Clevedon, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clevedon
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Town
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Clevedon District Centre building
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Auckland Region |
| Ward | Franklin ward |
| Board | Franklin Local Board |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 5.32 km2 (2.05 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 650 |
| • Density | 122.2/km2 (316.4/sq mi) |
| Website | Clevedon town website |
Clevedon (also known as Te Wairoa in Māori) is a small town in the countryside south-east of Auckland, New Zealand. It's part of the Franklin area. The land here belongs to the Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki people, who have lived around the Wairoa River for a very long time.
The town was first started in the 1850s and got its name Clevedon in 1866. Over the years, it has become an important place for the dairy farming industry in the south-east of Auckland.
You can find several popular beaches close to Clevedon, like Umupuia Beach and Kawakawa Bay. The Duder Regional Park is also located between these two beaches, offering great outdoor fun.
Contents
What is Clevedon Like?
Clevedon is located along the Wairoa River. This river starts as a stream and then widens into an arm of the Hauraki Gulf. The town is about 20 kilometers south-east of the Auckland City Centre.
Before people settled here, the area was mostly swampland. Scientists have even found bones of large, flightless birds called moa in this area.
A Look at Clevedon's History
Early Māori Settlement
Around the year 1300, the Tainui canoe (a large traditional Māori boat) arrived in this area. Some of the Tainui travelers, known as Ngā Oho, decided to make their home along the Pōhutukawa Coast and the Wairoa River.
The Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki people have traditional stories about the land already being home to magical Tūrehu people. Many local place names, like Hinerangi, come from these Tūrehu figures. The Wairoa River's original name, Te Wairoa ("The Great River"), was given by early Ngāi Tai ancestors. It was named after a river in Rarotonga, which was named after a river in Tahiti.
Between the 14th and 16th centuries, different Māori groups lived along the Wairoa River. These groups eventually came together under a leader named Te Wana in the early 1700s, forming the Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki people. The river mouth was very important to Ngāi Tai. They lived by fishing, gathering shellfish, growing crops, and hunting birds, depending on the season.
Ngāi Tai had many settlements (called pā or kāinga) along the river, especially at its mouth. Some of these places included Ōtau and Tuawa near where Clevedon is today.
In 1833, when William Thomas Fairburn visited, the area was mostly empty. This was because of wars between different Māori groups, which had caused most of the Ngāi Tai people to seek safety elsewhere. In 1836, Fairburn bought a large piece of land, but the government later decided he had bought too much.
European Settlers Arrive
The first European settlers in the area were D. McNicol and Mr. G. Hoye. They bought land and settled with their families around 1852. Other settlers soon joined them, and a community called Wairoa grew up near the river.
Early settlers cleared the native bush for farming. They also worked in flax mills in the swampy areas and cut down kauri trees. The kauri logs were sent to Auckland to be processed.
The Ngāi Tai people had a fortified village called Ōtau on the opposite side of the river from the new European settlement. For the first ten years, Ngāi Tai and the European settlers got along well, trading goods and helping each other.
However, in September 1863, during the Invasion of the Waikato (a war between the British army and Māori), Ōtau was attacked by the British army. The villagers had to leave their homes and moved to communities closer to the river's mouth. During the rest of the war, Ngāi Tai were considered "friendly" by the government and stayed neutral.
After the war, new laws made it easier for Māori land to be sold to European farmers. This led to most of the land near the Wairoa River being sold. Much of the Wairoa River area was also deforested (trees cut down) during this time.
The first bridge across the Wairoa River was built from timber by the early 1860s. In 1865, 150 new immigrants from Scotland arrived and settled near the old Ōtau village. However, the land wasn't enough for a whole village, so many of them moved away or closer to the settlement near the Wairoa Bridge.
In 1866, the settlement changed its name to Clevedon. This name was chosen by local residents C.W. Stephens and Le Gally, after the town of Clevedon in Somerset, England. Many of the early Scottish settlers found it hard to get used to the new name.
All Souls Church, built in 1861, is a historic building in Clevedon. It is recognized as an important heritage site in New Zealand. Dairy farming became the main industry in Clevedon until the early 1900s.
People in Clevedon
Clevedon is a rural settlement. In 2018, the population of the Clevedon settlement was 606 people. Most people in Clevedon are of European background (91.1%), with smaller groups of Māori (5.9%), Pacific peoples (3.0%), and Asian (6.9%) people.
Many people in Clevedon do not have a religion (43.1%), while a large number are Christian (44.6%).
Cool Places to Visit in Clevedon
- Clevedon Scenic Reserve: This is a large nature reserve that started in 1930. It has native trees like pūriri, tōtara, and taraire. There's also a wetland and a viewpoint at the top of a 225-meter hill, offering great views.
- Umupuia Marae: This is a traditional meeting place for the Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki people and other Māori groups.
- McNicol Homestead: This old house was built in 1878 and used to be the home of the McNicol family, who were early settlers. Today, it's a museum run by the Clevedon Historical Society.
- Paton Homestead: Built around 1870, this was the home of the Paton family, another early settler family in Clevedon.
- Clevedon Post Office: This building was constructed in 1909 and is a well-known landmark in the town.
- All Souls Church: Built in 1861, this church was opened by Bishop Selwyn and is a significant historical building.
Schools in Clevedon
Clevedon School is a school for students in years 1 to 8 (ages 5-13). It opened in 1859 as Wairoa School and moved to its current location in 1878. In 1895, it officially became Clevedon School.
Famous People from Clevedon
- Phil Goff: A politician who used to be the mayor of Auckland.
