected by

pā The word pā (; often spelled pa in English) can refer to any Māori people, Māori village or defensive settlement, but often refers to hillforts – fortified settlements with palisades and defensive :wikt:terrace, terraces – and also to fo ...

Castor Bay Castor Bay is a bay and suburb of the North Shore, New Zealand, North Shore, located in Auckland which is in the North Island of New Zealand. Located between Milford, New Zealand, Milford and Campbells Bay, it is part of the East Coast Bays. T ...

(Te Rahopara o Peretū) to the north, with Takarunga / Mount Victoria and Maungauika / North Head to the south. Over time, the descendants of these people began to identify as

Ngā Oho Ngā Oho, also known as Ngā Ohomatakamokamo-o-Ohomairangi, is the name of a historical iwi (tribe) of Māori who settled in the Auckland Region. In the 17th century, Ngā Oho and two other tribes of shared heritage, Ngā Riki and Ngā Iwi, form ...

and

Ngāi Tai Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...

. The warrior Maki migrated from the

Kāwhia Harbour Kawhia Harbour () is one of three large natural inlets in the Tasman Sea coast of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located to the south of Raglan Harbour, Ruapuke and Aotea Harbour, 40 kilometres southwest of Hamilton. ...

to his ancestral home in the

, likely sometime in the 17th century. Maki conquered and unified many the Tāmaki Māori tribes as

Te Kawerau ā Maki Te Kawerau ā Maki, Te Kawerau a Maki, or Te Kawerau-a-Maki is a Māori ''iwi'' (tribe) of the Auckland Region of New Zealand. Predominantly based in West Auckland (Hikurangi also known as Waitākere), it had 251 registered adult members as of J ...

, including those of the North Shore. After Maki's death, his sons settled different areas of his lands, creating new

hapū In Māori language, Māori and New Zealand English, a ' ("subtribe", or "clan") functions as "the basic political unit within Māori society". A Māori person can belong to or have links to many hapū. Historically, each hapū had its own chief ...

. His younger son Maraeariki settled the North Shore and

Hibiscus Coast The Hibiscus Coast is a populated area on a stretch of the Hauraki Gulf coast in New Zealand's Auckland Region. It has a population of making it the List of New Zealand urban areas by population, 10th most populous urban area in New Zealand, ...

, who based himself at the head of the

Ōrewa River The Ōrewa River is a river of the Auckland Region of New Zealand's North Island. It flows east to reach Whangaparāoa Bay just to the north of Whangaparāoa Peninsula. The town of Orewa is near the river's mouth. Geography The Ōrewa River b ...

. Maraeariki's daughter Kahu succeeded him, and she is the namesake of the North Shore, ("The Greater Lands of Kahu"). Many of the iwi of the North Shore, including

Ngāti Manuhiri Ngāti Manuhiri is a Māori iwi of the Mahurangi Peninsula area of New Zealand. They have an interest in the region from the Ōkura River in the south to Mangawhai in the north, and extending out to Great Barrier Island. They are descended from ...

, Ngāti Maraeariki, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Poataniwha,

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki is a Māori people, Māori tribe that is based in the area around Clevedon, New Zealand, Clevedon, part of the Auckland region (''Tāmaki'' in the Māori language). It is one of the twelve members of the Hauraki Collective ...

and

Ngāti Whātua Ngāti Whātua is a Māori iwi (tribe) of the lower Northland Peninsula of New Zealand's North Island. It comprises a confederation of four hapū (subtribes) interconnected both by ancestry and by association over time: Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa ...

