Herald Island - Pahiki

A curious little island in the upper Waitemata, with a long and interesting history, and a reputation for being full of characters.
Historian Timespanner has made an excellent study of Herald Island's pakeha history, it's connections before that being with Ngati Whatua and Te Kawerau a Maki.

There appear to have been many owners, caretakers and purposes for the island between the 1840s and the 1940s, the most consistent of them all being that it was known as a pleasant place for a Sunday picnic. And that remains the case. Subdivision commenced in 1943, and the causeway that connects it by road to the mainland went in in 1957, but it is still a quiet and isolated spot thanks to the water boundaries that hold at bay the growth of suburban Auckland on all sides.

There is a marina, a swimming spot named 'Christmas Beach', the middle of the island is a domain with a children's play area, and there are a few slim community facilities including a bus to the Auckland Ferry. A planned town hall never eventuated and a small cinema long ago met it's demise. Islanders remain independent thinkers and some of their shacks even more so, as they were not under of Waitakere City or indeed any authority during the development of the residential areas so there are some sights to behold. Gentrification is trying to make a dent here but it's progress may be slow.

A ship's graveyard populates the mangroves to the east, and there are reportedly some interesting finds there, even Auckland's 1920s floating brothel called 'The Showboat'. Other vessels at rest here have histories in the trade of slaves and gold. Check out Timespanner's interesting article.