Crofton Downs | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 41°15′25″S174°45′50″E / 41.257°S 174.764°E | |
Country | New Zealand |
City | Wellington City |
Local authority | Wellington City Council |
Electoral ward |
|
Area | |
• Land | 157 ha (388 acres) |
Population (June 2024) [2] | |
• Total | 1,720 |
Railway stations | Crofton Downs |
Airports | nsp |
Hospitals | Bowen Hospital (private) |
Mount Kaukau | ||
Wilton | Crofton Downs | Ngaio |
Kaiwharawhara |
Crofton Downs is an inner suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It is situated between Ngaio to the northeast, Wilton to the south-west, and Wadestown to the south. Its border runs on the Korimako Stream that flows south into the Kaiwharawhara Stream and then flows down the Ngaio Gorge into Wellington Harbour.
The area was before 1870 was called Upper Kaiwarra (a corruption of Kaiwharawhara), after 1870 Crofton (including neighbouring Ngaio). In 1908 was renamed Ngaio, then in 1950s the western side of Ngaio became Crofton Downs. [3] Crofton Downs taking its name from a house built in the 1857 by then Premier, William Fox. Crofton House, which was likely named after his wife's birthplace of Crofton in Wiltshire, England, [4] still stands today and is at 21 Kenya Street. [5]
Many of the street names in the suburb such as Winston Street, Downing Street and Chartwell Drive are a tribute to the life of former British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill; [6] Chartwell was Churchill's country home. Admiralty Street comes from 'First Lord of the Admiralty' which is appointed by the UK Prime Minister.[ citation needed ] Chequers Way is from Chequers the official residence of the UK Prime Minister. Doris Gordon Crescent is named after the New Zealand doctor who, as a child, resided nearby. [7]
Crofton Downs statistical area covers 1.57 km2 (0.61 sq mi). [1] It had an estimated population of 1,720 as of June 2024, [2] with a population density of 1,096 people per km2.
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
2006 | 1,410 | — |
2013 | 1,548 | +1.34% |
2018 | 1,641 | +1.17% |
Source: [8] |
Before the 2023 census, the suburb had a smaller boundary, covering 1.31 km2 (0.51 sq mi). [1] Using that boundary, Crofton Downs had a population of 1,641 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 93 people (6.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 231 people (16.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 639 households, comprising 786 males and 852 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.92 males per female. The median age was 39.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 330 people (20.1%) aged under 15 years, 261 (15.9%) aged 15 to 29, 837 (51.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 207 (12.6%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 82.6% European/Pākehā, 6.8% Māori, 3.3% Pasifika, 13.5% Asian, and 2.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 33.6, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 56.5% had no religion, 30.3% were Christian, 0.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.5% were Hindu, 0.5% were Muslim, 1.6% were Buddhist and 2.6% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 699 (53.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 57 (4.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $54,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 495 people (37.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 768 (58.6%) people were employed full-time, 201 (15.3%) were part-time, and 42 (3.2%) were unemployed. [8]
Crofton Downs has its own railway station (with coffee shop) on the Johnsonville Line for commuters to Wellington Station to the south and going to Ngaio, Khandallah and Johnsonville to the north. [9]
Near the station on Churchill Drive is Churchill Drive Shopping Centre with a supermarket, cafe, pharmacy and a hairdresser. Next door is a Mitre 10 DIY hardware store. [10] The adjacent petrol station was closed in late 2022. The veterinary clinic which was part of the supermarket complex has moved to nearby Thatcher Crescent. [11]
The Countdown supermarket was expanded in 2013 and now covers an area of 3,400 m2. [12] [13]
Bowen Hospital is run by a private charitable trust. [14] Now located on Churchill Drive on the southern part of Crofton Downs, it was established on Bowen Street opposite Parliament in 1912. [15] The old building was closed in 1965 and it moved here.
A BUPA retirement village opened in Crofton Downs next to Bowen Hospital in 2022. [16]
Crofton Downs is surrounded by parks and reserves. To the west, north-west and north it is encircled by the city council-owned Skyline walkway park, the park featuring 'the crows nest' a popular peak at 385m high. The access is from the Silversky Walkway and vehicles from Chartwell drive and Chartwell reserve. Huntleigh Park forms the northern edge of Crofton Downs with neighbouring Ngaio, Trelissick Park runs to the east of the train station and line and Otari-Wilton's Bush to the south east.