, can trace their lineage to Kahu. In the 17th century,

Ngāti Pāoa Ngāti Pāoa is a Māori ''iwi'' (tribe) that has extensive links to the Hauraki and Waikato tribes of New Zealand. Its traditional lands stretch from the western side of the Hauraki Plains to Auckland. They also settled on Hauraki Gulf islands ...

attacked the settlements around the

, later intermarrying with the Te Kawerau ā Maki and Ngāi Tai people of the southern North Shore. During intertribal war with

, the pā at Maungauika / North Head was sieged in 1793, leading Ngāti Pāoa to refocus their settlements on

Waiheke Island Waiheke Island is the second-largest island (after Great Barrier Island) in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand. Its ferry terminal in Matiatia Bay at the western end is from the central-city terminal in Auckland. It is the most populated island ...

until the 1830s. During the early 1820s, most Māori of the North Shore fled for the

Waikato The Waikato () is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the nort ...

or Northland due to the threat of war parties during the

Musket Wars The Musket Wars were a series of as many as 3,000 battles and raids fought throughout New Zealand (including the Chatham Islands) among Māori people, Māori between 1806 and 1845, after Māori first obtained muskets and then engaged in an inte ...

Lake Pupuke and Te Riri a Mataaho

Lake Pupuke was an important location to Tāmaki Māori of the North Shore. It was used a source of fresh water, and its name ("Overflowing Sea") referred to how the fresh water would habitually flow out from the lake to the sea. Eels and mussels were harvested from the lake, and birds who were attracted to the lake were snared for food, and

from the shores could be harvested for textiles. The northern shores of the lake was home to a grove of karaka trees, which were likely used for both food and medicinal purposes. Takapuna is part of the setting of ("The Wrath of Mataaho"), a

traditional story () that describes the creation of Lake Pupuke and "The Twins", two rock formations on Takapuna Beach. Two

tupua Tupua may refer to: * The five principal gods of Niuean mythology, Fao, Fakahoko, Huanaki, Lage-iki, Lagi-atea * Tipua, a spirit in Maori mythology * Tupua Tamasese Tupua Tamasese, formally known as Tupua, is a State (polity), state dynasty ...

(children of the Fire God

Mataaho Mataaho (also known as Mataaoho and Mataoho) is a Māori deity. Variously considered a god of earthquakes and eruptions, the guardian of the earth's secrets, the god of volcanic forces, or a giant, Mataaho is associated with many of the volcan ...

), Matakamokamo and his wife Matakerepo, lived on Te Rua Maunga, a mountain located at

. The couple argued over some flax clothing that Matakerepo had made for her husband, and the argument became so heated that the fire outside their dwelling died out. Matakamokamo cursed

Mahuika Mahuika is a Māori fire deity and consort of the god Auahitūroa. Myths In some versions, she is the younger sister of Hine-nui-te-pō, goddess of death. It was from her that Māui (in some versions he is her grandson) obtained the secre ...

, Goddess of the Fire, for allowing this to happen. Mahuika was furious at the couple, and asked Mataaho to punish them. Mataaho destroyed their mountain home, and in its place left Pupuke Moana (Lake Pupuke), while at the same time he formed the mountain Rangitoto. The couple fled to the newly formed island, where Mataaho formed three peaks on the mountain, so that the couple can view the ruins of their former home. Hinerei and Matamiha, the couples' twin children, were turned to stone, and remain as rock features on the southern Takapuna Beach.

Te Uru Tapu

To the north of Takapuna Beach is a wāhi tapu (sacred location) called , a grove of

used for burial ceremonies by Tāmaki Māori. As a part of traditional burial practices, bodies would be wrapped in flax mats and placed in a sitting position in the trees, with the dead later being buried once their bodies had naturally decomposed. In the early 2000s, the

North Shore City Council North Shore City was a territorial authority unit in the Auckland Region of New Zealand that was governed by the North Shore City Council. It existed from 1989 until November 2010, when the council was incorporated into Auckland Council. It ha ...

built a boardwalk through the grove. Access was removed in June 2018 due to risks of falling branches, and access to the grove was not returned after the Auckland Council consulted with seven

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...

. In 2021, vandals poisoned and cut down many of the trees in the grove, including karo, karaka, nīkau palms and

tōtara ''Podocarpus totara'' (), commonly known as the , is a species of Podocarpus, podocarp tree endemism, endemic to New Zealand. It grows throughout the North Island, South Island and rarely on Stewart Island, Stewart Island / Rakiura in lowland, ...

