Wairau Valley is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. The area is predominantly light industrial/commercial. The Northern Motorway passes to the east, and the Wairau Park shopping complex extends to the north.[3] The valley is drained by the Wairau Creek, which flows on through Milford and discharges into the Hauraki Gulf from an estuary at the northern end of Milford Beach.
Etymology
The suburb is named after the Wairau Creek, which flows through the suburb. The name Wairau in Māori means "Waters Gathered by a Net".[4]
History
The Wairau Valley was primarily swampland and farmland in the early 20th century, including some areas that were leased to Chinese market gardeners.[5] In 1959, the Auckland Harbour Bridge opened, leading to rapid suburbanisation on the North Shore.[6] The Wairau Valley developed stormwater runoff problems as the surrounding greenspaces were developed, and the Waitemata County Council began plans to line the Wairau Valley waterways with concrete.[7]
From 1970, Wairau Valley was redeveloped as an industrial area,[7] and only a few years later became the largest industrial area on the North Shore.[6]
In 1982, The Warehouse opened their first store in New Zealand in Wairau Valley.[6] In 1992, the North Shore Sports and Leisure Centre was opened in the suburb (now known as the Eventfinda Stadium).[8]
Demographics
Wairau Valley covers 2.56 km2 (0.99 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 200 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 78 people per km2.
Wairau Valley had a population of 204 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 36 people (21.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 99 people (94.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 45 households, comprising 126 males and 78 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.62 males per female. The median age was 43.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 27 people (13.2%) aged under 15 years, 45 (22.1%) aged 15 to 29, 114 (55.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 18 (8.8%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 63.2% European/Pākehā, 5.9% Māori, 5.9% Pacific peoples, 30.9% Asian, and 2.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 42.6, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 50.0% had no religion, 35.3% were Christian, 2.9% had Māori religious beliefs, 5.9% were Hindu, 1.5% were Muslim and 4.4% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 30 (16.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 24 (13.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $34,700, compared with $31,800 nationally. 27 people (15.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 102 (57.6%) people were employed full-time and 24 (13.6%) were part-time.[9]
Education and recreation
Wairau Valley Special School is a coeducational special school, with a roll of 256 students as of August 2024.[10][11] It caters for students up to 21 years old with intellectual disabilities.[12] The North Shore Events Centre, an indoor arena, is in Wairau Valley.
Local government
The North Shore Highway District was the first local government body in the Wairau Valley from 1868, administering projects including roads from Birkenhead north to the Okura River.[6] From 1876, the area was administered by the Waitemata County, a large rural county north and west of the city of Auckland.[13]
On 1 August 1974, the Waitemata County was dissolved,[14] and Wairau Valley was incorporated into Takapuna City.[15] In 1989, Wairau Valley was merged into the North Shore City.[16] North Shore City was amalgamated into Auckland Council in November 2010.[17]
Within the Auckland Council, Wairau Valley is a part of the Kaipātiki local government area governed by the Kaipātiki Local Board. It is a part of the North Shore ward, which elects two councillors to the Auckland Council.
^Reidy, Jade (2009). "How the West Was Run". In Macdonald, Finlay; Kerr, Ruth (eds.). West: The History of Waitakere. Random House. pp. 238–239. ISBN9781869790080.
^Adam, Jack; Burgess, Vivien; Ellis, Dawn (2004). Rugged Determination: Historical Window on Swanson 1854-2004. Swanson Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc. pp. 38–39. ISBN0-476-00544-2.
