Ellerslie, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ellerslie
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Suburb
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Ellerslie town centre
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 Ellerslie
Location in New Zealand
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Local authority | Auckland |
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| Established | 1908 |
| Area | |
| • Land | 348 ha (860 acre) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 9,510 |
| Train station(s) | Ellerslie railway station |
  Ellerslie, New Zealand  |
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Ellerslie is a suburb in the city of Auckland, located on the North Island of New Zealand. It's about seven kilometres southeast of Auckland's city centre. You can easily reach it from State Highway 1.
Ellerslie is mainly a residential area. It's famous for the Ellerslie Racecourse, which is Auckland's main place for horse-racing. It was also the original home of the Ellerslie Flower Show, a big garden event. This show later moved to Christchurch in the South Island.
Contents
History of Ellerslie
How Ellerslie Grew
Ellerslie got its name from Robert Graham, an early local leader. He named it after his father's home in Elderslie, Scotland. Graham came to Auckland from Scotland in 1842.
In 1848, Graham bought land and built 'Ellerslie House' there. His wife, Sophia Swann, used to ride her horse along a track nearby. This track is now a street called Ladies Mile. Many streets in Ellerslie are named after members of the Graham family.
The railway from Auckland reached Ellerslie in 1873. Graham likely created the 'Ellerslie Zoological Gardens' because of this. The gardens had flowers, fountains, a bandstand, and a zoo. This made Ellerslie a popular fun spot for people from Auckland.
In 1886, much of Graham's farm was divided into smaller plots for houses. Horse races had been held in Ellerslie since 1857. In 1886, the Racing Club bought a permanent site from the Graham family, including the Zoological Gardens. The racecourse even had its own train station for race days. It was a very important part of Ellerslie in the 1920s and 1930s.
A small town grew up next to Ellerslie Train Station. It served both local people and the crowds on race days. As time went on, Ellerslie became part of suburban Auckland. The building of the Southern Motorway made Ellerslie an even more important location. However, it also divided the area physically.
Ellerslie became its own Town District in 1908 and a Borough in 1938. In 1989, it joined the Auckland City Council. The area has grown a lot, with many more people living there recently.
Today, Ellerslie is a popular suburb. It's easy to get to the city centre by train or bus. The Southern Motorway is also nearby for drivers. The town centre is nice, with good shops and a strong community feeling. The houses are well-planned and close to parks like Michaels Avenue Reserve.
The Singing Caves
Māori people called the area where the Ellerslie Racecourse is now 'Waiatarua'. This name means "two songs." It refers to a waiata (song) that seemed to come from caves. People believed the "singing" was made by water and air moving through the caves.
In the 1960s, a new grandstand was built at the racecourse. The caves were filled with concrete to seal them. But it wasn't completely successful. Some people say the singing could still be heard from the caves!
Ellerslie Town Centre
The Ellerslie Town Centre is on Main Highway. It's near where it meets the Ellerslie-Panmure Highway. In the 1960s, the Southern Motorway was built. This cut Ellerslie off from nearby Greenlane. It caused shops to lose business, and many became empty.
However, in the 2000s, Ellerslie got better. More jobs appeared in business parks south of the motorway. A pedestrian overbridge connects the town centre to these parks. This overbridge was even used in the opening scene of the New Zealand film Once Were Warriors (film).
In 2006, the overbridge was decorated with a 'Bridge of Memories' mosaic. This mosaic shows pictures of old and new buildings, houses, and images from local schools. Thanks to local businesses, the town centre is now busy again. It has many successful small businesses and is popular with people looking for lunch.
The Ellerslie Meteorite
On June 12, 2004, at 9:00 am, something amazing happened in Ellerslie. A meteorite crashed through the roof of the Archer family's home! The space rock landed in their living room. It bounced off the couch and hit the ceiling. The family heard a loud bang and saw dust everywhere, but luckily, no one was hurt.
This meteorite is officially called the Auckland Meteorite. Usually, meteorites are named after the nearest post office. But an "Ellerslie Meteorite" had already been found in Australia.
The rock weighs 1.3 kilograms and is thought to be about 4,600 million years old. It's the ninth meteorite found in New Zealand. It's also the first one to hit a home! Experts from Auckland University said that a meteorite crashing through a roof is very rare.