, however did not target the pōhutukawa.

Early colonial period

The first land purchases at Takapuna were undertaken by Henry Taylor and Alexander Sparks in November 1839. These land sales were later disallowed, and Takapuna was purchased by

on 13 April 1841 as a part of the Mahurangi Block. Farms were auctioned in 1844, and the first European farmers arrived in the Takapuna area in 1847. Early European settlers were predominantly from England, Scotland and Ireland, and they established farms around the lake. Crops such as wheat, maize, barley, potatoes and

kūmara The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of the ...

were grown at these farms, and homesteads planted single acre orchards dominated by plums, apples and peaches. In 1849, the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

purchased land at Takapuna, where

established St Mary's College, a school and later seminary that catered to both European and

. In 1852, the Crown granted of land south of Lake Pupuke to Barry's Point / Awataha to

chief

, in order to create a shield for the City of Auckland against potential invasion from Ngāpuhi and other northern tribes. Patuone's people lived in the area until the 1880s. Patuone named his settlement , meaning "Waters of Wharariki", a mat made of

flax. Patuone's lands at included a peach tree orchard and a village of twenty huts. Many Ngāpuhi from the settlement worked on the farms at Lake Pupuke, establishing a network of fences for the properties. In 1863, the first subdivisions were created in Takapuna, where villas were constructed on the eastern shores of Lake Pupuke. The streets were named after famous lakes of the world. A ferry service began to operate from Barry's Point at Shoal Bay, and the Takapuna Hotel was established in 1863 near the ferry launch. Despite the

Long Depression The Long Depression was a worldwide price and economic recession, beginning in Panic of 1873, 1873 and running either through March 1879, or 1899, depending on the metrics used. It was most severe in Europe and the United States, which had been e ...

of the 1880s, Takapuna grew as a community. By this period, sheep breeding had become important in northern Takapuna, and Takapuna dairy farms supplied milk for Auckland. A post office was established in Takapuna in 1880, followed by St Peter's Church in 1883. During fears of Russian invasion in the 1880s, Fort Takapuna was established to the southeast of the suburb. Lake Pupuke became the major source of fresh water for the North Shore, with Devonport receiving fresh water in the 1890s, followed by Northcote in 1906. In 1913, a new pumphouse was constructed on the lake, in order to supply Birkenhead with fresh water.

Tourism destination and trams

By the late 1880s, Takapuna had developed into a destination for tourists, with Lake Pupuke being the main attraction. The increase in tourists encouraged farmers to subdivide their lands. The Lake Hotel was constructed, and large summer residences were constructed on the shores of the lake. The earliest subdivisions of farmland for suburban development were the Hurstmere estate in 1886, and the Pupuke Estate in 1889. The Takapuna and Milford Beach areas, as well as the land surrounding Lake Pupuke soon became popular spots for wealthy businessmen building summer homes to entertain in a rural surrounding, and eventually, many moved here permanently, commuting to work in Auckland via ferry. By the late 1900s, Lake Pupuke diminished in importance for tourists, who were instead attracted to Takapuna Beach. In 1909, the Lake Hotel was destroyed in a fire. The hotel was not replaced, and instead the Mon Desir Hotel on the Takapuna beachfront was opened in 1909. In 1910, a private tramway was established in Takapuna, which conveyed passengers to the ferry at

Bayswater Bayswater is an area in the City of Westminster in West London. It is a built-up district with a population density of 17,500 per square kilometre, and is located between Kensington Gardens to the south, Paddington to the north-east, and ...

