Government House, Auckland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Government House, Auckland |
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Exterior facade of Government House
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Auckland |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 36°52′31″S 174°46′06″E / 36.875318°S 174.768239°E |
| Completed | c. 1920s |
Government House, Auckland is one of the two official homes for the Governor-General of New Zealand. The Governor-General is the King's representative in New Zealand. This special house is located in Auckland, New Zealand, in an area called Mount Eden.
The building was first built in the 1920s. It was a private home for a family named Mappin. The Mappin family owned the house until 1962. They then gave it as a gift to the Crown, which means to the New Zealand government and the King. Since 1969, it has been the official home for the Governor-General in Auckland.
Government House, Auckland, is not the first official home for the Governor-General in the city. Several other houses were used before this one.
Contents
A Home for the Governor-General
Early Government Houses in Auckland
The very first Government House in Auckland was put together in 1841. It was brought over by William Hobson, who was the first Governor of New Zealand. This house was in Waterloo Quadrant. Sadly, it burned down in 1848.
After the fire, it took a while to decide where to build a new house. This was partly because the capital city of New Zealand might move to Wellington. During this time, other houses in Auckland were used as temporary homes for the Governor.
A new main Government House was finally finished in 1856. This building is now known as Old Government House, Auckland. It served as the Governor's Auckland home until 1969. Today, Old Government House is part of the University of Auckland campus. It is used for lectures and as a common room for staff.
The Present Government House
From Private Home to Official Residence
The land where the current Government House stands was first built on in the late 1800s. In 1921, Sir Frank Mappin and his wife, Lady Mappin, bought the property. They completely replaced the old house with a new one. They spent about 45 years making the gardens and grounds beautiful. They named their new home "Birchlands."
The Mappins decided to give their home to the Crown. They wanted it to become the new Government House. The old Government House in Waterloo Quadrant was getting old. It also felt too crowded by the growing city and university. This made it harder to keep secure.
A Gift to the Nation
The Mappin family gave the Mount Eden property to the Crown in 1962. However, they continued to live there until 1969. Sir Frank and the Prime Minister at the time, Keith Holyoake, signed a special document. This document stated that the gift was made out of loyalty to Her Majesty the Queen. It was also to benefit the people of New Zealand. The goal was to provide a beautiful and dignified place for the Queen's representative in Auckland.
The document clearly states that the property is given "for ever" to be Government House in Auckland. This means it is meant to be a permanent official residence.
