Browns Bay, New Zealand

Browns Bay
Suburb
Browns Bay and the beach from above.
Coordinates: 36°42′58″S174°44′31″E / 36.716°S 174.742°E / -36.716; 174.742
Country	New Zealand
City	Auckland
Local authority	Auckland Council
Electoral ward	Albany ward
Local board	Hibiscus and Bays
Area [1]
• Land	319 ha (788 acres)
Population  (June 2024) [2]
• Total	10,760

Torbay Heights	Waiake	(Hauraki Gulf)
Northcross	Browns Bay	(Hauraki Gulf)
Murrays Bay	Rothesay Bay	(Hauraki Gulf)

Browns Bay is one of the most northernmost suburbs in the contiguous Auckland metropolitan area, located in the North Shore. Named after the Brown family who settled here in 1876, Browns Bay became a holiday destination in the late 19th century. The area gradually developed into a suburb of Auckland in the 1950s, and was the administrative centre for the East Coast Bays City from 1975 until it was disestablished in 1989. During the 1990s, the suburb became a hub for the South African New Zealander community.

Geography

Browns Bay beach

Browns Bay is located in the East Coast Bays of the North Shore, between Waiake and Rothesay Bay. ^[3] The bay looks out to the Hauraki Gulf islands of Rangitoto, Motutapu Island and Rakino Island. A small stream, the Taiaotea Creek, flows east through the suburb towards the Hauraki Gulf. ^[4] The soil in Browns Bay is primarily formed from clay and Waitemata sandstone, which can be seen in the cliffs along the coast. ^{[5] [6]}

Prior to human settlement, the inland Browns Bay area was primarily a northern broadleaf podocarp forest, dominated by tōtara, mataī, miro, kauri and kahikatea trees. Pōhutukawa trees were a major feature of the coastline. ^[7] By the 1870s, the area was primarily scrubland, with significant amounts of mānuka and tutu. ^[8]

History

Māori history

Māori settlement of the Auckland Region began around the 13th or 14th centuries. ^{[9] [10]} The North Shore was settled by Tāmaki Māori, including people descended from the Tainui migratory canoe and ancestors of figures such as Taikehu and Peretū. ^[11] Many of the Tāmaki Māori people of the North Shore identified as Ngā Oho. ^[12] While the poor soils of Browns Bay hindered dense settlement, ^[5] traditional resources in the area included fish, shellfish and marine birds. ^[13] While there are few recorded names for the Browns Bay area, one traditional name, Taiaotea ("Clear Environment") is the recorded name for the creek that flows into Browns Bay. ^[3]

The warrior Maki migrated from the Kāwhia Harbour to his ancestral home in the Auckland Region, likely sometime in the 17th century. Maki conquered and unified many the Tāmaki Māori tribes as Te Kawerau ā Maki, including those of the North Shore. ^{[14] [15]} After Maki's death, his sons settled different areas of his lands, creating new hapū. His younger son Maraeariki settled the North Shore and Hibiscus Coast, who based himself at the head of the Ōrewa River. Maraeariki's daughter Kahu succeeded him, and she is the namesake of the North Shore, Te Whenua Roa o Kahu ("The Greater Lands of Kahu"), ^{[16] [17]} Many of the iwi of the North Shore, including Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāti Maraeariki, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Poataniwha, Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki and Ngāti Whātua, can trace their lineage to Kahu. ^{[17] [18]}

By the 18th century, the Marutūāhu iwi Ngāti Paoa had expanded their influence to include the islands of the Hauraki Gulf and the North Shore. ^[19] During these events in the latter 18th century, Tipau Point to the east of Browns Bay was the location of Ōmangaia Pā, a defensive pā site associated with the Ngāti Tai Manawaiti chief, Te Hehewa. ^{[20] [18]} After periods of conflict, peace had been reached by the 1790s. ^[21] The earliest contact with Europeans began in the late 18th century, which caused many Tāmaki Māori to die of rewharewha, respiratory diseases. ^[22] During the early 1820s, most Māori of the North Shore fled for the Waikato or Northland due to the threat of war parties during the Musket Wars. Most people had returned by the late 1820s and 1830s. ^{[10] [19] [23]}