. A group of local businessmen proposed the tramway to Auckland Electric Tramways as a way to improve property prices in Takapuna. After the company declined their request due to the low population of the area, the businessmen established the Takapuna Tramways and Ferry Company Limited, operating both the tram and ferry. The plan was a success, leading to rapid suburban development in Takapuna. The tramway soon became unpopular, and closed 17 years later on 26 April 1927. In 1914, a local cinema was opened in Takapuna, at the Forester's Hall in Anzac Street, and

Chinese Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...

market gardeners established farms at Barrys Point in the 1920s. By the 1930s, Takapuna transitioned from a tourist destination into a suburb of Auckland. Summer residences were gradually replaced by permanent housing, and Takapuna developed into a commercial centre on the North Shore. A number of Takapuna buildings date from this period, including Hall's Building, the Manona Building and the Strand Buildings. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, coastal defenses were built around the Takapuna area. A light industrial area developed at Barry Point in the 1950s, the Takapuna War Memorial Hall opened in 1953, and

North Shore Hospital North Shore Hospital is a large public hospital in Takapuna, New Zealand, serving the northern part of Auckland. Located on Shakespeare Road near Lake Pupuke, it is administered by the Northern division of Te Whatu Ora . The hospital provide ...

was opened as the first major public hospital on the North Shore on 19 July 1958.

Auckland Harbour Bridge and suburban development

The

was opened in 1959, creating a road bridge between the North Shore and Auckland City, causing an explosion of suburban growth across the North Shore. After the opening of the bridge, Takapuna became the administrative centre for Takapuna City (established in 1961), and later for North Shore City (established in 1989). This drew major retailers to the commercial centre of Takapuna, and branches of Woolworths, Rendells Department Store, and

Milne & Choyce Milne & Choyce was one of the first department stores in Auckland, New Zealand. The upmarket department store grew from a draper's and milliner's first acquired by Mary Jane and Charlotte Milne in 1867. In 1874 the store moved to larger pr ...

opened in the suburb, and were followed by a modern shopping centre, Shore City Shopping Centre. In 1962, Takapuna became the location where the

COMPAC COMPAC, the Commonwealth Pacific Cable System, was an undersea telephone cable system connecting Canada with New Zealand and Australia. It was completed by closing the last gap in Honolulu Harbor, Hawaii, at 6:25 a.m. B.S.T. on October 10, ...

submarine communications cable A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the seabed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean and sea. The first submarine communications cables were laid beginning in the 1850s and car ...

connected Auckland to

Suva Suva (, ) is the Capital city, capital and the most populous city of Fiji. It is the home of the country's largest metropolitan area and serves as its major port. The city is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in Rew ...

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

, and onwards to

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. The system was in use until 7 December 1984. In 1996, the Bruce Mason Centre was opened as an events venue for Takapuna. In the late 1990s, the former Smale family farm was redeveloped into Smales Farm, a commercial complex adjacent to the motorway. The Clear Communications Centre opened here in 1999.

Demographics

Takapuna covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Takapuna had a population of 11,349 in the

2023 New Zealand census The 2023 New Zealand census, which took place on 7 March 2023, was the thirty-fifth national census in New Zealand. It implemented measures that aimed to increase the Census' effectiveness in response to the issues faced with the 2018 census, i ...

, an increase of 12 people (0.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 801 people (7.6%) since the 2013 census. There were 5,355 males, 5,958 females and 33 people of other genders in 4,707 dwellings. 3.3% of people identified as

LGBTIQ+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group is ...

. There were 1,533 people (13.5%) aged under 15 years, 1,992 (17.6%) aged 15 to 29, 5,067 (44.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,745 (24.2%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 64.1%

European European, or Europeans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other West ...

(

Pākehā ''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...

); 5.2%

; 2.3% Pasifika; 31.7% Asian; 3.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 93.7%, Māori language by 0.9%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 31.7%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk).

New Zealand Sign Language New Zealand Sign Language or NZSL () is the main language of the deaf community in New Zealand. It became an official language of New Zealand in April 2006 under the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006. The purpose of the act was to create rights ...

was known by 0.2%. The percentage of people born overseas was 46.7, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 36.4%

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

, 1.6%

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

, 1.7%

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

, 0.1%

Māori religious beliefs Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

, 1.6%

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

, 0.3%

New Age New Age is a range of Spirituality, spiritual or Religion, religious practices and beliefs that rapidly grew in Western world, Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclecticism, eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise d ...

