Mount Eden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mount Eden
Suburb
Mount Eden village seen from Maungawhau / Mount Eden
Mount Eden Location in New Zealand
Country	New Zealand
Local authority	Auckland
Electoral ward	Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward
Local board	Albert-Eden Local Board
Established	1870s
Area
• Land	392 ha (969 acre)
Population  (June 2023)
• Total	14,790
Train station(s)	Mt Eden Railway Station

	Mount Eden

Mount Eden (Māori: Maungawhau) is a suburb in Auckland, New Zealand. It was named after George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland. This area is about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) south of Auckland's main city centre.

Mount Eden Road is a winding street that goes around the side of Mount Eden Domain. It runs south from Eden Terrace to Three Kings. The main village area of Mount Eden is found between Valley Road and Grange Road. You can reach the Mount Eden Domain on foot from many nearby streets or by car from Mt Eden Road. The most important natural feature of the suburb is Maungawhau / Mount Eden. This is a dormant volcano and the highest natural point on the Auckland isthmus.

History of Mount Eden

Early Māori Settlement

Before Europeans arrived, Mount Eden was used by different Māori tribes. They built a strong, fortified hill settlement called a pā here. This pā was likely left empty around 1700 AD. This happened after a conflict between the local Waiohua people and the Hauraki tribes. The earth walls and flat terraces from this time still shape the hill today.

European Arrival and Growth

In 1841, land in Mount Eden was given by Ngati Whatua Orakei and then sold to new settlers. At first, the land was mostly used for farming to support the nearby Borough of Auckland. As Auckland's population grew, Mount Eden began to develop into a suburb in the late 1800s. In 1873, Alfred Cucksey opened a store in what would become Mount Eden Village.

The Colonial Ammunition Company started in 1885 and was based in Mount Eden. The steel Mount Eden Shot Tower, finished in 1914, made most of New Zealand's ammunition until World War II. It is now a protected heritage building.

Today, Mount Eden is known as a "leafy suburb." It has many large houses built in the first half of the 20th century. Many of these homes have green gardens and big trees. In the 1800s, several large country houses were built on the eastern slopes of Mt Eden. These included "Highwic," which is now a museum. Close to the current Government House, you can find Eden Garden. This is a beautiful public garden built in an old quarry.

Mount Eden (left, beyond Alexandra Park) from One Tree Hill

In the 1950s and 1960s, older inner suburbs became less popular. This made the old houses in Mount Eden cheaper to buy. During this time, Mount Eden became a home for artists, writers, teachers, and university lecturers. Many people still see Mount Eden village as a centre for arts in Auckland. This is because of all the creative activities and artists living nearby.

Transportation Development

Mount Eden Road in the early 1900s

Mount Eden in 2010

Dominion Road Methodist Church

Mount Eden had a good supply of volcanic stone, which was great for building roads. Also, workers from the Mt Eden Prison helped build these early roads. Many of these roads are still important routes today. In the 1800s, toll gates were set up on roads like Mt Eden Road to help pay for their upkeep.

Public transport started reaching the outer areas from the city in the late 1870s. Horse-drawn buses were the first regular public transport. In 1881, a railway line opened, connecting Newmarket with Helensville. It had stops in Mt Eden, Kingsland, Morningside, and Mt Albert. In the early 1900s, trams began connecting Mt. Eden, Balmoral, and Kingsland with the city. The trams stopped running in the 1950s.

Mount Eden Community

Population and People

Mount Eden covers about 3.92 square kilometres (1.51 square miles). As of 2023, it has an estimated population of 14790 people. This means there are about 3773 people per square kilometre.

In 2018, the population was 14,697. This was an increase of 819 people since 2013. About 14.3% of the people were under 15 years old. The main ethnic groups were European (69.3%), Asian (23.9%), Māori (7.8%), and Pacific peoples (5.3%). Many people (38.8%) were born outside New Zealand. Most people (54.7%) said they had no religion.

Schools and Learning

Mount Eden has several schools. Auckland Normal Intermediate is for students in years 7–8. Mount Eden Normal School is a primary school for years 1–6. The word "Normal" means these schools help train new teachers. Ficino School is a private primary school for years 1–8. Eden Campus is a special unit for teen parents, offering secondary education and early childhood care for their children.

