Whangaparaoa Peninsula
The Whangaparaoa Peninsula is a suburban area about 25 km north of Auckland, New Zealand. It had 30,672 residents in 2013,[1] many of them in the eponymous town of Whangaparaoa on its southern side.[2] It is part of the Hibiscus Coast. The area is populated largely by retired Aucklanders and “weekenders” who may swell the numbers to many thousands in the holiday season.[3] However, many residents commute from this area to the Auckland CBD for work both via the Gulf Harbour ferry and the Hibiscus Coast Bus Station.
Whangaparāoa Peninsula "Bay Of Whales" | |
|---|---|
Suburban area | |
Location of the Whangapāraoa Peninsula | |
| Coordinates: 36°38′S 174°46′E / 36.633°S 174.767°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| City | Auckland |
| Local authority | Auckland Council |
| Electoral ward | Albany Ward |
| Local board | Hibiscus and Bays |
| Seat | Whangaparāoa |
| Population | |
| • Total | 30,672 |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Website | www |
History
The Kawerau hapū Ngāti Kahu traditionally inhabited the peninsula, prior to the arrival of Europeans. Ngāti Kahu's major focuses of settlement were around Te Haruhi Bay and Army Bay.[4] A waka portage existed between Tindalls Beach and Matakatia, allowing travellers to bypass the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, who otherwise would have needed to travel around the entire peninsula.[5]
Whangaparaoa Peninsula was purchased by the government in 1853, after which settlers began developing the land for grazing.[4] Ngāti Kahu continued to live on the land until the 1890s.[4] The Shakespear family acquired many of the landholdings, and farmed the area until 1967, when they sold their land to the Auckland Regional Council, who established the Shakespear Regional Park at the far end of the peninsula.[4]
Geography
The peninsula is in the northern North Island, close to the base of the North Auckland Peninsula. The Māori language name Whangaparāoa means "Bay of Whales",[6] and pods of orca and dolphin are regularly spotted in the waters off the peninsula. [6] The peninsula is mostly urbanised and is in the Northern Auckland Zone of the Auckland urban area,[7] as defined by Statistics New Zealand. Since 2010, it has been part of the Albany Ward and the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board of the Auckland Region.[7][8]
Until relatively recently a sparsely inhabited rural area,[9] the city lying 25 kilometres to the south.[7] The suburb of Gulf Harbour, four kilometres from the tip of the peninsula where the Gulf Harbour Country Club is located is one of the last suburbs to be developed and is quickly increasing in population.[10]
Auckland's Northern Motorway (State Highway One) was extended to Orewa at the end of the 1990s,[11] reducing journey time into the city and making it more popular for commuters. The under construction Penlink road (including a bridge over the Weiti River from Stanmore Bay to Stillwater) will provide a quicker route between the peninsula and central Auckland.[12][13]
The peninsula stretches east for 11 kilometres into the Hauraki Gulf, to the north of East Coast Bays.[7] Tiritiri Matangi Island is three kilometres off its eastern tip.
Communities include Red Beach, Stanmore Bay, Manly, Tindalls Beach, Army Bay, Gulf Harbour, Matakatia, and Arkles Bay. At the end of the peninsula is Shakespear Regional Park.
The New Zealand Defence Force owns part of this area. The base has been used as a resettlement camp for refugees, such as in 2001 when 130 refugees lived there.[14] As of February 2020[update] it was being used to quarantine New Zealanders who left Wuhan, China during the COVID-19 pandemic.[15]
Economy
Whangaparāoa Town Centre and Coast Plaza
In the past twenty years the township has developed on the high land above Stanmore Bay, including a shopping centre (Coast Plaza),[16] a movie theatre, a bowling alley, a library and community centre.[17][18]
Coast Plaza has 350 carparks, a recently developed food precinct and is anchored by Countdown.[16]
Stanmore Bay Shopping Complex
The Stanmore Bay shopping complex opened in 2015,[19] replacing the previous complex. The new centre includes 16 retail spaces[20] and is anchored by New World[19] When completed, the Stanmore Shopping complex will mark the end of the Penlink motorway connection.[21]
Manly Village
The Manly Village is home to many of the coast's restaurants and shops.[22] Plans were lodged for upgrades to part of the complex in 2017 which would have increased retail spaces and added more apartments but have not progressed.[23]
Gulf Harbour Marina
Opening in the late 1980s the Gulf Harbour Marina is home to a variety of boat maintenance services, and retail.[24] The marina provides for vessels up to 55 metres and has in excess of 1050 berths.[25]
Climate
Whangaparāoa is a warm temperate oceanic climate (Cfb) on the Köppen Climate Classification System.