, 0.5%

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 50.9%, and 5.9% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 4,191 (42.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 3,738 (38.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,890 (19.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 1,998 people (20.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 4,680 (47.7%) people were employed full-time, 1,281 (13.1%) were part-time, and 210 (2.1%) were unemployed.

Local government

The first local government in the area was the Lake Highway District, also known as the Takapuna Highway District, which began operating 1867. In June 1889 the road board was dissolved, in favour of Takapuna being under the direct control of the

Waitemata County Council The Waitemata County, historically also known as Waitamata County, was one of the counties of New Zealand in the North Island. Established in 1876, the county covered West Auckland, Rodney and the North Shore. The county shrank in size betwee ...

. The Borough of Takapuna was established on 1 July 1913, after 73% of electors in Takapuna voted for independence from the Waitemata County. The first mayor,

Ewen Alison Ewen William Alison (29 February 1852 – 6 June 1945) was a businessman and politician from late 1800's New Zealand. He involved the inception and development of the North Shore and is locally referred to as the Father of both Devonport and T ...

, had previously served as the Mayor of Devonport, and by 1914 the borough council began working on improving roads, footpaths and street lighting. In 1954, Takapuna Borough expanded its borders to include

to the north. After significant growth in population, Takapuna Borough became Takapuna City in 1961. On 1 August 1974, the Waitemata County was dissolved, leading to rural northern North Shore areas, such as Glenfield, Albany and Long Bay, to be incorporated into Takapuna City. In 1989, Takapuna City was merged into the

North Shore City North Shore City was a territorial authority unit in the Auckland Region of New Zealand that was governed by the North Shore City Council. It existed from 1989 until November 2010, when the council was incorporated into Auckland Council. It ha ...

. North Shore City was amalgamated into

Auckland Council Auckland Council () is the local government council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority that also has the responsibilities, duties and powers of a regional council and so is a unitary authority, according to t ...

in November 2010. Within the Auckland Council, Takapuna is a part of the Devonport-Takapuna local government area governed by the

Devonport-Takapuna Local Board The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board covers from Castor Bay and Sunnynook south to the end of the Devonport Peninsula; it is separated from the Kaipātiki board area by the Northern Motorway. This local board sits in the Auckland Council offic ...

. It is a part of the

North Shore ward North Shore Ward is an Auckland Council ward that elects two councillors and covers the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, Devonport-Takapuna and Kaipātiki Local Board, Kaipātiki Local Boards. The two councillors are currently Richard Hills (politi ...

, which elects two councillors to the Auckland Council.

List of mayors

Between 1913 and 1989, Takapuna had 11 mayors. The following is a complete list:

Notable people

* Claire Ahuriri-Dunning – playwright *

– politician and first mayor of Takapuna. *

William Blomfield William Blomfield (1 April 1866 – 2 March 1938) was a New Zealand cartoonist and local politician. He was born in Auckland, New Zealand on 1 April 1866. Between 1914 and 1921 he was the second Mayor of Takapuna. He produced cartoons for v ...

– cartoonist * Henry Brett – journalist and

Mayor of Auckland City The Mayor of Auckland City was the directly elected head of the Auckland City Council, the municipal government of Auckland City, New Zealand. The office existed from 1871 to 2010, when the Auckland City Council and mayoralty was abolished and ...

. *

Lisa Chappell Lisa Irene Chappell (born 18 October 1968) is a New Zealand actress and musician. She is known for her roles as Chelsea Redfern in '' Gloss'' (1987–1990), and as Claire McLeod in '' McLeod's Daughters'' (2001–2003), a performance which earn ...

– actress and singer * David Goldie – timber merchant and

. *

William John Hurst William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

–

. *

Lorde Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde ( ), is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. She is known for her unconventional style of pop music and introspective songwriting, and has been referred to ...

– singer-songwriter *

Bruce Mason Bruce Edward George Mason (28 September 1921 – 31 December 1982) was a significant playwright in New Zealand who wrote 34 plays and influenced the cultural landscape of the country through his contribution to theatre. In 1980, he was appoi ...

