36-443: The Waitakere Tramline is a 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) long industrial narrow gauge railway near Swanson in the Waitākere Ranges south-west of Auckland in New Zealand , which is being used since 1907 for building and maintaining the dam and water pipeline at the Upper Nihotupu Reservoir . It was used until 2014 also by the Waitakere Tramline Society Inc. for tourist excursions, which have been indefinitely ceased due to
72-689: A 15m long section of the tramline with 6m of track left dangling in the air. In November 2014, the Waitakere and Nihotupu tramline were closed for tourist transport on 24 November 2014, but the Waitakere tramline is still used by Watercare for maintenance of the dam and pipeline. Sections of the track can be seen from the Waitakere Tramline Loop Track, which follows the old tramline through some of its tunnels. 36°53′30″S 174°32′58″E / 36.8918°S 174.5495°E / -36.8918; 174.5495 ( Start of
108-575: A crowd of 7,500 people. The town further developed in the late 1910s and 1920s when the New Zealand Government balloted and divided kauri gum reverse land. Many of the new settlers were servicemen who had returned after World War I . By the 1920s, sheep and cattle farming had become more common in the area, and after the Swanson School moved locations, the town was no longer centred around the railway station. On 23 May 1929,
144-739: A local board, and the residents of the Waitākere Ranges and Henderson-Massey elect two councillors from the Waitākere ward to sit on the Auckland Council. Te Wai-o-Pareira The Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek is an estuarine river in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It flows north from its sources in the Henderson Valley and Titirangi , before reaching the western Waitematā Harbour . The section of
180-550: A part of the warm lowlands ecosystem common in inland West Auckland, dominated by kauri , rimu , rātā , kahikatea and rewarewa . The areas adjacent to the Swanson Stream were an alluvial flood zone, favoured by kahikatea and tōtara trees. The Swanson area is in the rohe of Te Kawerau ā Maki , a Tāmaki Māori iwi who traditionally settled in the West Auckland and Waitākere Ranges area. A defensive pā
216-441: A population density of 1,651 people per km . Before the 2023 census, the suburb had a smaller boundary, covering 1.89 km (0.73 sq mi). Using that boundary, Swanson had a population of 2,241 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 591 people (35.8%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 855 people (61.7%) since the 2006 census . There were 699 households, comprising 1,104 males and 1,134 females, giving
252-775: A population density of 160 people per km . Swanson Rural had a population of 2,355 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 225 people (10.6%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 318 people (15.6%) since the 2006 census . There were 750 households, comprising 1,212 males and 1,146 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.06 males per female. The median age was 40.7 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 402 people (17.1%) aged under 15 years, 495 (21.0%) aged 15 to 29, 1,176 (49.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 282 (12.0%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 86.9% European/ Pākehā , 14.3% Māori , 5.0% Pacific peoples , 7.1% Asian , and 2.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
288-478: A risk assessment. The track with an original gauge of 2 ft 6 in (762 mm), which has later been regauged to 2 ft (610 mm) started originally at Swanson railway station and ran to a point above the Filter Station. From there it runs to the dam at Waitākere Reservoir. The lower section of the rail track from Swanson up beyond the Filter Station was lifted c. 1927 . One of
324-458: A sex ratio of 0.97 males per female. The median age was 32.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 504 people (22.5%) aged under 15 years, 507 (22.6%) aged 15 to 29, 1,062 (47.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 168 (7.5%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 62.8% European/ Pākehā , 15.1% Māori , 11.2% Pacific peoples , 25.0% Asian , and 2.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
360-754: A training camp for soldiers during World War II . This was later taken over by the Royal New Zealand Air Force , who used the park as a bush warfare training facility. The army camp became a strong focus for the Swanson community during the war, during which the camp held regular dances and balls. The camp was vacated in August 1945, after which it became one of the largest inland motorcamps in New Zealand. Local winemaker Milan Babić Yozin, who had established extensive orchards in Swanson in
396-690: A widespread protest movement in Swanson, seeing the formation of the Swanson Balefill Action Group. The group succeeded in lobbying the council, and the Kay Road Balefill was officially closed in November 1996. Crystal Mountain Mine Museum, a specialist museum, has operated in Swanson since 2000. Swanson covers 2.09 km (0.81 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 3,450 as of June 2024, with
SECTION 10
