Somerville, New Zealand

Somerville
Suburb
Mangemangeroa Reserve
Coordinates: 36°54′43″S174°56′10″E / 36.912°S 174.936°E / -36.912; 174.936
Country	New Zealand
City	Auckland
Local authority	Auckland Council
Electoral ward	Howick ward
Local board	Howick Local Board
Area [1]
• Land	156 ha (385 acres)
Population  (June 2024) [2]
• Total	4,480

Botany Downs	Howick	Cockle Bay
Botany Downs	Somerville	Shelly Park
Northpark	Shamrock Park	Whitford

Somerville is an eastern suburb of the city of Auckland, New Zealand. Most of the houses were built in the 1990s. ^[3] Before 1990, the area was rural. ^[4]

Geography

Somerville is located on the eastern edges of metropolitan East Auckland, between Whitford Road and Somerville Road. Botany Creek runs west through the suburb to meet the Pakuranga Creek, ^[5] and the tidal estuary Mangemangeroa Creek is found to the south-east. ^[6]

History

The Somerville area is part of the rohe of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, who descend from the crew of the Tainui migratory waka, who visited the area around the year 1300. ^[7] Many Ngāi Tai and Ngāti Pāoa pā sites, middens and other archaeological sites can be found in the Mangemangeroa Valley, which was known for Spiny dogfish pioke found in the estuary. ^[8] The area was cultivated by Ngāi Tai, and protected by the Tūwakamana Pā at Cockle Bay. ^[7]

In 1836, English Missionary William Thomas Fairburn brokered a land sale between Tāmaki Māori chiefs covering the majority of modern-day South Auckland, East Auckland and the Pōhutukawa Coast. ^[9] The sale was envisioned as a way to end hostilities in the area, but it is unclear what the chiefs understood or consented to. Māori continued to live in the area, unchanged by this sale. ^[10]

In 1847, Howick township was established as a defensive outpost for Auckland, by fencibles (retired British Army soldiers) and their families. ^[11] Early settlers in the area shot the kūaka and huahou found in the creek, ^[12] and fencible soldier John Nicholas purchased a farm on Somerville Road in 1851. ^[13] In 1854 when Fairburn's purchase was investigated by the New Zealand Land Commission, a Ngāi Tai reserve was created around the Wairoa River and Umupuia areas, and as a part of the agreement, members of Ngāi Tai agreed to leave their traditional settlements to the west, near Howick. ^{[14] [15]}

The Somerville family began farming the area in 1863, after Archibald Somerville purchased 103 acres of land from Thomas Brady. The family called their farm Paparoa, after the name for the district, and built a two-storied homestead at the intersection of Howick, Whitford and East Tāmaki roads. ^[13] In the 19th Century, the Whitford Road bridge across the Botany Creek was locally known as Cowbridge, after the skeleton of a large cow that was next to the bridge from 1860 to 1900. ^[16] Originally the Somerville family grew wheat and oats, but by 1931 switched to dairy and sheep farming. ^[13] The Somerville family continued to farm the area until 1988, when the farm was sold to be redeveloped as a subdivision. ^[17] The Somerville family cowshed was moved to Howick Historical Village in 1986. ^[18]

The first showroom for the new Somerville Estate was exhibited in 1990, ^[19] and in 1994 the Manukau City Council purchased 22-hectares of the Somerville farm to develop into Mangemangeroa Reserve, which opened in 2000. ^[20] In the early 1990s, Entrepreneur Kit Wong, inspired by his parents' experiences of isolation living in Auckland, developed Meadowlands, a commercial and restaurant space in Somerville as an area for the Chinese New Zealander community. ^{[21] [22]}

By the mid-1990s, significant residential housing had been constructed in the area, ^[23] and in 1997 Somerville Intermediate School was opened. ^[24]

Demographics

Somerville covers 1.56 km² (0.60 sq mi) ^[1] and had an estimated population of 4,480 as of June 2024, ^[2] with a population density of 2,872 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	4,536	—
2013	4,329	−0.67%
2018	4,473	+0.66%
2023	4,338	−0.61%
Source: [25] [26]

Somerville had a population of 4,338 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 135 people (−3.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 9 people (0.2%) since the 2013 census. There were 2,136 males, 2,196 females and 6 people of other genders in 1,422 dwellings. ^[27] 2.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 43.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 729 people (16.8%) aged under 15 years, 687 (15.8%) aged 15 to 29, 2,046 (47.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 876 (20.2%) aged 65 or older. ^[26]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 43.8% European (Pākehā); 4.4% Māori; 2.7% Pasifika; 52.1% Asian; 2.1% 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 87.1%, Māori language by 0.7%, Samoan by 0.6%, and other languages by 46.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.2% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.2%. The percentage of people born overseas was 58.4, compared with 28.8% nationally. ^[26]