Nearby Epsom has well-known secondary schools like St Peter's College, Epsom Girls Grammar School, and Auckland Grammar School. The University of Auckland also has a campus in Epsom.

Important Buildings and Places

Historic Structures

Mount Eden has many interesting old buildings:

• Valley Road Church was the first school in the area. It was also used as a church.
• The Garage and Marriots building was the first garage and petrol station, built in 1931.
• The Mount Eden Shot Tower was completed in 1914 and supplied ammunition.
• Highwic is a large 19th-century house that is now a museum.
• The Old Post Office was built in 1909.
• The Crystal Palace Theatre was built in 1928 for live shows and later showed films.
• The Mt Eden Borough Council and Firestation building was built in 1913.
• The Quaker Meeting House on Mount Eden Road is an Arts & Crafts style building.
• Marino Gardens is an Art Deco apartment block that won an award in 1936.
• The Tram-stop at Mount Eden Domain was built in 1910.
• The Mt Eden Kiosk is a 1920s tearoom.
• Mt Eden Pools has an indoor swimming pool facility. The water comes from rain on Mt Eden.
• Rocklands Hall is a grand 19th-century country house with a distinctive tower. It is now a student hostel.
• Government House on Mountain Road is the official Auckland home of the Governor General.
• Firth Castle on Castle Drive has a unique concrete tower built in the 1870s.
• Trewithiel was built in 1890 for Professor Sir Algernon Thomas, a science professor.
• Rannoch is a large 1920s house that is now home to art collector Sir James Wallace.
• Auckland Grammar School moved to its current location in 1916.
• Stoneways is an important 1930s Modernist Art-Deco house.
• St Peter's College was built on land given by the Outhwaite family.
• Whare ra ("House of the Sun") is an experimental concrete house from 1927. It was designed by cartoonist Trevor Lloyd.

Mount Eden Prison

Mount Eden Prison was built like a castle between 1882 and 1917. It is made from local basalt rock. It looks similar to Dartmoor Prison in England.

Parks and Green Spaces

• Ballantyne Square is a green space with large trees. It is a good place to relax. It was named after Doreen Ballantyne, a local councillor.
• Bellevue Reserve is a park with a playground and picnic tables. It used to be a stone quarry.

Getting Around Mount Eden

Mount Eden is well-connected by trains and buses. It is only about 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) from Auckland’s city centre. The train station is on the north side of Mt Eden. It is part of the Western Line, with regular trains to the city and western suburbs.

The main shopping and business area in Mt Eden village is along Mt Eden Road. You can reach Mount Eden by car from the Southern Motorway (SH1) or from the city centre. Mount Eden Domain is just north of the village.

Famous People from Mount Eden

Many notable people have lived in Mount Eden:

• Professor Sir Algernon Thomas (1857–1937), a science professor.
• Cyril Bassett, a recipient of the Victoria Cross award.
• Hamish Carter, a New Zealand Triathlete who won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
• James Chapman-Taylor, an architect.
• Josiah Clifton Firth (1826–1897), a businessman.
• William Elliot (c.1864–1934), a local businessman.
• Christine Fletcher, a former Mayor of Auckland and Member of Parliament.
• Dick Frizzell, a painter.
• Justice Gillies (Thomas Bannatyne Gillies (1828–1889)), a High Court Judge.
• Phil Goff, a former Mayor of Auckland, was born in Mount Eden.
• William Gummer, an architect.
• Paul Holmes (1950–2013), a television journalist.
• Trevor Lloyd, a cartoonist.
• Sir Frank Mappin (1884–1975), a generous orchardist.
• Lady Mappin (Eliza Ruby Thomson (- 1973)), who, with her husband, donated Birchlands to become the current Auckland Government House.
• Stanley Palmer, a painter.
• Ian Scott, an artist.
• Sir James Wallace, a businessman and art collector.
• Karl Wolfskehl (1869–1948), a German poet.
• Brent Wong, a painter.

Images for kids

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  Mount Eden village seen from Maungawhau / Mount Eden

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  Mount Eden (left, beyond Alexandra Park) from One Tree Hill

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  Mount Eden Road in the early 1900s

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  Mount Eden in 2010

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  Dominion Road Methodist Church