European settlement

The Brown family celebrating Christmas at Browns Bay in 1905

Picnickers at Browns Bay in the 1910s, with the Browns Bay Wharf and the SS Taniwha

In 1841, the Crown purchased the Mahurangi and Omaha blocks; an area that spanned from Takapuna to Te Ārai. The purchase involved some iwi with customary interests in the area, such as Ngāti Paoa, other Marutūāhu iwi and Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, but not others, such as Te Kawerau ā Maki or Ngāti Rango. ^{[24] [25] [18] [26]} The Crown spent until 1873 rectifying this sale, by making further deals with stakeholders. ^{[25] [26]}

The first European land owner in Browns Bay was John Logan Campbell, who purchased Allotment 189 (Ōkura to Browns Bay) in 1864, believing that there was coal in the area. ^{[8] [27]} The search for coal was unsuccessful, so Campbell sold the land in the 1870s. ^[27] During this period, Māori from Whangaparāoa would camp at Browns Bay when travelling south, and developed fenced cultivations around the Glencoe Road hill, growing melons, potatoes and kūmara. ^[28]

In 1876, Peter Brown purchased an 136 acre property, where he settled with his family, clearing scrubland. ^[27] The Brown family developed a dairy farm, orchards, a vineyard, an apiary and grew crops including carrots. ^{[29] [30]} The suburb was named after Peter Brown, and the Brown family operated a guest house in the 1880s for holiday-makers visiting the beach. ^{[31] [8] [29] [5]} The roads to Browns Bay were poorly maintained clay tracks, so most visitors to the area came by stream ferry. ^{[8] [5]} While the area became more popular over the summer months, the permanent population remained low. The first school in the area opened in 1888. ^[5] The area grew in the early 20th century, after the construction of a new wharf, better roads, and the tram from Bayswater to Milford. ^{[32] [8]} The Taiotea Boating Club, the first recreational boating club in the East Coast Bays area began operating from Browns Bay circa 1902. ^[5]

In 1916, the Brown family subdivided their farm, ^[5] and by 1919 holiday homes had started to be constructed. ^[8] A post office opened in 1919, using the name Taiaotea, ^[33] and in 1926 the settlement was officially named Browns Bay. ^[34] The area grew slowly in the 1920s, ^[33] primarily due to the difficulty of reaching Browns Bay. ^[35] Despite this, Browns Bay became the focal point for life for the communities of the East Coast Bays area. ^[5] In 1925, the 555 Cabaret and Cinema opened on Clyde Road, named after a popular brand of cigarettes. ^[36] The cabaret club became very popular with boaties and holidaymakers, and for a while the area became known colloquially as Naughty Bay. ^{[36] [8]} The area remained popular with holidaymakers and campers into the 1930s and 1940s. ^[5]

In 1936, a major storm damaged the wharf, a dam and buildings in Browns Bay, and the wharf was never rebuilt. ^{[37] [36]} During the Great Depression of the 1930s, a Government work scheme helped develop the roads to Browns Bay, which helped grow the area after World War II. ^[36] During the war, machine gun emplacements were constructed along the beach, and wire entanglements were constructed as a defence. ^[29] Pillboxes were constructed along the Browns Bay Esplanade and at Nigel Road. ^[38]

Suburban development

By the late 1950s, Browns Bay transitioned from being a holiday community to a suburb of Auckland, after the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. ^[29] By 1945, ten shops had opened in Browns Bay, ^[39] and in 1946 Freyberg Park opened as a venue for local sports groups, and by the 1950s a roller skating rink became a popular attraction to Browns Bay. ^[29] In the early 1950s, manufacturing businesses began operating in Browns Bay, with as a concrete roof tiling business that used local sand, and the clothing manufacturer Ambler & Co. ^[29] Also in the 1950s, the area also became a centre for boatbuilding and repair, when John Spencer and Keith Atkinson set up workshops on Bute Road. Spencer pioneered many new techniques for the construction of lightweight boats and yachts. ^[38]

