Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe's Old Railway Station - a local landmark

Papatoetoe is a suburb of Manukau City, one of the four cities that make up the Auckland conurbation in northern New Zealand. One of the larger suburbs of the area commonly known as South Auckland, it is located to the northwest of central Manukau, and 18 kilometres southeast of Auckland city centre.

Papatoetoe is surrounded by the suburbs of Mangere, Middlemore, Otara, and Puhinui. To the southwest are the waters of the Manukau Harbour.

According to the 2001 census [1], Papatoetoe has a population of 39,585.

Papatoetoe is a Maori word meaning 'undulating area where the toetoe is the predominant feature'. Papatoetoe was named after the 'Prince of Wales' feather (or toitoi), which grew abundantly in the swampy parts of the region. Due to some confusion over the spelling, the area was known as Papatoitoi for many years.

History

People have lived in the Papatoetoe area for almost the entire time of human settlement in New Zealand. For both the original Maori and the first English settlers, the Papatoetoe area was handily located close to the narrowest points between Auckland's two great harbours. Inlets run from Papatoetoe eastward to the Waitemata Harbour and westward to the Manukau Harbour. Thus for travellers past and present the routes south to the Waikato River and the north to the Auckland isthmus - Tamaki-makau-rau (Tamaki coveted by many) - have always been through Papatoetoe

Education

Primary education

Papatoetoe has seven primary schools in its zone:
*Holy Cross School (Papatoetoe)
*Papatoetoe Central School
*Papatoetoe East School
*Papatoetoe North School
*Papatoetoe South School
*Papatoetoe West School
*Puhinui School

Secondary education

Papatoetoe has two intermediate schools:
*Papatoetoe Intermediate
*Kedgley Intermediate.

Papatoetoe has two secondary schools:
*Papatoetoe High School
*Aorere College.

Mayors

*1959-1965 C.J. Mahon
*1965-1986 Bob White
*1986-1987 Allan Brewster

Notable people

*Barry Crump - Author, poet
*Ricki Herbert - Soccer player - Played National Level for the All Whites and is their current coach. Also played for New Zealand in Soccer World Cup Finals 1982
*Gary Troup - Played club cricket in Papatoetoe going on to represent New Zealand 1976 - 1986
*Heather Matthews (nee Mains) - Silver Medalist 1978 Edmonton Commonwealth Games (3000 meters). MBE - Services To Sport, Papatoetoe Sports Person of the Year.

Attractions

*Murals in Old Papatoetoe:*"Picnic Scene" by Ron van Dam (near Wallace Road corner):*"Papatoetoe General Store" by Christine Trout (Papatoetoe Mall):*"Bottle O" by Christine Trout (Papatoetoe Mall):*"Cameos" by Claudia Pond-Eyley (near Town Hall):*"Sports People" by Ron van Dam (Opp Rangitoto Road):*"Old Papatoetoe Logo" by Ron van Dam (near Shirley Road):*"St George St â€" 1930" by Merv Appleton (Rangitoto Road.:*"Maori History" by Jason Te Whare (Kolmar Road)
*Historical cemeteries at Manukau Memorial Gardens and St John's Presbyterian Church.
*Historic landmarks including:*Old Railway Station:*Cambria House and associated historic gardens (Puhinui Road[2]):*Old Children's home (now in Wyllie Road)

External links

*http://www.papatoetoe.org.nz
*http://www.manukau.govt.nz

References

Papatoetoe Municipalities' Publications
*Papatoetoe City Council Statement of Objectives for Second District Scheme Review, 1981
*Smytheman, Ivy F. and Tonson, Albert E. (1962). Our first hundred years: an historical record of PapatoetoeBooks
*Auckland Provincial Handbook 1925-1926
*Davidson, Janet (1984). The PreHistory of New Zealand, Auckland: Longman Paul.
*Gadd, Bernard (1987). The City of Toetoe - A History of Papatoetoe, Auckland: The Dunmore Press, ISBN # 0864690738 (pbk.).
*New Zealand Yearbooks (1906 ff.). Wellington: Government Printer.
*Oliver, William Hosking and Williams Bridget R. (eds) (1981). The Oxford History of New Zealand. Wellington: Oxford University Press.
*Scholefield, G.H. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Wellington: Government Printer.
*Sedal, Venia Iris (1982). A Brief History of Otahuhu, Otahuhu Borough Council.
*Searle, Ernest Johns (1981). City of Volcanoes, a Geology of Auckland, Auckland: Longman Paul.
*Tonson, Albert E. (1966). Old Manukau, Auckland: Tonson.
*Williams, Herbert William (1971). A Dictionary of the Maori Language, Wellington: Government Printer.Booklets, Pamphlets and Reports
*A Century of Witness, St John's Church Papatoetoe, 1854-1954
*Kiwanis Club of Papatoetoe, New Zealand District, 1971-81
*Lawlor, I. (1981). Puhinui Excavation Report, University of Auckland
*Papatoetoe and District R.S.A. Annual Reports.
*Papatoetoe Association Football Club Inc, Silver Jubilee 1959-1984
*Papatoetoe Central School, Jubilee Commemorative Magazine 1857-1952 (1982), Auckland: Woodward Publications.
*Papatoetoe District School Reunion, 106th Anniversary, 1962.
*Papatoetoe District Cricket Club 1906-2006
*Papatoetoe Fire Brigade 1928-1979
*Papatoetoe Methodist Church, Jubilee Souvenir, 1912-1962
*Simmons, D., (1980). The Creation Myth and the Origin of Auckland's Volcanoes, Auckland Institute and Museum.
*Sims, A. (1983). History of the Papatoetoe Light Opera Club.
*Sullivan, A. (1973). A site survey of lower Pukaki Creek, University of Auckland.
*Sullivan, A. (1975). Checklist of archaeological sites at Crater Hill, Papatoetoe, Paper no 37, Anthropology Department, University of Auckland.Newspapers
*The Courier newspapers
*Papatoetoe Gazette
*Papatoetoe Independent
*Papatoetoe News
*The New Zealand Herald