Places

The story behind Craigavon Park

The story behind Craigavon Park and its connection with a founder of a famous Auckland department store.

Craigavon Park is a recreational area in Blockhouse Bay and bordering Green Bay, Auckland. This park with its bush setting with walking tracks, playing areas and children’s playground offers residents of the surrounding area the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors without having to venture far from the Blockhouse Bay main street and shopping area. Named after Lord Craigavon from Ireland (and Marianne’s birthplace), this park was donated by Marianne Caughey (Mrs W. H. Smith) as a gift to Auckland in November 1929.

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BHB Primary School Memories During WW2

Memories of Primary School During WW2

A wet afternoon and a box of old photos needing labelling and sorting, but soon I found myself remembering back to the 1940s. One memory led to another and though the photos are still largely unsorted, I had a fascinating afternoon, even going right back to commencing school during the early days of WWII.

Blockhouse Bay Historical Society

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Kauri tree

Kauri tree

Written and researched by Keith Rusden

As far as can be ascertained, the Blockhouse Bay area can boast only one veteran kauri tree. This tree sits precariously on the cliff edge, exposed to the prevailing wind and weather and all the elements.

At my request, Bruce Edwards, the Auckland City arborist, viewed this tree on 17 June 2004 to give an estimate of its age (before this he had been unaware of its existence).

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Notes on some features of the Manukau coastline

Notes on some features of the Manukau coastline,

from Green Bay to Onehunga

A.W.Glen, November 2006

Green Bay

Green Bay is at the western end of the Blockhouse Bay Historical Society’s bailiwick. The bay is a small indentation in the coastline on the inner channel. This bay was the southern exit of the old Maori portage from the Waitemata to the Manukau, via the Whau River. The route was a direct path from the Kaipara Harbour through the portage to the Waitemata, and then inshore to the entrance to the Whau river between the Te Atatu and Rosebank Peninsulas. A stream from the Whau branched off at New Lynn and followed up on the east side of the present day Portage Road, to near Craigavon Park. Another smaller stream exited from Craigavon Park and flowed to the Manukau on the east side of Green Bay Road. This stream entered the Manukau beside the beach facilities building and its course is a deep gully between the road and Motu Moana Camp, the Scout Association’s property on the east side of the gully. There has been some filling and land reforming for roads and facilities between the Connaught and Kinross Road intersections. The distance between the two streambeds was about 200 yards. The streams, although not large, would have had enough water in them, at most times of the year, to lubricate mudslides so that the canoes only had to be carried a short distance. At the west end, a short distance from the beach is a rock breastwork, part of the sewerage holding tank which is no longer in use, the sewerage being pumped to the Mangere Treatment Plant.

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Historic trees

Historic trees in the City Council District Plan, August 2004

There are three categories in the plan:

• a historical / cultural value
• b botanic value
• c visual amenity value

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Blockhouse Bay WW1 Honours Board 1914 - 1918

Blockhouse Bay WW1 Honours Board 1914 - 1918

Those who died

Those who returned

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Camping at the Bay

Camping at the Bay

Around the beginning of the 20th century, families began making the arduous journey over unformed roads, to camp at Blockhouse Bay beach reserve. They camped at both Blockhouse Bay and Sandy Bay and many came back year after year to the same site, where they had built a fireplace and dug ditches for drainage. There was a real community spirit among the campers, and when fishermen returned with large catches, the extra was shared so that all the families had some. The children all played together while the women shared chores and sat and chatted while the men fished or relaxed. After all, it was a holiday.

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Peter Bainbridge Motors & The Block Cafe

Peter Bainbridge Motors & The Block Cafe

568-570 Blockhouse Bay Road

Aerial veiw of The Block Cafe

Motor mechanic Peter Bainbridge has had a long association with the Bay, and in his years in business has a gained a reputation of giving great service to the local motorists. Peter is retiring, and in July put the 1111 sq m site on the market, this property having a Business – Local Centre Zoning, permitting a broad range of uses and a total building height of 18 m, so some changes may well be coming into the Village.

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Quarantine station at Blockhouse Point

Quarantine station at Blockhouse Point

Researched by Bill Glen

In the early 1860s the Government was concerned that, although immigrants were checked before boarding ship for New Zealand, some passengers took ill on the voyage. There was a risk of contagious diseases entering the country, putting the public at risk. On 12 January 1864 at Government House in Auckland, quarantine regulations were signed into law by Governor George Grey. These regulations required quarantine stations to be set up at main ports, and described the actions to be taken by ships’ masters, harbour boards and provincial governments, to protect the country from introduced diseases.

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Sandy Bay

Sandy Bay

Almost at the beach end of Blockhouse Bay Road, just on the edge of the beach Reserve, is the pathway to Sandy Bay. There is no car access which adds to the charm of this beautiful little bay. The path cuts back and down on an angle from the main road, bounded on the road side by a stone wall, ending in a stone seat. This was once keenly sought after by courting couples. Then the pathway plunges steeply down towards the shore.

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