Henderson, New Zealand
Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Infobox New Zealand suburb Template:Adjacent place HendersonTemplate:Efn is a suburb of West Auckland, New Zealand. It is Template:Convert west of Auckland city centre, and Template:Convert west of the Whau River, a southwestern arm of the Waitematā Harbour.
Henderson initially developed around the mill of Thomas Henderson and was known as Henderson's Mill. As it expanded it became known as just Henderson and later it became an independent borough. As part of the 1989 local government reforms it became the centre of Waitakere City until Waitakere City was amalgamated to form the new Auckland Council.
Geography
Henderson is located between the Waitākere Ranges to the west, and the Te Atatū Peninsula in the east. The area is within the catchment of Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek, an estuarial arm of the Waitematā Harbour. The Ōpanuku, Oratia, Swanson, Momutu and Paremuka streams meet at Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek, to the north of Henderson.
Between 3 and 5 million years ago, tectonic forces uplifted the Waitākere Ranges and central Auckland, while subsiding the Manukau and inner Waitematā harbours.Template:Sfn The land at Henderson is formed from Waitemata Group sandstone, which was previously found at the bottom of a deep sedimentary basin.Template:Sfn Land close to Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek and the Waitematā Harbour are formed from rhyolitic clays and peat, formed from eroding soil and interactions with the harbour.Template:Sfn Prior to human contact, the Henderson area was home to broadleaf forests, dominated by pūriri, karaka, kohekohe and māhoe trees.<ref name="NativeWest">Template:Cite web</ref> The alluvial creek/harbour zone was favoured by kahikatea, pukatea and rātā, with tī kōuka (cabbage trees) flourishing in wetter sites.<ref name="NativeWest"/>
Climate
History
Henderson is in the traditional rohe of Te Kawerau ā Maki,<ref name="TwinStreamsOpanuku">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="TeKawerau">Template:Cite web</ref> and the name Ōpanuku refers to the Ōpanuku Stream, traditionally known as Te Wai-ō-Panuku ("The Stream of Panuku"), Panuku being the name of one of the earliest Te Kawerau ā Maki ancestors.<ref name="TeKawerau"/> The lower Opanuku Stream area was called Waitaro, referring to the taro cultivations grown there.<ref name="TeKawerau"/>
The point where the Opanuku and Oratia Streams meet (the Tui Glen Reserve / Falls Park area) is the beginning of Te Wai-o-Pareira, also known as the Henderson Creek, and the point where the creek became navigable by waka.<ref name="TeKawerau"/> This point was strategically important to Te Kawerau ā Maki, and was the location of a small fortified pā known as Te Kōpua.<ref name="TeKawerau"/> Kōpūpāka was the name of a kāinga close to Te Kōpua, which was used as a temporary settlement by Ngāti Whātua during the Musket Wars in the 1820s, during a brief lull in conflict.Template:Sfn After the Musket Wars, Te Kawerau ā Maki returned to the area in the 1830s, and most members chose to settle close to a defensive pā at Te Henga / Bethells Beach.<ref name="AucklandCouncilMuddy">Template:Cite web</ref>
Henderson is named after early colonial settler Thomas Henderson, a Scottish immigrant who purchased land from Ngati Whatua in 1844 and established a timber mill on the banks of Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek ca. 1847 to process the logs of kauri trees which were cut from the Henderson Valley and further upstream, from the eastern flanks of the Waitākere Ranges.<ref name="Henderson Heritage Trail">Template:Cite web</ref> The community which developed around the mill was known as Henderson's Mill, and later the Henderson's Mill Settlement.Template:Sfn The first European settlers in the community were mill workers, who were joined gum diggers, farm workers and brick makers.Template:Sfn In 1855, George Pirrit and his son William Pirrit bought land at Henderson adjacent to the Oratia Stream, which they dammed in order to operate a water turbine, manufacturing iron heel and toe plates for boots.Template:Sfn In the following year, a hotel was opened on the town's main street.Template:Sfn