Browns Bay was the home of the East Coast Bays Borough. In the early 1970s, the East Coast Bays council buildings were constructed, and in 1975 the borough became East Coast Bays City. ^[29]

In the early 1990s, Browns Bay Mall was opened, and the soap opera Shortland Street began filming in the suburb from 1992. ^[29] In the early 2000s, the East Coast Bays City Council developed a beachfront esplanade along Browns Bay. ^[5]

Browns Bay became a hub for the South African New Zealander community in the 1990s, ^[40] with Afrikaans becoming the second-most spoken language in the suburb by 2003. ^[41]

Local government

The East Coast Bays City Council buildings in 1989

From 1876 until 1954, the area was administered by the Waitemata County, a large rural county north and west of the city of Auckland. ^[42] In 1954, the area split from the county, forming the East Coast Bays Borough Council, ^[42] which became East Coast Bays City in 1975. ^[29] Browns Bay was the administrative centre of the East Coast Bays Borough and later city. ^[5] In 1989, the city was merged into the North Shore City. ^[29] North Shore City was amalgamated into Auckland Council in November 2010. ^[43]

Within the Auckland Council, Browns Bay is a part of the Hibiscus and Bays local government area governed by the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board. It is a part of the Albany ward, which elects two councillors to the Auckland Council.

Amenities

The Stone of Remembrance in 2024

• Freyberg Park was opened in 1946 as a mixed use sporting ground. It was named after Victoria Cross recipient and then-Governor-General, Bernard Freyberg. ^[29]
• The Browns Bay Beach Reserve is an area of parkland adjacent to the beach. The reserve has the only skatepark in the East Coast Bays, ^[44] and a popular walkway runs through the reserve, connecting Browns Bay to Campbells Bay in the south. ^[6]
• The Stone of Remembrance is an ANZAC memorial located on the Browns Bay waterfront, which was unveiled in 1968. ^[29]
• Sherwood Reserve, a wetland reserve and park developed in the 1970s. ^[29] The park is known for its Robin Hood-themed playground. ^[44]
• The Village Green, a central park in Browns Bay that was developed in the 1970s. ^[29]

Sport and recreation

• The East Coast Bays Barracudas rugby league club is based in Browns Bay. ^[45]
• The Browns Bay Bowling Club began operating in the suburb in 1943. ^[46]

Demographics

Browns Bay covers 3.19 km² (1.23 sq mi) ^[1] and had an estimated population of 10,760 as of June 2024, ^[2] with a population density of 3,373 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	8,790	—
2013	9,426	+1.00%
2018	9,996	+1.18%
2023	10,311	+0.62%
Source: [47] [48]

Browns Bay had a population of 10,311 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 315 people (3.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 885 people (9.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 5,022 males, 5,238 females and 51 people of other genders in 3,573 dwellings. ^[49] 3.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 39.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,803 people (17.5%) aged under 15 years, 1,896 (18.4%) aged 15 to 29, 4,953 (48.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,662 (16.1%) aged 65 or older. ^[48]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 61.6% European (Pākehā); 5.3% Māori; 2.2% Pasifika; 33.8% Asian; 3.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 92.0%, Māori language by 0.8%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 37.5%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 56.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 32.5% Christian, 0.9% Hindu, 1.0% Islam, 0.3% Māori religious beliefs, 1.5% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.2% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.9%, and 6.2% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 2,427 (28.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 3,552 (41.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,875 (22.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $45,300, compared with $41,500 nationally. 1,410 people (16.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 4,497 (52.9%) people were employed full-time, 1,113 (13.1%) were part-time, and 225 (2.6%) were unemployed. ^[48]