This event got attention from all over the world. An American collector offered the Archer family $50,000 for the space rock. But the Archers said no. They wanted the meteorite to stay in New Zealand so everyone could see it. You can now see the meteorite at the Auckland Museum in the Origins Gallery.
The Ellerslie Flower Show
The Ellerslie International Flower Show is New Zealand's yearly garden show. It first took place in Ellerslie in 1994 at the Ellerslie Racecourse. After three years, it moved to the Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa, Auckland. In 2008, the Flower Show moved again, this time to Hagley Park in Christchurch.
Landmarks and Features
The Ellerslie Racecourse
Ellerslie has been a centre for horse racing since 1842. That's when New Zealand's first race meeting was held here. Robert Graham, who owned the land, supported racing. He later helped create both the Alexandra Park Racecourse and the Ellerslie Racecourse.
In 1873, Graham sold both racecourses to the Auckland Racing Club. The club bought about 36 hectares (90 acres) in 1872. Today, the club owns around 72 hectares (180 acres). Race meetings are held regularly at the course. These include the New Zealand Derby and the Auckland Cup. These are the main races at the summer meeting.
The racecourse also has a golf driving range. You can also find a nine-hole pitch and putt course there. In recent years, other activities like fashion shows have become popular. Socialising is now as important as watching the races.
Notable Buildings
- Christ Church – This wooden Anglican church opened in 1883 on Ladies Mile. It has beautiful stained glass windows. These were given to the church by an English company called Clayton and Bell.
- Former Ellerslie Post Office – This post office was designed in 1909 by John Campbell. It looked similar to post offices in Mount Eden and Kingsland. It was a post office until the late 1980s.
- Former Southern Cross Picture Theatre – This cinema opened in 1925. It was an exciting new place for people in Ellerslie to socialise. In the 1970s, it was changed into squash courts.
- Former Municipal Offices – The Ellerslie Town District bought land for these buildings in 1926. The Ellerslie Borough Council worked here until it joined Auckland City in 1989.
- Arborfield – This is a two-story wooden house. It was the home of Lieut. Col Charles Dawson. He was important in the local community and a master of the Pakuranga Hunt.
- Ellerslie War Memorial Hall Community Centre – This building was built in 1989. Local groups helped raise money for it. It's used for performing arts. The names of Ellerslie servicemen who died or were hurt in World War I and World War II are honoured here.
- Ellerslie supermarket
Parks and Reserves
The Ellerslie Domain – This park is in the middle of Ellerslie. It has sports facilities for tennis and rugby. Several sports teams use the domain for training. This includes the Ellerslie Eagles rugby league team.
Michaels Avenue Reserve – This is a large open green space. It's used for sports and other fun activities. The reserve has many interesting plants and animals. There's also a wetland in its northern corner. It has a playground for children and fields for cricket and soccer. The Ellerslie Recreation Centre is also here. It has a gym for indoor sports.
Celtic Crescent Reserve – This park is great for children. They can play on the adventure playground. The wider community can also enjoy relaxing or being active here.
Sport and Recreation
Ellerslie has several sports clubs. These include Ellerslie AFC, a soccer club. The Ellerslie Eagles play in Auckland Rugby League competitions.
Ellerslie is also home to the Ellerslie Bowling Club. It was started in 1911. A famous bowler, Robert Lang McDonald, was a member here. He won a gold medal at the British Empire Games and went to Ellerslie Primary School in the 1940s.
Education
Ellerslie has several schools for young people:
- Ellerslie School is a primary and intermediate school (Years 1–8). It was founded in 1877.
- St Mary's School is a Catholic primary school (Years 1–6).
- Michael Park School is a Waldorf school (Years 1–13).
All these schools are for both boys and girls.
Older students in Ellerslie can attend nearby secondary schools. These include One Tree Hill College, St Peter’s College, and Baradene College of the Sacred Heart.
Libraries
People living in Ellerslie can get free library membership at all Auckland City Libraries branches. There isn't a library branch right in Ellerslie. The closest ones are in Remuera and Panmure.
The Ellerslie Toy Library is in Leicester Hall. It's part of the Toy Library Federation of New Zealand. The Toy Library uses membership fees and donations to operate.