– playwright * Deborah Pullen – footballer *

Winston Reid Winston Wiremu Reid (born 3 July 1988) is a New Zealand former association football, footballer. He is most known for his time as a Defender (association football), defender with club West Ham United F.C., West Ham United and captaining the N ...

– footballer *

Frank Sargeson Frank Sargeson () (born Norris Frank Davey; 23 March 1903 – 1 March 1982) was a New Zealand short story writer and novelist. Born in Hamilton, Sargeson had a middle-class and puritanical upbringing, and initially worked as a lawyer. After ...

– playwright *

Keith Sinclair Sir Keith Sinclair (5 December 1922 – 20 June 1993) was a New Zealand poet and historian. Academic career Sinclair was the oldest child of Ernest Duncan Sinclair and Florence Pyrenes Kennedy. Born and raised in Auckland, Sinclair was a st ...

– historian *

Harry Sinclair Harry Alan Sinclair (born 1959) is a New Zealand film director, writer and actor. In his early career he was an actor and member of The Front Lawn, a musical theatre duo. He went on to write and direct several short films, a TV series and th ...

– film director *

Stephen Sinclair Stephen Sinclair is a New Zealand playwright, screenwriter and novelist. He is the co-author of stage comedy '' Ladies Night''. In 2001, the French version won the Molière Award for stage comedy of the year. Other plays include ''The Bellbird'' a ...

– playwright and screenwriter *

Pamela Stephenson Pamela Stephenson, Lady Connolly (born 4 December 1949) is a New Zealand-born psychologist, writer, actress and comedian. She moved with her family to Australia in 1953 and studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). After playi ...

– TV personality, psychologist, comedian *

Kody Nielson Carl Kody Nielson (born 9 May, 1982), better known as Kody Nielson and also by his musical stage name Silicon, is a New Zealand singer-songwriter, musician, and producer, best known as a former vocalist and member of the art punk band The Mint ...

– musician and producer

Literary scene and popular culture

Short story writer

moved to his parents' holiday home in Takapuna in 1931, and regularly had figures within New Zealand's literary scene stay at his home (now known as the Frank Sargeson House). Among these guests was

Janet Frame Janet Paterson Frame (28 August 1924 – 29 January 2004) was a New Zealand author. She is internationally renowned for her work, which includes novels, short stories, poetry, juvenile fiction, and an autobiography, and received numerous award ...

, who wrote her debut novel ''

Owls Do Cry ''Owls Do Cry'' is a modernist novel by New Zealand author Janet Frame. Published in 1957, the book covers the story of the Withers siblings, who live in a seaside town in the South Island through a period of 20 years. The book extensively cover ...

'' (1957) in the army hut at his residence. Takapuna resident

's play ''

The End of the Golden Weather ''The End of the Golden Weather'' is a play by Bruce Mason about a boy's loss of innocence in Depression-era New Zealand. It was written for solo performance by the author but can be performed by an ensemble and was made into an award-winning ...

'' (1960) is set in Takapuna, and depicts the 1930s holiday culture of the suburb. In 1991, an

Ian Mune Sir Ian Barry Mune (born 1941) is a New Zealand character actor, director, and screenwriter. His screen acting career spans four decades and more than 50 roles. His work as a film director includes hit comedy ''Came a Hot Friday'', an adaptation ...

film adaptation was produced for the play, which was primarily shot in Takapuna. The

TVNZ Television New Zealand (, "Te Reo Tātaki" meaning "The Leading Voice"), more commonly referred to as TVNZ, is a New Zealand state-owned media company and Crown entity. The company operates a television network, streaming service, and news se ...

comedy-drama ''

Go Girls Go, GO, G.O., or Go! may refer to: Arts and entertainment Games and sport * Go (game), a board game for two players * '' Travel Go'' (formerly ''Go – The International Travel Game''), a game based on world travel * Go, the starting position ...

