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Manukau City
—  Territorial authority of New Zealand  —
The Manukau skyline looking northwest.
Nickname(s): South Auckland
Manukau City's location within New Zealand
Manukau City's location (shown in orange) within the Auckland metropolitan area. The darker orange indicates the urban area.
Country	New Zealand
Island	North Island
Region	Auckland
Wards	Botany-Clevedon, Howick, Mangere, Manurewa, Otara, Pakuranga, Papatoetoe
Government
- Mayor	Len Brown
Area
- Total	683 km2 (263.7 sq mi)
Population (June 2009 estimate)[1]
- Total	368,500
- Density	539.5/km2 (1,397.4/sq mi)
Time zone	NZST (UTC+12)
- Summer (DST)	NZDT (UTC+13)
Area code(s)	09
Website	http://www.manukau.govt.nz/ http://www.arc.govt.nz/

Manukau City is a large city in the Auckland Region / Greater Auckland area of New Zealand. The city is sometimes referred to as South Auckland, but this term does not possess official recognition and does not encompass areas like East Auckland, which is within the official boundaries of Manukau City. Manukau City is a relatively young city, both in terms of legal status and large-scale settlement - though with a current size of 368,500 inhabitants (June 2009 estimate),^[1] it is also the third-largest in New Zealand as well as the country's fastest-growing.^[2]

The name Manukau, from the Manukau Harbour west of the city, is of Māori origin, and means 'wading birds',^{[citation needed]} although it has been suggested that the name of the harbour was also sometimes rendered as Mānuka, meaning a marker post with which an early chief is said to have claimed the area.^[3]

History

Manukau City was formed by the amalgamation of Manukau County and Manurewa Borough in 1965. The city expanded in 1989 with New Zealand-wide reorganisation of local government to include Papatoetoe City and Howick Borough. However, some land was lost in the formation of Papakura District at the same time.

Geography

The Manukau City area is concentrated immediately to the south of the Otahuhu isthmus, the narrowest connection between Auckland City and the Northland region and the rest of the north island. At its narrowest, between the Otahuhu Creek arm of the Tamaki River (itself an estuarial arm of the Hauraki Gulf) in the east and the Mangere Inlet (an arm of the Manukau Harbour) to the west, the isthmus is only some 1500 metres across.

The area to the south of the isthmus contains the heart of Manukau, sprawled on either side of State Highways 1 and 20, the latter of which approaches from the west after crossing Mangere Bridge. The area known as Manukau Central is located close to the junction of these two highways, some 20 kilometres southeast of the centre of Auckland city.

Considerable rural and semi-rural land to the east of Manukau central is also within the city's limits. This extends towards the Hunua Ranges close to the Firth of Thames, and takes in such communities as Clevedon and Maraetai.

Beyond Manukau to the south lie Papakura and the Franklin District, which are less urban but still part of the Auckland Region and to some extent regarded as an integral part of Auckland's urban area.

Auckland Airport is located in Mangere, in the west of Manukau, close to the waters of the Manukau Harbour. Manukau includes the theme park Rainbow's End, and one of the oldest shopping malls in the country, now called Westfield Manukau City.

Transport

In 2009, work started on a passenger branch railway junctioning with the North Island Main Trunk at Puhinui. ^[4] The new branch will serve a univerity campus.

Population

For some years before the 1989 reorganisation of local government, the then Manukau City had the highest population of any city or district in the country.

Like most of the rest of the region, Manukau is ethnically diverse, and is home to many cultures, especially Māori and members of Polynesian ethnicities, with a recent concentration of Asians in and near Howick. It is densely populated by New Zealand standards, despite having very few apartments.

As of the late 2000s, slightly less than 50% of the city's population identifies as European, with 17% as Māori, 27% as Pacific and 15% as Asian, with the balance made up of other groups.^[2]

Schools

Wards and suburbs

Manukau City is divided into 7 wards. The names of wards and lists of main suburbs/towns are:

Prominent people

• Jim Anderton, former city councillor, who rose to be the country's Deputy Prime Minister
• Sir Barry Curtis, former long-serving Mayor, from 1983 to 2007
• David Lange, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Member of Parliament for Mangere.