The mill closed in the latter 1860s,Template:Sfn and in 1875 the area was hit by a major flood, damaging crops and bridges near the settlement.Template:Sfn The area became more prosperous in the 1880s, after the North Auckland Railway opened between Auckland and Helensville.Template:Sfn When the Henderson railway station was opened, the name was displayed as Henderson Mill, with the possessive dropped. Overtime, goods to the area sent by rail began adopting this name, and eventually the settlement was referred to as Henderson.Template:Sfn In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Henderson was the location of a number of brick and pottery yards adjacent to Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek. The major brick industries in West Auckland were located to the south, along the Whau River.<ref name="DiamondBrick">Template:Cite book</ref> In 1896, a community hall was built at Henderson, hosting concerts for the West Auckland area.Template:Sfn This was destroyed by fire in 1924, and rebuilt in brick.Template:Sfn
In 1907, Lebanese New Zealander Assid Abraham Corban developed a vineyard at Henderson.Template:Sfn After the sale of alcohol was prohibited in Henderson during the temperance movement, Corban set up a depot at the border of the prohibition area on the eastern side of the railway tracks, in order to sell his projects.Template:Sfn
By the 1920s, the Lincoln Road, Swanson Road and Sturgess Road areas had developed into orchards run primarily by Dalmatian families who immigrated to New Zealand, including the included Bilich (later White), Babich, Boric, Yelavich and Fredatovich families.Template:Sfn During this time, the Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek at Tui Glen Reserve had become a popular waterway for leisure and a site for pleasure boating.Template:Sfn The first modern brick block of shops were built in the area in 1932.Template:Sfn In the early 1930s, a kauri gum refinery was constructed on Station Road, however this closed down in 1936 after a market slump.<ref name="HaywardGum">Template:Cite book</ref>
Amenities and attractions
Henderson features a large shopping centre, WestCity Waitakere, with numerous other shops and large stores also located in the area. The West Wave Pool and Leisure Centre, owned by the Auckland Council, was built to host the Aquatics at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
The Corban's Wine Estate and Corban Estate Arts Centre are both located in Henderson. The annual InterACT Disability Arts Festival is held at the gallery.<ref name="Corban Estate Arts Centre">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the northern end of Henderson, near the Lincoln Road motorway interchange, the Toroa, a historic ferry under restoration, is a well-known local landmark.
The Trusts Stadium attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, hosting a range of events, including concerts, sporting events and community gatherings.<ref name=stadium>Template:Cite web</ref> The Trusts Stadium was completed in August 2004 and was opened by then Prime Minister Helen Clark the following month. It cost $28 million to complete but opened debt-free, with The Trusts providing $5 million, Waitakere City Council contributing $12.5 million and ASB Charitable Trusts providing $4.5 million.<ref name=athletic>Template:Cite web</ref>
Falls Hotel is a historic hotel located in Falls Park along Alderman Drive. It currently hosts a café and restaurant.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Demographics
Henderson covers Template:Convert<ref name="Area">Template:Cite web</ref> and had an estimated population of Template:Decimals as of Template:NZ population data 2023 SA2 with a population density of Template:Decimals people per km2.