| Climate data for Whangaparāoa (2010-2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 28.65 (83.57) | 27.66 (81.79) | 26.68 (80.02) | 22.72 (72.90) | 20.75 (69.35) | 17.78 (64.00) | 16.8 (62.2) | 17.78 (64.00) | 19.76 (67.57) | 21.74 (71.13) | 22.72 (72.90) | 26.68 (80.02) | 28.65 (83.57) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 21.66 (70.99) | 22.25 (72.05) | 20.94 (69.69) | 18.93 (66.07) | 16.69 (62.04) | 14.7 (58.5) | 13.61 (56.50) | 13.97 (57.15) | 14.61 (58.30) | 16.19 (61.14) | 18.07 (64.53) | 20.71 (69.28) | 17.65 (63.77) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 19.89 (67.80) | 20.33 (68.59) | 19.12 (66.42) | 17.32 (63.18) | 15.31 (59.56) | 13.54 (56.37) | 12.29 (54.12) | 12.54 (54.57) | 13.11 (55.60) | 14.52 (58.14) | 16.34 (61.41) | 18.45 (65.21) | 16.06 (60.91) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 16.63 (61.93) | 17.28 (63.10) | 16.38 (61.48) | 15.19 (59.34) | 13.47 (56.25) | 11.94 (53.49) | 10.54 (50.97) | 10.66 (51.19) | 10.9 (51.6) | 11.87 (53.37) | 13.12 (55.62) | 15.27 (59.49) | 13.6 (56.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 11.86 (53.35) | 11.86 (53.35) | 10.87 (51.57) | 10.87 (51.57) | 4.94 (40.89) | 5.93 (42.67) | 5.93 (42.67) | 3.95 (39.11) | 4.94 (40.89) | 5.93 (42.67) | 4.94 (40.89) | 10.8 (51.4) | 3.95 (39.11) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 85.35 (3.36) | 92.54 (3.64) | 96.2 (3.79) | 116.12 (4.57) | 143.69 (5.66) | 157.72 (6.21) | 132.52 (5.22) | 144.99 (5.71) | 135.34 (5.33) | 85.51 (3.37) | 98.28 (3.87) | 103.59 (4.08) | 115.99 (4.57) |
| Average rainy days | 9.07 | 11.05 | 11.59 | 13.2 | 15.18 | 15.45 | 15.26 | 17.15 | 15.81 | 13.29 | 12.21 | 11.5 | 13.4 |
| Source: Weather and Climate [26] | |||||||||||||
Sport
The peninsula is home to the Silverdale Seahawks rugby union[27] and also Hibiscus Coast Raiders rugby league, that are a part of Auckland Rugby League and compete in the Fox Memorial Championship. The peninsula is also home to football (soccer) club Hibiscus Coast AFC, which competes in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2.[28]
Transportation
Hibiscus Coast is served by Auckland Transport bus routes operated by AT Metro to destinations including Hibiscus Coast Bus Station[29] and central Auckland. Commuter ferries operated by Auckland Transport and Fullers360 run between Gulf Harbour and central Auckland on week days.[30] Tourism services operate from Auckland City via Gulf Harbour to Tiritiri Matangi Island on select days.[31]
Education
Whangaparaoa College is the main college. It was formed from Hibiscus Coast Intermediate School in 2005, and first had all years 7 to 13 attending in 2009. Other schools:
- Wentworth College and Primary[32] (Gulf Harbour)
- Whangaparaoa Primary
- Stanmore Bay Primary
- Gulf Harbour School
- Red Beach Primary
- Orewa College
- KingsWay School
See also
References
- ^ . Archived from the original on 22 August 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
- ^ "Auckland Places - Whangaparaoa Peninsula". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Government of New Zealand. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
- ^ McLintock, Alexander Hare; Barry Clayton Waterhouse, New Zealand Geological Survey; Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "WHANGAPARAOA PENINSULA". An encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, 1966. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d Cameron, Ewen; Hayward, Bruce; Murdoch, Graeme (2008). A Field Guide to Auckland: Exploring the Region's Natural and Historical Heritage. Random House New Zealand. p. 124-125. ISBN 978-1-86962-1513.
- ^ Hooker, Brian (September 1997). "Portages of early Auckland - to and from the Waitemata Harbour: The hub of an ancient communications network". Auckland-Waikato Historical Journal (70): 39–40. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Whangaparaoa - NZ Tourism Guide". www.tourism.net.nz. 6 January 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ FIELD, By MICHAEL (11 March 2010). "Auckland super city boundaries unveiled". Stuff. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "Hibiscus and Bays Population Growth". ecoprofile.infometrics.co.nz. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ . Archived from the original on 2 October 2015.
- ^ Grimes, Arthur; Liang, Yun (2008). Bridge to Somewhere: The Value of Auckland’s Northern Motorway Extensions (PDF).
- ^ "Penlink". At.govt.nz.
- ^ "O Mahurangi – Penlink | Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "Accused rioters go back to camp". Nzherald.co.nz. 2 October 2001. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ "No passengers from Wuhan test positive for novel coronavirus". Rnz.co.nz. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Coast Centre Info". Thecoast.co.nz.
- ^ "Auckland Libraries: Whangaparāoa Library". Auckland Libraries. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ Whangaparaoa Centre Plan December 2018 (PDF). Auckland Council.
- ^ a b Trayes, Caralise (10 September 2015). "Stanmore Bay shopping centre opening before Christmas". Stuff. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "Stanmore Bay retail development | Babbage Projects". www.babbage.co.nz. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "Key design refinements | Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 17 October 2008.
- ^ Matters, Local (12 March 2017). "Consent lodged for Manly Village apartments". Local Matters. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "Gulf Harbour Marina - Hauraki Gulf | NZ Marina of the Year 2020-21 | Home". Gulf Harbour Marina - Hauraki Gulf. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "Gulf Harbour Marina - Auckland - Marinas - boatiesnz". www.boaties.co.nz. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "Climate Whangaparāoa: Weather By Month". Weather and Climate. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ "Silverdale Rugby & Sports Club". www.silverdalerugby.co.nz. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ "About Hibiscus Coast AFSC". Hibiscus Coast Association Football Club. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ "Hibiscus Coast Bus Routes" (PDF). At.govt.nz. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ "Gulf Harbour". Fullers360. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ "Tiritiri Matangi Island Ferry Service | Island Wildlife Sanctuary | Hauraki Gulf | Explore". www.exploregroup.co.nz. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ "Wentworth Private School - Gulf Harbour Auckland - Cambridge Education". Wentworth.school.nz.