Huntleigh Park provides a backup community water facility in case an emergency event such as an earthquake disrupts supplies. [17]
Huntleigh Guide Centre in Huntleigh park off Silverstream Road is a community facility that can seat up to 100 people. [18]
Crofton Downs is within the enrolment zones for Wellington Girls' College, Onslow College, St Oran's College and Raroa Normal Intermediate. [19]
Crofton Downs Primary school is a Decile 10 coeducational contributing state school catering to years 1 to 6. [20] Formerly called Chartwell School, the school was opened in 1970. Its name was changed to Crofton Downs Primary school in 2008 as the surrounding area is now more commonly referred to as Crofton Downs rather than Chartwell. [21] [22] It had a roll of 156 as of August 2024. [20]
The suburb is served by the Johnsonville Branch commuter railway which connects it to the central city and Johnsonville. It is one stop to Wellington Central Station, and the journey takes 9 minutes. In addition, on weekdays the number 22 bus route runs between Johnsonville and Wellington with stops in Crofton Downs.
Crofton Downs was the first New Zealand Suburb to be declared predator-free after local community group, Predator Free Crofton Downs, arranged stoat and rat traps for over 200 households throughout the suburb. [23] Since its inception in 2014, [24] the community model has inspired other communities throughout New Zealand to start their own predator free groups.
Wellington City Council is a territorial authority in New Zealand, governing the city of Wellington, the country's capital city and third-largest city by population, behind Auckland and Christchurch. It consists of the central historic town and certain additional areas within the Wellington metropolitan area, extending as far north as Linden and covering rural areas such as Mākara and Ohariu. The city adjoins Porirua in the north and Hutt City in the north-east. It is one of nine territorial authorities in the Wellington Region.
Tawa is the northernmost suburb within the Wellington city boundary, located roughly 15 km north of Wellington's CBD between Churton Park and Porirua in the North Island of New Zealand. It takes its name from the broadleaf tree, which was once prolific throughout the area, although its most famous tree is the Bucket Tree, a large macrocarpa with the topiary of an upside-down bucket. Tawa is also known for its large number of churches, representing a wide range of Christian denominations.
Johnsonville is a large suburb in northern Wellington, New Zealand. It is seven kilometres north of the city centre, at the top of the Ngauranga Gorge, on the main route to Porirua. It is commonly known by locals as "J'ville". Johnsonville was settled from the 1840s, became a town by 1896 and grew rapidly during the twentieth century. Johnsonville became an independent borough in 1908 and amalgamated with Wellington City in 1953.
Khandallah is a suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It is located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) northeast of the city centre, on hills overlooking Wellington Harbour.
Ngaio is an inner suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It is situated on the slopes of Mount Kaukau, 3500 metres north of the city's CBD. It was settled in the 1840s and many of its streets are named after early settler families. Ngaio was originally a logging community known first as Upper Kaiwarra, then as Crofton until 1908. The area was administratively part of a separate local authority called the Onslow Borough Council which amalgamated with Wellington City in 1919.
Mount Kaukau is a large hill in the northern suburbs of Wellington, New Zealand near Johnsonville, Khandallah and Ngaio. The summit is 445 m (1,460 ft) above sea level and is the most visible high point in the Wellington landscape further accentuated by Wellington's main television transmitter mast, which stands 122 m (400 ft) from the summit. The city, harbour and the Remutaka and Tararua Ranges can be seen from the summit. On a clear day Mount Tapuae-o-Uenuku and the Kaikōura Ranges in the South Island may be seen, whilst northwest is the Porirua Basin and the Tasman Sea.
Newlands is one of the northern suburbs of Wellington, New Zealand. It lies approximately 8.1 km north of the city centre and to the east of its nearest neighbour Johnsonville. It has a long history of early settlement and originally was farmed including being the early source of Wellington's milk. Newlands is located in a valley and covers two ridgelines, the side of one of which overlooks Wellington Harbour and up to the Hutt Valley.
