The Whau Local Board area comprises the suburbs of New Lynn, Green Bay, Kelston, Rosebank, Avondale, New Windsor and Blockhouse Bay.
The name Whau is from the estuarine arm of the Waitemata 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 Maori (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 Maori and Pakeha had portage routes between the harbours, and therefore between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
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.
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.
