Red Hill, New Zealand facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Red Hill
Suburb
Red Hill Location in New Zealand
Country	New Zealand
Local authority	Auckland
Electoral ward	Manurewa-Papakura ward
Local board	Papakura Local Board
Area
• Land	99 ha (245 acre)
Population  (June 2023)
• Total	2,890

	Red Hill, New Zealand

Red Hill is a suburb located in Auckland, in the northern part of New Zealand. It is about 34 kilometers southeast of Auckland's city center. The Auckland Council manages this area.

Red Hill is the southernmost part of the Auckland city area. However, most of Red Hill is actually countryside. The suburb is very close to Pukekiwiriki, which is an old volcano and a Pā. A Pā is a traditional Māori fortified village. Red Hill is part of the Manurewa-Papakura ward, which is one of Auckland's thirteen main areas.

History of Red Hill

Red Hill was once a special and important Pā site for the local Māori tribes, called iwi, in Papakura. From the top of Red Hill, people could see all across the Auckland Region. This made it a great lookout spot during the Māori wars. People used it to watch for enemy waka (canoes) coming from the Manukau Harbour. They also watched for movements in the nearby forests.

The soil on Red Hill was also used to grow and store kai (food) for the local Māori. The area is still known for its rich and fertile soil. This has been true ever since the community was first settled. Other rural areas in the Papakura District also have good soil.

In 1989, there was a big change in how local governments were set up. The Red Hill area then became part of the Papakura District.

Later, in October 2010, the entire Auckland Region changed again. All the smaller local councils joined together to form one big city council. This new council is called the Auckland Council. The Papakura District, including Red Hill, became part of this larger Auckland city. Red Hill was then split into two parts: an urban area called Manurewa-Papakura and a rural area called Franklin.

People and Life in Red Hill

Red Hill is a mix of both city and country living. It has beautiful views and different kinds of homes.

The top and northern parts of Red Hill are known as areas where people with more money live. There are very expensive homes there. These homes often have amazing views of the wider Auckland city area and the Manukau Heads. If you look east and southeast, you can see the countryside of the Franklin District and the Bombay Hills towards Waikato.

Closer to Papakura, the lower areas of Red Hill have homes that are managed by the state and Housing New Zealand. These areas are generally for people with lower incomes.

Who Lives in Red Hill?

Red Hill covers about 0.99 square kilometers. As of June 2023, it had an estimated population of 2,890 people. This means there are about 2919 people living in each square kilometer.

The people living in Red Hill come from many different backgrounds. About 50.6% are European or Pākehā. Around 38.8% are Māori. About 25.1% are Pacific peoples. There are also 8.4% Asian people, and 1.8% from other backgrounds. Some people identify with more than one ethnicity.

About 21.1% of the people in Red Hill were born outside of New Zealand. This is a bit lower than the national average of 27.1%.

When asked about their religious beliefs, 45.2% said they had no religion. About 40.2% were Christian. Some people (5.4%) followed Māori religious beliefs. Smaller groups included Hindu (1.1%), Muslim (0.4%), and Buddhist (0.5%). About 2.0% had other religions.

For adults aged 15 and older, about 13.8% had a university degree or higher. About 23.0% did not have any formal qualifications. The average income was $30,500. This is a little less than the national average of $31,800. About 15.9% of people earned over $70,000.

Most adults (54.3%) worked full-time. About 9.9% worked part-time, and 6.8% were unemployed.

Education in Red Hill

Redhill School is a school for both boys and girls. It teaches students from Year 1 to Year 8. As of February 2024, the school has a roll of 189 students. Redhill School first opened in 1978.