Template:Historical populations Henderson had a population of 16,503 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 840 people (5.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 2,370 people (16.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 8,016 males, 8,430 females and 60 people of other genders in 5,679 dwellings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 3.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 3,204 people (19.4%) aged under 15 years, 3,228 (19.6%) aged 15 to 29, 7,473 (45.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,589 (15.7%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 42.5% European (Pākehā); 17.7% Māori; 23.0% Pasifika; 31.4% Asian; 2.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 90.9%, Māori language by 4.1%, Samoan by 7.7%, and other languages by 27.2%. No language could be spoken by 3.0% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 41.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 40.4% Christian, 5.7% Hindu, 3.3% Islam, 1.4% Māori religious beliefs, 1.7% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 39.2%, and 6.5% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 2,940 (22.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 5,889 (44.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 4,458 (33.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 921 people (6.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 6,333 (47.6%) people were employed full-time, 1,338 (10.1%) were part-time, and 585 (4.4%) were unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
| Name | Area (km2) |
Population | Density (per km2) |
Dwellings | Median age | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson North | 0.59 | 2,109 | 3,575 | 744 | 36.5 years | $32,000<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Henderson West | 1.09 | 2,787 | 2,557 | 939 | 36.0 years | $38,600<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Henderson Central | 2.02 | 1,491 | 738 | 774 | 47.1 years | $29,000<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Henderson Valley Park | 0.97 | 2,910 | 3,000 | 795 | 32.2 years | $36,500<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Henderson North East | 0.80 | 2,709 | 3,386 | 942 | 38.3 years | $35,500<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Henderson East | 1.18 | 4,497 | 3,811 | 1,485 | 35.3 years | $40,300<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| New Zealand | 38.1 years | $41,500 |
Politics
Local government
From 1876 until 1946, Henderson was administered by the Waitemata County Council, a large rural county north and west of the city of Auckland.<ref name="West-Reidy-civic">Template:Cite book</ref> In 1922 Henderson was constituted a town district within the county.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1946, the Henderson Borough was formed, 10 years later the borough expanded via annexing a small part of Waitemata County.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1989, the borough was merged into the Waitakere City.Template:Cn Waitakere City Council was amalgamated into Auckland Council in November 2010.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Within the Auckland Council, Henderson is a part of the Henderson-Massey local government area governed by the Henderson-Massey Local Board. It is a part of the Waitākere ward, which elects two councillors to the Auckland Council.Template:Cn
List of borough mayors
- 1946–1956 William Gibb Blacklock
- 1956–1965 Frederick George William Wilsher
- 1965–1974 Reginald Alfred Keeling
- 1974–1989 Assid Khaleel Corban
Member of Parliament
The Local Member of Parliament for Henderson is Phil Twyford, the MP for Te Atatū, who keeps an office in the suburb.
Education
The first school in Henderson began operating in 1873, held in the library of Henderson's Mill.Template:Sfn
Henderson High School is a secondary (years 9–13) school with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data students.<ref>Template:TKI</ref> The high school was founded in 1953.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Waitākere College is a coeducational secondary (years 9–13) school with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data students.<ref>Template:TKI</ref> It opened in 1975.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Liston College and St Dominic's College are secondary (years 7–13) Catholic schools for boys and girls, respectively. They have rolls of Template:NZ school roll data and Template:NZ school roll data students.<ref>Template:TKI</ref><ref>Template:TKI</ref>
Henderson Intermediate is a coeducational intermediate (years 7–8) school with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data students.<ref>Template:TKI</ref> It opened in 1964.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
Henderson School and Henderson South School are contributing primary (years 1–6) schools with rolls of Template:NZ school roll data<ref>Template:TKI</ref> and Template:NZ school roll data students,<ref>Template:TKI</ref> respectively. Henderson School was founded in 1873<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and Henderson South School in 1967.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Henderson North School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data students.<ref>Template:TKI</ref> It celebrated its 50th jubilee in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Holy Cross School, a Catholic primary school, is a full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data students.<ref>Template:TKI</ref> It celebrated its 75th jubilee in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rolls are as at Template:NZ school roll data.Template:NZ school roll data
Transport
The Western Line runs through the suburb, with Henderson Railway Station being adjacent to the town centre. Henderson Railway Station is adjacent to the main shopping centre and a bus interchange. The suburb is also served by the Sturges Road Railway Station. Motorway access is provided via the interchange at Lincoln Road, in the adjacent suburb of Lincoln. The main walkways and cycleways of the Project Twin Streams go through the suburb.Template:Cn
Notes
References
Print references
External links
- Photographs of Henderson held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections.
Template:Henderson-Massey Local Board Area Template:Subject bar