Seagrove Aerodrome facts for kids

Seagrove was once a secret airport in New Zealand. It was located near Clarks Beach on the south side of Manukau Harbour. This area is close to the small town of Waiuku in the Waikato region.

Seagrove Airport During World War Two

Seagrove airport was built in 1942 during World War II. It was a secret project. The airport was built on private dairy farms. This happened after Japan joined the war. There was a sudden fear of invasion.

The airport was used by the RNZAF (New Zealand's air force) and the United States Navy. Its main job was to defend Auckland from air attacks. The airport was first going to be called RNZAF Base Karaka. But it was named "Seagrove" instead. This was a thank you to the Clark family. They had given up their farmland for the airport.

Very few people knew about Seagrove during the war. It was kept very secret. Airmen at the nearby RNZAF Ardmore airport were puzzled. They would see fighter planes suddenly appear and then vanish.

By 1943, Seagrove became a support base. It helped the larger airports at Mangere and Ardmore. Mangere is now Auckland International Airport. Planes like the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk and Douglas SBD-3 dive bombers were based there. These planes were also put together at Seagrove.

The airport had two paved runways. They were made of cinder. Each runway was about 1,500 meters long. They were also about 45 meters wide. The runways were shaped like a boomerang. One ran from west to east. The other ran from north-northeast to south-southwest. They met at the tip of the Seagrove area. This was at the mouth of the Waiau Pa inlet.

Temporary buildings were set up for soldiers. There were also dug-in shelters and repair areas. The airport closed in 1945 when the war ended. Its secret was then revealed. For a short time, it was used to store old aircraft.

What Happened After the War?

The land was given back to the Clark family in the 1950s. Seagrove had been considered as a possible site for a new Auckland international airport. But it was decided not to build it there.

Later, people who loved speedway racing used the runways. They held drag races and speed tests there. But over time, the runway surfaces started to break down. There were plans to make the east-west runway a proper drag racing strip. However, the costs were too high. Also, the area was very isolated back then. So, the racing fans moved to other places.

Today, a small plaque marks the site. It honors those who served there. You can still see the shape of the runways from the air. This is true for planes flying into Auckland International Airport. You can also see them on Google Earth.

Access to the site is limited. It is now used as farmland and is private property. Most people in the area still know very little about this secret airport.

Images for kids

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  A view of Seagrove Aerodrome in 1946