Individual statistical areas

Name	Area (km2)	Population	Density (per km2)	Dwellings	Median age	Median income
Browns Bay Central	1.18	3,213	2,723	1,272	42.5 years	$44,900 [50]
Browns Bay South West	1.15	4,143	3,603	1,344	38.4 years	$45,600 [51]
Browns Bay South East	0.86	2,955	3,436	960	39.0 years	$45,100 [52]
New Zealand					38.1 years	$41,500

Education

Browns Bay School is a contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 661 students as of August 2024. ^{[53] [54]} The school was established in 1888. ^[55] Harbour College is a Montessori school (years 7–10) in Browns Bay with a roll of 19 students as of August 2024. ^{[53] [56]}

The Corelli International Academic School of the Arts was a private composite (years 1–13) school which ran specialist programs in visual arts, music, drama and dance as well as the general curriculum. It opened in 2001, ^[5] and went into receivership in 2016. ^[57]

Notable residents

• Ryk Hattingh, South African playwright, author and journalist ^[58]
• Michael King, New Zealand historian ^[29]
• Jelal Kalyanji Natali, Indian-New Zealand shopkeeper, Indian community leader and anti-racism activist. ^[59]
• John Spencer, New Zealand boat designer. ^[38]

References

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2. "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand . Retrieved 26 October 2024.
3. "Browns Bay". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
4. "Taiaotea Creek". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
5. Heritage Consultancy Services (1 July 2011). North Shore Heritage - Thematic Review Report Volume 1 (PDF) (Report). Auckland Council. ISBN   978-1-927169-21-6 . Retrieved 29 June 2023.
6. Janssen, Peter (January 2021). Greater Auckland Walks. New Holland Publishers. p. 43-44. ISBN   978-1-86966-516-6. Wikidata   Q118136068.
7. Veart, Dave (2018). The Māori Archaeology of Te Raki Paewhenua/North Shore (Report). Auckland North Community and Development. p. 10. ISBN   978-0-9941358-4-1.
8. Cass 1989, pp. 5–6.
9. Pishief, Elizabeth; Shirley, Brendan (August 2015). "Waikōwhai Coast Heritage Study" (PDF). Auckland Council . Retrieved 14 February 2023.
10. Boffa Miskell. Penlink Cultural & Environmental Design Framework: Penlink Cultural and Environmental Context (PDF) (Report). Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency . Retrieved 4 July 2023.
11. Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki (April 2016). Cultural Values Assessment Report to New Zealand Transport Agency for Northern Corridor Improvements Project (NCI) (PDF) (Report). NZ Transport Agency . Retrieved 30 June 2023.
12. Mossman, Sarah (August 2018). Cultural Values Assessment for America's Cup 36 - Wynyard and Hobson Planning Application (PDF). Te Kawerau Iwi Tribunal Authority (Report). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
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15. Murdoch, Graeme (1990). "Nga Tohu o Waitakere: the Maori Place Names of the Waitakere River Valley and its Environs; their Background History and an Explanation of their Meaning". In Northcote-Bade, James (ed.). West Auckland Remembers, Volume 1. West Auckland Historical Society. p. 13-14. ISBN   0-473-00983-8.
16. Ngāti Manuhiri; The Crown (21 May 2011). "Deed of Settlement of Historical Claims" (PDF). New Zealand Government . Retrieved 18 May 2022.
17. Whaanga, Mel (March 2022). "He taonga o te rohe". Restore Hibiscus & Bays. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
18. Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki and the Trustees of the Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki Trust and the Crown (7 November 2015). "Deed of settlement schedule documents" (PDF). NZ Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
19. New Zealand Government; Ngāti Paoa (20 March 2021). "Ngāti Pāoa and the Trustees of the Ngāti Pāoa Iwi Trust and The Crown Deed of Settlement of Historical Claims" (PDF). New Zealand Government . Retrieved 1 September 2021.
20. "Ōmangaia Pā". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
21. "Wenderholm Regional Park: Our History" (PDF). Auckland Council. 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