Local government

The Manukau City Council is the elected local authority of the city.

Elected members

Elected members of the Manukau City Council, as of October 2007

Sister cities

• Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan

References

External links

• Official website
• Manukau Directory and Info
• Manukau Street Map
• Manukau Libraries

Coordinates: 36°59′S 174°53′E / 36.983°S 174.883°E / -36.983; 174.883

From Wikitravel

Manukau City [[1]] is part of the Auckland metropolitan area, which is in the Auckland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Sometimes known as South Auckland, it lies immediately to the south and east of the adjacent Auckland City. It is New Zealand's third most populous "city", after Auckland City and Christchurch.

It is one of the truly multi-cultural cities of the world, with Pacific Island nationalities being particularly strongly represented among its residents. There are over 55 different ethnic groups that make up the population of this unique city, with people from Europe, Asia, and the Americas also here.

Understand

The resident population of Manukau City in the 2001 census was 283,200. It is now believed to be in excess of 310,000 making Manukau City one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand. It has welcomed more than 5,500 new residents each year since 1996. The Howick and Manurewa wards accounted for 60% of the growth, with the remainder spread evenly amongst the remaining wards.

Manukau's diverse population is something that makes this city unique. It has over 55 different ethnic groups represented. Manukau city has the highest proportion of Pacific Island residents (25.6%) of any New Zealand city. In some cases, there are more Pacific Island residents living in Manukau city than there are on the Pacific Islands that those residents originate from.

Also of interest is the age spread of Manukau's population. Manukau has a large proportion of people under 25 years of age (41.9%) making it a city with a very strong young population.

• Auckland International Airport, the main international gateway to New Zealand, is in the city at Mangere.

• Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens [2], located in Manurewa, has over 10,000 different plant types, both natives and exotics, spread over 65 hectares. Hosts the annual Ellerslie Flower Show.

• Butterfly Creek, Tom Pearce Drive (near Auckland International Airport), [3]. A tropical butterfly and moth house. Any time is good to see the butterflies but the best time is on sunny mornings. The butterfly house is warm and humid. Also has some tropical aquaria, farmyard animals, a train for the kids and a cafe.

• Howick Historical Village, Corner of Lady Marie Drive & Bells Road, Lloyd Elsmore Park, Pakuranga, [4]. This historical park gives visitors a taste of what life was like from 1840 to 1880. It's open seven days a week from 10 AM to 4 PM. Closed Christmas Day, New Years Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day. Adults $14, children over 5 $7.

• Otuataua Stonefields, site of ancient Maori gardens on a low volcano.

• Rainbow's End [5] is NZ’s premier family-based theme park with many rides and attractions. Bus routes 471-472, 474, 487, 497.

• Climb Mangere Mountain [6], an extinct volcano and former site of a pre-European Maori village, overlooking the Manukau Harbour.

• Visit Howick Historical Village [7], a living historical museum located in Pakuranga where you can see some of the many items on display and in storage relating to early life in Auckland.

• Otara Flea Market. Every Sat, open from 6AM - 12 noon at the Otara Shopping Centre, Newbury St. Huge selection of clothes, household items and food. Otara is largely populated by Polynesian and Maori people and this market reflects the culture of the area. You can buy Pacific Island music and clothing for example. Well worth a wander around.

• Finn McCools Irish Pub Manukau, 712 Great South Road. Finn McCools is a great pub with great grub. With a wide variety of food from bar snacks, steaks, & gourmet pizzas.

• Ventura Inn & Suites Auckland Airport, 14 Airpark Drive, Airport Oaks, +64 (09) 275 4540. [8] Closest accommodation to Auckland International Airport

Get out

Ferries leave from Half Moon Bay for Hauraki Gulf islands and central Auckland.