Religious affiliations were 31.5% Christian, 3.4% Hindu, 1.7% Islam, 0.1% Māori religious beliefs, 3.8% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, and 1.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 51.8%, and 5.5% of people did not answer the census question. ^[26]

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,194 (33.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,431 (39.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 987 (27.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $42,000, compared with $41,500 nationally. 573 people (15.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,761 (48.8%) people were employed full-time, 435 (12.1%) were part-time, and 63 (1.7%) were unemployed. ^[26]

Education

Howick College is a secondary school (years 9–13) with a roll of 2,106. ^[28] It opened in 1974. ^[29] Somerville Intermediate School is an intermediate school (years 7–8) with a roll of 1,017. ^[30] The school opened in 1997. ^[23] Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of November 2024. ^[31]

Amenities

• The Cascades Path is an 8 kilometre cycling and walking track along the Botany Creek, that links to Lloyd Elsmore Park. ^[32]
• Mangemangeroa Reserve is a nature reserve located on the western banks of the Mangemangeroa Creek. A walking track in the reserve follows the coastline to Shelly Park. ^[33]

References

1. "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 6 February 2025.
2. "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand . Retrieved 26 October 2024.
3. "Somerville, Manukau City". One Roof. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
4. Auckland (Map). 1:50000. NZMS260. LINZ / Lands and Survey. 1981. § R11.
5. "Botany Creek". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
6. Land Air Water Aotearoa. "Mangemangeroa". Auckland Council . Retrieved 11 May 2023.
7. Green, Nathew (2011). "From Hawaīki to Howick – A Ngāi Tai History". Grey's Folly: A History of Howick, Pakuranga, Bucklands-Eastern Beaches, East Tamaki, Whitford, Beachlands and Maraetai. By La Roche, Alan. Auckland: Tui Vale Productions. pp. 16–33. ISBN   978-0-473-18547-3. OCLC   1135039710.
8. La Roche, Alan 2011, p. 20.
9. "13 June 1865". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_0760. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
10. Moore, D; Rigby, B; Russell, M (July 1997). Rangahaua Whanui National Theme A: Old Land Claims (PDF) (Report). Waitangi Tribunal . Retrieved 5 March 2023.
11. La Roche, Alan 2011, pp. 48.
12. La Roche, Alan 2011, pp. 122–125.
13. "History of Howick, Pakuranga and surrounding areas". Howick Welcome Guide. Howick and Pakuranga Times. 11 April 2005. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008.
14. Clough, Tom; Apfel, Aaron; Clough, Rod (June 2020). 109 Beachlands Road, Beachlands, Auckland: Preliminary Archaeological Assessment (PDF) (Report). Environmental Protection Authority . Retrieved 21 October 2022.
15. Heritage Department of the Auckland Regional Council. "Duder Regional Park – Our History" (PDF). Auckland Council . Retrieved 30 August 2021.
16. La Roche, Alan 2011, pp. 325.
17. La Roche, Alan (2011). A History of Botany (Report). Auckland City Council. p. 7.
18. "16 November 1986". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_5657. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
19. "28 November 1990". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_5967. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
20. "30 June 1994". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_6266. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
21. Spoonley, Paul; Meares, Carina (2011). "Laissez-faire multiculturalism and relational embeddedness: Ethnic precincts in Auckland". Cosmopolitan Civil Societies. 3 (1): 42–64. ISSN   1837-5391.
22. La Roche, Alan 2011, pp. 307.
23. "Our History". Somerville Intermediate. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
24. "28 January 1997". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_6458. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
25. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Somerville (153800). 2018 Census place summary: Somerville
26. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Somerville (153800). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
27. "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.
28. Education Counts: Howick College
29. "Our History". Howick College. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
30. Education Counts: Somerville Intermediate
31. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
32. "Cascades Path". Auckland Council . Retrieved 28 June 2023.
33. Janssen, Peter 2021, p. 154-155.

Bibliography

• Janssen, Peter (2021). Greater Auckland Walks. New Holland Publishers (published January 2021). ISBN   978-1-86966-516-6. OL   34023249W. Wikidata   Q118136068.
• La Roche, Alan (2011). Grey's Folly: A History of Howick, Pakuranga, Bucklands-Eastern Beaches, East Tamaki, Whitford, Beachlands and Maraetai. Auckland: Tui Vale Productions. ISBN   978-0-473-18547-3. OCLC   1135039710. Wikidata   Q118286377.