Crofton Downs railway station is one of eight stations on the Johnsonville Branch, a commuter branch railway north of Wellington in New Zealand’s North Island. It serves the suburb of Crofton Downs. Its name is similar to the pre-1908 name for the different Ngaio station, Crofton.
Kaiwharawhara railway station, a former railway station on the North Island Main Trunk and the Wairarapa Line in Wellington in New Zealand, closed in 2013. It was the first station north of Wellington, serving the early suburb of Kaiwharawhara. Prior to its closure it was served by trains operated by Tranz Metro as part of the Metlink network on the Melling Line, the Hutt Valley Line and the Kapiti Line.
Kaiwharawhara is an urban seaside suburb of Wellington in New Zealand's North Island. It is located north of the centre of the city on the western shore of Wellington Harbour, where the Kaiwharawhara Stream reaches the sea from its headwaters in Karori. It is a largely commercial and industrial area and thus has little residential population. A recent housing development up the hillside towards Te Kainga has increased the resident population.
The Kaiwharawhara Stream is a stream in the North Island of New Zealand – it flows through the northwestern part of New Zealand's capital, Wellington. Its headwaters lie within the suburb of Karori, and it passes through other suburbs and Otari-Wilton's Bush before reaching the western shore of Wellington Harbour in Kaiwharawhara near the terminal of the Interislander ferry. Part of its length runs roughly alongside the Johnsonville Branch railway, a branch line that once formed part of the North Island Main Trunk Railway – the latter now passes over the stream near its mouth.
Metlink's Kapiti Line is the electrified southern portion of the North Island Main Trunk railway between New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, and Waikanae on the Kāpiti Coast, operated by Transdev Wellington on behalf of Greater Wellington Regional Council. Trains run frequently every day, with stops at 16 stations. Until 20 February 2011 it was known as the Paraparaumu Line.
The Johnsonville Branch, also known as the Johnsonville Line, is a commuter branch line railway from the main Railway Station of Wellington, New Zealand to the northern suburb of Johnsonville via Ngaio and Khandallah.
Ngaio railway station is one of eight railway stations on the Johnsonville Branch, a commuter branch railway north of Wellington in New Zealand's North Island, and serves the suburb of Ngaio. The station was erected and operated by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) on their line from Wellington to Longburn. The area served by this station used to be called Crofton, until the suburb was renamed to Ngaio in 1908 to avoid confusion with Crofton, a suburb of Marton in the Manawatu. From the acquisition of the WMR by the New Zealand Railways Department in 1908 until the opening of the Tawa Flat deviation in 1937, the station was on the North Island Main Trunk railway. On 2 July 1938, the truncated section of the line to Johnsonville became the Johnsonville Branch.
Awarua Street railway station is one of eight stations on the Johnsonville Branch, a branch railway north of Wellington in New Zealand’s North Island, and serves the suburb of Ngaio. It is one of two stations that were added to the line when it was upgraded prior to being reopened as the Johnsonville Branch. It is one of four stations on the line located on a curve.
Khandallah railway station is one of eight stations on the Johnsonville Line, a commuter branch railway north of Wellington in New Zealand’s North Island. The station was erected and operated by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) on their line from Wellington to Longburn. From the acquisition of the WMR by the New Zealand Railways Department in 1908 until the opening of the Tawa Flat deviation in 1937, the station was on the North Island Main Trunk Railway.
Johnsonville railway station is the terminus of the Johnsonville Line, one of eight stations on the commuter branch railway north of Wellington in New Zealand’s North Island. It serves the suburb of Johnsonville, and as a bus interchange attracts traffic from other suburbs to the north and east.
Redwood is a subdivision of Tawa, the northernmost suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. Redwood lies at the southern end of Tawa, to the west of the Tawa Main Road and the North Island Main Trunk Railway.
Wadestown is a northern suburb of Wellington, located about 2–3 km (1.2–1.9 mi) by road from the Wellington central business district and the New Zealand Parliament Buildings.
The Old Porirua Road in the 19th century was the main road north up the west coast from Wellington to Porirua in New Zealand. It ran from Kaiwarra up the Ngaio Gorge to Ngaio, Khandallah, Johnsonville and Tawa to the Porirua Harbour. Most of the road still exists, although many sections are now local roads only, having been superseded as through roads.