22. McKenzie, Fiona (May 2017). "Cultural Values Assessment for the Warkworth North Structure Plan and Associated Development" (PDF). Manuhiri Kaitiaki Charitable Trust. Auckland Council . Retrieved 4 July 2023.
23. Ngāti Manuhiri; The Crown (21 May 2011). "Deed of Settlement of Historical Claims" (PDF). New Zealand Government . Retrieved 18 May 2022.
24. Rigby, Barry (August 1998). The Crown, Maori and Mahurangi 1840-1881 (PDF) (Report). Waitangi Tribunal . Retrieved 4 July 2023.
25. Stone 2001, pp. 188.
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27. Willis 2018, pp. 13.
28. Sheehan 2019, pp. 3.
29. Mace, Tania (October 2006). "Browns Bay Heritage Walk" (PDF). North Shore City Council . Retrieved 4 July 2023.
30. Sheehan 2019, pp. 1–2, 15.
31. Willis 2018, pp. 3.
32. Willis 2018, pp. 14.
33. Willis 2018, pp. 15.
34. Sheehan 2019, pp. 13.
35. Verran, David 2010, pp. 218.
36. Willis 2018, pp. 16.
37. Sheehan 2019, pp. 36.
38. Lutz, Heike; Chan, Theresa (2011). North Shore heritage – North Shore area studies and scheduled items list: volume 2 parts 6+ (PDF). Heritage Consultancy Services (Report). Auckland Council . Retrieved 7 July 2023.
39. Verran, David 2010, pp. 225.
40. van Rooyen, Johann (2000). The New Great Trek: The Story of South Africa's White Exodus. Pretoria: Unisa Press. p. 148.
41. Middleton, Julie (7 July 2003). "Afrikaners' lament drifts round a corner of Auckland". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 4 July 2023.
42. Reidy, Jade (2009). "How the West Was Run". In Macdonald, Finlay; Kerr, Ruth (eds.). West: The History of Waitakere. Random House. pp. 238–239. ISBN   9781869790080.
43. Blakeley, Roger (2015). "The planning framework for Auckland 'super city': an insider's view". Policy Quarterly. 11 (4). doi: 10.26686/pq.v11i4.4572 . ISSN   2324-1101.
44. Strategic Parks Service Assessment: Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Area (PDF) (Report). Auckland Council. August 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
45. Thompson, Anna (1 September 2017). "Come-from-behind victory for East Coast Bays in Sharman Plate final". Stuff . Retrieved 5 July 2023.
46. Sheehan 2019, pp. 91.
47. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Browns Bay Central (118300), Browns Bay South West (118200) and Browns Bay South East (118700).
48. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Browns Bay (50710). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
49. "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
50. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Browns Bay Central. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
51. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Browns Bay South West. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
52. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Browns Bay South East. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
53. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
54. Education Counts: Browns Bay School
55. "Browns Bay School" . Retrieved 11 January 2009.
56. Education Counts: Harbour College
57. Dougan, Patrice (22 April 2016). "Prestigious school in receivership". New Zealand Herald.
58. Moger, Laine (13 October 2017). "Award-winning writer, cobbler and dear friend remembered by Auckland community". Stuff . Retrieved 5 July 2023.
59. "Natali, Jelal Kalyanji - Biography - Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". teara.govt.nz. 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011. Natali, Jelal Kalyanji

Bibliography

• Cass, David (1989). ECB – the Years to 1989. East Coast Bays City Council.
• Sheehan, Vanessa (2019). An Almost Complete History of the East Coast Bays.
• Stone, R. C. J. (2001). From Tamaki-makau-rau to Auckland. Auckland University Press. ISBN   1869402596.
• Willis, Jenny (2018). Early History of East Coast Bays (Second ed.).
• Verran, David (2010). The North Shore: An Illustrated History. North Shore: Random House. ISBN   978-1-86979-312-8. OCLC   650320207. Wikidata   Q120520385.

External links

• Official Browns Bay Website
• Photographs of Browns Bay held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections.