Winstones Cove, Auckland

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Winstones Cove
Cove
Winstones Cove at beach low tide 2.jpg
Beach at low tide
Winstones Cove, Auckland
Interactive map of Winstones Cove
Coordinates(Beach): 36°41′53″S174°45′01″E / 36.69819°S 174.75019°E / -36.69819; 174.75019
Named after Percy and Violet Winstone

Winstones Cove is a bight between Waiake Beach and Toroa Point on the East Coast Bays, Auckland, New Zealand.

Contents

History

The cove, along with the rest of the East Coast Bays, was part of the disputed 1841 Mahurangi Block purchase of extensive Northern Māori land by the Crown, containing coastline stretching from Takapuna to Te Ārai Point. [1]

During New Zealand's prohibition, illegal brewing and transport of moonshine occurred around the East Coast Bays. Tracks leading to Winstone's cove were named "Revenue Run" and "Moonshine run" for this reason. [2] [3]

Notable early North Shore settler Captain Charles Ross Cholmondeley-Smith owned land in Torbay, and built a boarding house at the Cove. [3]

Winstones

In 1925 Percy and Violet Winstone purchased four acres of land and Smith's boarding house as a holiday cottage, thus giving Winstones Cove its name. Percy Winstone (1880–1948), also known as William Percy Winstone, was the son of George Winstone, co-founder of Winstones Ltd. Having the same first name as his uncle William Winstone, he was known as Percy. He joined the family company in 1897, and went on to become a founding director in 1904. [4] Violet Winstone (née James), was an early New Zealand female amateur filmmaker, and some of her works were filmed at their Winstones Cove cottage. [5] [6]

Shipwreck

In 1937, the Rangi, a scow transporting logs from Tauranga to Auckland, capsized off Rākino Island in the Hauraki Gulf. [7] Fourteen-year old passenger Donald Woodroffe of Epsom washed up at Winstones Cove, along with a lifebelt and wreck of the boat's dinghy. Woodroffe escaped with only an injured arm, and was one of two survivors out of the 6 man crew. [8]

Later occupants

Signage at Winstones Cove Signage at Winstones Cove, North Shore, Auckland.jpg
Signage at Winstones Cove

The holiday cottage was sold in the 1950s after the deaths of Percy and Violet Winstone. It was owned by Professor Cyril Roy Knight, the first professor of Architecture in New Zealand, who altered some elements of the house's design. The cottage returned to Winstone family ownership in the 1970s before being sold on, and further altered and extended in the 1990s. [6]

Amenities

As of 2026, the beach is accessible via Gray Crescent, Torbay, with road parking available. It is a small beach, popular with locals for fishing, swimming, sailing and picnicking. [9]

References

  1. ↑ Brassey, Robert; Walker, Megan (November 2018). "Historic heritage assessment report: Draft Warkworth Structure Plan" (PDF). Auckland Council. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  2. ↑ Unknown (1 January 1920). "Winstone's Cove, Torbay". DigitalNZ. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  3. 1 2 Wilson, R.G.; Smith, R.A. (1985). Exploring The East Coast Bays With Historical Illustrations. Takapuna: Abelard Press. pp. 23, 28–30.
  4. ↑ Whitfield, Paul (2014). Stickney, Suzanne (ed.). The First 150 Years: Winstone Aggregates. Auckland: Winstone Aggregates. p. 33. ISBN   978-0-473-27097-1.
  5. ↑ "HOLD STILL". www.ngataonga.org.nz. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Auckland Council District Plan (North Shore Section): Proposed Plan Change 38" (PDF). Auckland Council. n.d. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  7. ↑ "NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES - SINKING OF THE SCOW RANGI - 1937". www.sooty.nz. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  8. ↑ "Scow Strikes". Evening Star. No. 22547. Otago. 15 January 1937. p. 8. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  9. ↑ "Torbay". Torbay NZ. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
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