He Kōrero mō Whau About Whau

The Whau Local Board area comprises the suburbs of New Lynn, Green Bay, Kelston, Rosebank, Avondale, New Windsor and Blockhouse Bay.

Character of the Whau Local Board area

The name Whau is from the estuarine arm of the Waitematā Harbour, which extends into the area.

The Whau local board is ethnically diverse, with populations in the area including European (45 per cent), Asian (35 per cent), Pacific peoples (18 per cent) and Māori (9 per cent).

The southern area is primarily residential with many local schools, and there are significant industrial areas in Kelston and along the Rosebank Peninsula. New Lynn is the primary retail shopping area, with Avondale providing a secondary site nearby.

Transport has always been a major issue in the area. It is one of the narrowest parts of the isthmus and both Māori and Pākehā had portage routes between the harbours, and therefore between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

Amenities in the Whau Local Board area

The continuing extensive regeneration of the New Lynn Metropolitan centre includes a major upgrade of rail facilities and transport improvements.

The regeneration is a project dating back to 1992, with considerable community engagement.

The current work is therefore the culmination of over 20 years of planning and engagement that addresses the current major population increase.

Download map showing Whau Local Board boundaries

Heritage of the Whau Local Board area 

The Whau Local Board area has a rich and unique history. Local community groups work to preserve this heritage, including:

• Avondale-Waterview Historical Society Inc - they preserve objects of historical interest in the Avondale and Waterview areas, and publish a journal on different local history topics.
• Blockhouse Bay Historical Society Inc - they document the area's history and share it through displays, talks, articles and community activities.
• West Auckland Historical Society - they gather and share west Auckland's history, including family history. They also provide education and community activities.
• Te Toi Uku - Crown Lynn - they preserve the history of west Auckland's clay industry, with particular focus on Crown Lynn Potteries.

You can also find a large collection of historical documents, audio, video and photographs at Auckland Libraries' Kura Heritage Collections Online.

Further information about Whau

The State of Auckland report provides information on the state of Whau’s environment as well as demographic and quality of life information in report cards produced by council.

Whau’s economic profile provides information on the economy including employment and workforce statistics, number and type of businesses and productivity levels.