#1732798463310432-554: Is the westernmost and northernmost point of the electrified rail network . From 1876 until 1974, Swanson was administered by the Waitemata County , a large rural county north and west of the city of Auckland. In 1974, Swanson became a part of the Waitemata City , an area which covered most of West Auckland , excluding the boroughs of Henderson , Glen Eden and New Lynn . With the 1989 local government reforms,
468-492: The Waitākere Dam at the location of the falls, to ensure better drinking water for the city of Auckland. Swanson township was a major source of labour for the project, and by 1907 a tramline had been constructed between the dam site and the Swanson railway station. Work on the dam was completed in 1910, and in the 1920s a filtration plant was constructed at Swanson. Redwood Park became a popular destination for picnickers in
504-502: The 1890s and 1900s. On New Years Day 1900, three different groups organised picnics at the park, resulting in between 1,500 and 2,000 picnickers visiting Swanson that day. The park was bought by Arney Robertson in 1921, who called it the Swanson Park and Recreation Ground. In 1934, the park gained the name Redwood Park when 3,000 redwood trees were planted here (many of which died in a cyclone in 1937). An RSA picnic in 1936 brought
540-525: The 1930s, began growing wine in Swanson in 1942. The population of Swanson grew significantly between the 1920s and 1980s, from 500 to almost 2,000 residents. In 1970, Swanson's Redwood Park became the location of Redwood 70 , billed as New Zealand's first music festival, headlined by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees . Held over two days and drawing over 9,000 attendees, the concert was mired by rowdy crowds, and
576-642: The Redwood Park on the banks of the Swanson Stream . In the 1940s, the park became a training centre for soldiers in World War II , and in 1970 hosted Redwood 70 , the first modern music festival in New Zealand. The Swanson area is primarily a valley north-east of the Waitākere Ranges , and a major catchment area for the Swanson Stream . Prior to human settlement, the Swanson area formed
612-483: The Swanson town hall was built, which held community events such as Saturday night dances and film screenings. On 10 June 1939, Scenic Drive was opened between Waiatarua and Swanson in the eastern Waitākere Ranges. This also made access to Pukematekeo much easier, a hill known as tourist attraction due to its views over Auckland. In early 1940, Redwood Park was acquisitioned by the New Zealand Army as
648-667: The Waitemata City merged with these boroughs to form Waitakere City , and in November 2010, all cities and districts of the Auckland Region were amalgamated into a single body, governed by the Auckland Council . Swanson is primarily in the Waitākere Ranges local board area, except the eastern-most areas near Rānui , which form a part of the Henderson-Massey local board area. Each area elects
684-459: The area, while southern Swanson was known by the name Waimoko, which refers to the skinks and geckos that were found there. Te Kawerau ā Maki suffered hardships in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, due to influenza and the Musket Wars of the 1820s. When the iwi returned to their traditional lands in the 1830s, life was focused at Te Henga / Bethells Beach . Much of West Auckland near
720-493: The area. In 1881, the Swanson railway station opened, connecting the area to the city of Auckland . The railway station became a busy depot for the kauri logging trade of the northern Waitākere Ranges , and the town developed as a service centre for people involved in the logging and kauri gum digging trades. Many early residents in the area established farms and orchards, supplementing their income with kauri gum digging. In
756-732: The creek known as Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek begins at the point when the Opanuku Stream and Oratia Stream intersect at Henderson ; where tidal estuarine water from the Waitematā Harbour begins. The creek joins the Mānutewhau Creek at the western edges of the Waitematā Harbour . The south-western arm of the creek where the Momutu and Paremuka streams confluence is known locally as Huruhuru Creek, and traditionally by
SECTION 20
#1732798463310792-581: The early 1850s, the creek was known by the name Mill River, because of the Henderson mill. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek was the location of a number of brick and pottery yards at Henderson and on the Te Atatū Peninsula , however the major brick industries in West Auckland were located to the south, along the Whau River . In 1924, Tui Glen Reserve
828-422: The late 19th century, Croatian New Zealand immigrants (then commonly known as Dalmatian) worked land at Swanson, with kauri gum digging operations which were more intensive and systematic than previous efforts. The Swanson School opened on 18 June 1888 to serve the community. Prior to this, schoolchildren needed to travel to Woodhill . The school was the centre of the community during the late 19th century, and
864-412: The locomotives was built in 1976, refurbished in 1985 and during its second refurbishment in 2000 equipped with a 16 hp Kubota diesel engine and a variable hydraulic drive. Most of the carriages were built in 1978 and upgraded in the 1990s to allow for smoother and more comfortable ride. In November 2011, a leak in the adjacent 600mm diameter main water pipe triggered a substantial slip, taking out
900-544: The name Wai Huruhuru Manawa. Tributaries of Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek include the Momutu Stream, Rarawaru Stream, Paremuka Stream, Ōpanuku Stream, Oratia Stream and the Waikumete Stream . Much of the creek has been reforested with native bush. The International Walkway of Trees can be found in central Henderson on the banks of the creek, showcasing many varieties of non-native trees. The creek
936-418: The remainder of the line ) Swanson, New Zealand Swanson is an outlying suburb of West Auckland , New Zealand and is located west of Henderson , surrounded by the Waitākere Ranges . Developing as a service centre for the kauri logging and gumdigging trades in the 1880s along the trainline, the town developed as a rural centre and an early tourist destination for Aucklanders, who visited
972-476: Was $ 38,700, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 372 people (21.4%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 984 (56.6%) people were employed full-time, 231 (13.3%) were part-time, and 54 (3.1%) were unemployed. The area to the south and west of Swanson, comprising the statistical area of Swanson Rural, covers 15.15 km (5.85 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 2,430 as of June 2024, with
1008-492: Was $ 39,900, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 468 people (24.0%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,113 (57.0%) people were employed full-time, 309 (15.8%) were part-time, and 57 (2.9%) were unemployed. Swanson railway station is situated on the North Auckland Line . The station is the terminus for Western Line suburban passenger services. It
1044-467: Was 24.1, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 59.5% had no religion, 27.9% were Christian , 0.5% had Māori religious beliefs , 1.3% were Hindu , 0.3% were Muslim , 0.5% were Buddhist and 2.5% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 438 (22.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 261 (13.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income
1080-467: Was 33.6, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 50.5% had no religion, 31.5% were Christian , 1.1% had Māori religious beliefs , 4.1% were Hindu , 1.6% were Muslim , 2.7% were Buddhist and 2.8% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 450 (25.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 243 (14.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income
1116-581: Was a place where religious services, concerts and meetings were held. Swanson became a popular destination for picnickers and daytrippers from Auckland from the late 1880s, to visit the Waitākere Falls and the Redwood Park on the banks of the Swanson River. Due to track damage, later tourists preferred to visit the Waitākere Falls via Henderson , and in 1905, a decision was made to construct
Waitakere Tramline - Misplaced Pages Continue
1152-603: Was found in the hills above Swanson called Pukearuhe (" Bracken Fern Hill"), and the Swanson area formed part of the walking track between Te Henga / Bethells Beach and Wai Huruhuru Manawa (Huruhuru Creek) tidal inlet, the south-western section of the Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek . The Swanson Stream valley was traditionally known as Waiwhauwhaupaku, a name which refers to the Pseudopanax arboreus (five-finger tree) which profusely grew in densely forested
1188-458: Was known by Te Kawerau ā Maki and other Tāmaki Māori as Waipareira or Te Wai-o-Pareira, which references ancestor Toi-te-huatahi 's niece Pareira. Te Kōpua (modern-day Falls Park / Tui Glen Reserve) was the end point for where Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek could be navigated by canoe, making it the starting place for many on-land pathways, and was a strategic pā for Te Kawerau ā Maki. The lower section of Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek
1224-493: Was sold to European purchasers in the 1850s, without the knowledge or consent of the senior rangatira of Te Kawerau ā Maki. Pioneer William Swanson settled in the area in 1852, logging kauri trees along the Swanson Stream and other waterways. By the 1870s, he was a strong critic of kauri logging practices. The township of Swanson was established in the mid-1880s, with many of the first residents receiving land cheaply through government settlement regimes intended to develop
1260-485: Was traditionally known as Maanu Te Whau, and was a place where cockles, pipi and oysters were collected. Kauri timber was first logged on the western banks of Te Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek in 1841, before pit-sawyers moved to the inland tributaries of the creek. The creek's tributary streams were used to transport kauri to the Henderson Mill, which operated on the banks of the creek from 1848 to 1868. In
1296-500: Was unable to make promoter Phil Warren a profit. In the following year, the Redwood Park was sold and redeveloped as a golf course and country club. In 1984, the Waitemata City opened a balefill landfill north of Swanson, causing the town's residents to have issues with wind-blown refuse and methane . Five years later, the Waitakere City council proposed that the landfill, have its life extended by 50 years, leading to
#309690