'' was set in Takapuna. ''

The Block NZ ''The Block NZ'' is a New Zealand reality television series based on the popular Australian series '' The Block''. The first season premiered on Three on 4 July 2012. The show is hosted by former New Zealand cricketer Mark Richardson and Shell ...

s first season took place in Takapuna.

Shania Twain Eilleen Regina "Shania" Twain ( ; born August 28, 1965) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time and the best-sel ...

's 2003 music video for " When You Kiss Me" was shot in Takapuna.

Amenities

*The Takapuna Beach area is a nightlife hub and boutique shopping centre of the North Shore, having many bars, restaurants, cafes and shops. * Shore City Shopping Centre opened in Takapuna in 1974. It covers 14,900 m², and has 826 carparks and 63 shops, including

Farmers A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mi ...

, New World Metro and

Les Mills Leslie Roy Mills (born 1 November 1934) is a New Zealand retired track and field athlete, businessman, and politician. He represented New Zealand at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games over two decades, competing in the shot put and discu ...

. * Takapuna Library, which first began operating in 1874, with its current premises established in 1989. The library operates a local history archive, including an index of local newspapers, archives, photographs, oral histories, and historical material relating to Takapuna..

Sport

Takapuna is home to

Takapuna AFC Takapuna is an amateur football club based in Takapuna, New Zealand. They compete in the Northern League. History The club was founded as Takapuna City AFC in 1964 as a junior club, with the first senior men's teams being added in 1967. By 1971 ...

who compete in the

Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1 The Northern Regional Football League Championship, currently known as Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is a semi-professional New Zealand association football league competition. Up until 2022, the competition was k ...

A. Since 1974

Takapuna Rugby Football Club Takapuna Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Takapuna, New Zealand. The club was established in 1934 and is a member of the North Harbour Rugby Union. Until 1985, Takapuna was a member of the Auckland Rugby Football Union. The c ...

has been located at Onewa Domain, which is in the neighbouring suburb of Northcote. Prior to that the club were located at Taharoto Park which is located on Taharoto Rd in Takapuna.

Education

Westlake Boys High School Westlake Boys High School () is a state secondary school for boys in Forrest Hill, New Zealand, Forrest Hill, Auckland, New Zealand. The school opened in 1962, when Westlake High School (opened 1958) split into Westlake Girls High School on the ...

and

Westlake Girls High School Westlake Girls High School () is a state girls secondary school, located to the west of Lake Pupuke in Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand. The school was established in 1957 as a coeducational school, changing to girls only in 1962 when Westlake B ...

are single-sex secondary (years 9-13) state schools with rolls of and respectively, as of Westlake High School, which opened in 1958, became Westlake Girls High School in 1962 after Westlake Boys High School opened.

Rosmini College Rosmini College is a state integrated Catholic School, Catholic secondary school for boys, situated in Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand. The proprietor of the school is Roman Catholic Diocese of Auckland, the Bishop of Auckland. The school cater ...

is a boys' secondary (years 7–13) school with a roll of , and St Joseph's School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of . They are state integrated Catholic schools located adjacent to each other. Rosmini College was founded in 1962, and St Joseph's in 1894. Takapuna Normal Intermediate is a coeducational intermediate (years 7–8) school with a roll of . It was established in 1970. Takapuna School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of . It celebrated its 125th jubilee in 2004. Rolls are as of

Takapuna Grammar School Takapuna Grammar School is a state coeducational secondary school located in the suburb of Belmont on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. Established in 1927, the school mainly serves the eponymous suburb of Takapuna and the entire Dev ...

is in Belmont, to the southeast of Takapuna. It is the main public secondary school in the area.

References

Bibliography

* * * *

External links

Photographs of Takapuna
held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections. {{Subject bar, auto=y, d=y * Suburbs of Auckland North Shore, New Zealand Populated places around the Waitematā Harbour Populated places around the Hauraki Gulf Populated lakeshore places in New Zealand 1847 establishments in New Zealand Populated places established in 1847 Beaches of Auckland