Southdown, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southdown |
|
|---|---|
The containers stacked in the primarily industrial Southdown can sometimes evoke a "table mountains" horizon.
|
|
| Basic information | |
| Local authority | Auckland Council |
| Electoral ward | Maungakiekie-Tamaki ward |
| Local board | Maungakiekie-Tamaki Local Board |
| Facilities | |
| Train station(s) | Southdown Train Station (closed) |
  Southdown, New Zealand  |
||
Southdown is a busy area in Auckland, New Zealand. It's mostly an industrial suburb, meaning it has many factories and businesses. It's located close to the main railway line, which makes it a good spot for industries.
Contents
Discovering Southdown
Southdown is a suburb in Auckland, New Zealand. It's known for its industrial areas. This means you'll find lots of businesses and factories here. The suburb is well-connected by roads and railways.
Southdown's Past: Freezing Works
For many years, a very important company in Southdown was the Southdown Freezing Works. This was a large factory that processed meat. It was part of a big industrial zone. The factory was located near the North Island Main Trunk railway line, which helped transport goods.
The buildings of the freezing works were closed down in the 1980s and 1990s. After they closed, the large areas of land became available. This land was then used to build new office parks and other businesses.
Cleaning Up the Harbour
In the past, the meat processing factories in Southdown caused a big problem. They used to release a lot of untreated waste into the Manukau Harbour. This was very bad for the environment. It harmed the plants and animals living in the harbour.
At the start of the 1900s, the Manukau Harbour was a beautiful place. People loved to swim, sail, fish, and collect shellfish there. But because of the pollution, by the middle of the 1900s, it became unhealthy. Eating shellfish from the harbour could even make people sick.
Luckily, things have changed! The freezing works fully closed in 1981. Since then, the water quality in the Manukau Harbour has gotten much better. It's a great example of how closing polluting industries can help nature recover.
Fun and Safety Spots
Southdown also has places for recreation. The Waikaraka Cycleway is a path where you can ride your bike. It ends at the bottom of Hugo Johnston Drive. This is near where the old Southdown Power Station used to be.
Hugo Johnston Drive is also a historic site. From 1938 to 1983, a company called James Hardie Industries used a 2.5-hectare area here as a dump. Because of materials found there, a nearby park called Southdown Reserve has been closed to the public since March 1999. This was done to keep everyone safe.
