Ellerslie, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Ellerslie is a suburb of the city of Auckland
, New Zealand
. It is seven kilometres to the southeast of the city centre, close to State Highway 1. A largely residential suburb, the area's best known feature is Auckland's main horse racing
course, Ellerslie Racecourse
, as well as for being the original site of the Ellerslie Flower Show
.
, after his father's home in Elderslie
(sic) in Lancashire
, England. Adjacent to his home, 'Ellerslie House', was a track along which Mrs Graham was in the habit of riding her horse every morning, now a street called Ladies Mile. Many of the local streets bear names of Graham family members.
In 1873 construction of the railway from Auckland reached the area. Possibly this was what induced Graham to develop part of his property as the 'Ellerslie Zoological Gardens', a pleasure garden with flower beds, fountains, bandstand and dance pavilion and a zoo. Although it was popular to a certain degree it failed to prosper. In 1886 much of the Graham farm was subdivided for housing but the landscaped grounds became the setting for the Racing Club (though racing had already started in the area in 1857, and remains located here to this day). The racecourse had its own railway station for racedays, and strongly characterised the local area up until its heyday in the 1920s and 1930s.
Next to Ellerslie Train Station
developed a small township servicing not only the local residents but also the raceday crowds. As the 20th century progressed the surrounding rural land disappeared and the small town of Ellerslie became absorbed into the suburbs of Auckland. The building of the Southern Motorway
was to both strengthen the strategic location already created by the railway as well as damage the local cohesion of the area.
The original Ellerslie Town District was established in 1908. The Borough of Ellerslie was formally declared on 1 April 1938. In 1989 Ellerslie was amalgamated into Auckland City. The area has seen strong population growth in the recent past, growing 32% in the inner Ellerslie area between 1991 and 2001.
Ellerslie is now seen as a very desirable suburb to live in. Its location provides convenient access to the city centre for commuters (via rail and bus links) and ready access to the nearby Southern Motorway for road users. The town centre is pleasant with good services while maintaining a sense of community. Housing in the area is well planned and close to a number of attractive parks, such as Michael's Avenue Reserve and Waiatarua Reserve.
. However, in the 2000s, a strong upturn in employment in the nearby business parks on the southern side of the motorway (connected to the area with a pedestrian overbridge), as well as a long-term strategy by a local business association, helped revive the area - which is now increasingly becoming oriented to lunchtime crowds and again has many prosperous smaller businesses.
.
, Epsom Girls Grammar School, One Tree Hill College, St Peter's College
, Michael Park School, Selwyn College
and Baradene College of the Sacred Heart
. However, of these schools only Michael Park School is located within Ellerslie itself.
.
Residents or rates payers of Ellerslie are entitled to free library membership at any of the 17 branches of Auckland City libraries.
Ellerslie Toy Library is a branch of the Toy Federation of New Zealand established by Miss Gillan Gorick in 1972 as a not for profit organisation. There are now 220 toy libraries all over New Zealand. The Ellerslie toy library relies on membership fees and donations to run the library.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is seven kilometres to the southeast of the city centre, close to State Highway 1. A largely residential suburb, the area's best known feature is Auckland's main horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
course, Ellerslie Racecourse
Ellerslie Racecourse
Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Ellerslie, Auckland, New Zealand for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit of approximately 1,900 m.-History:The first race meeting was held at Ellerslie on 25 May 1874...
, as well as for being the original site of the Ellerslie Flower Show
Ellerslie Flower Show
The Ellerslie International Flower Show is an annual garden show held in New Zealand. Previously held in the city of Auckland, the show moved to Christchurch at Hagley Park in 2008....
.
Overview
The suburb was named by early local politician and entrepreneur Robert GrahamRobert Graham (New Zealand)
Robert Graham was a 19th century New Zealand politician in the Auckland area.He represented the Southern Division electorate in the 2nd New Zealand Parliament from 1855 to 1860, and then represented the Franklin electorate in the 3rd Parliament and the 4th Parliament from 1861 to 1868, when he...
, after his father's home in Elderslie
Elderslie
Elderslie is a village in the council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The village is situated midway between the nearby towns of Paisley and Johnstone....
(sic) in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. Adjacent to his home, 'Ellerslie House', was a track along which Mrs Graham was in the habit of riding her horse every morning, now a street called Ladies Mile. Many of the local streets bear names of Graham family members.
In 1873 construction of the railway from Auckland reached the area. Possibly this was what induced Graham to develop part of his property as the 'Ellerslie Zoological Gardens', a pleasure garden with flower beds, fountains, bandstand and dance pavilion and a zoo. Although it was popular to a certain degree it failed to prosper. In 1886 much of the Graham farm was subdivided for housing but the landscaped grounds became the setting for the Racing Club (though racing had already started in the area in 1857, and remains located here to this day). The racecourse had its own railway station for racedays, and strongly characterised the local area up until its heyday in the 1920s and 1930s.
Next to Ellerslie Train Station
Ellerslie Train Station
Ellerslie Train Station is on the Southern Line of the Auckland railway network. It has an island platform.-Access to Station:Access to the station at the northern end is by a ramp down from the footbridge crossing the SH1 Southern Motorway between Main Highway, Ellerslie and Kalmia Street...
developed a small township servicing not only the local residents but also the raceday crowds. As the 20th century progressed the surrounding rural land disappeared and the small town of Ellerslie became absorbed into the suburbs of Auckland. The building of the Southern Motorway
Southern Motorway
Southern Motorway can refer to one of several urban motorways within New Zealand:*Auckland Southern Motorway*The former Christchurch Southern Arterial Motorway*Dunedin Southern Motorway...
was to both strengthen the strategic location already created by the railway as well as damage the local cohesion of the area.
The original Ellerslie Town District was established in 1908. The Borough of Ellerslie was formally declared on 1 April 1938. In 1989 Ellerslie was amalgamated into Auckland City. The area has seen strong population growth in the recent past, growing 32% in the inner Ellerslie area between 1991 and 2001.
Ellerslie is now seen as a very desirable suburb to live in. Its location provides convenient access to the city centre for commuters (via rail and bus links) and ready access to the nearby Southern Motorway for road users. The town centre is pleasant with good services while maintaining a sense of community. Housing in the area is well planned and close to a number of attractive parks, such as Michael's Avenue Reserve and Waiatarua Reserve.
Town Centre
The Ellerslie Town Centre is on Main Highway near where it intersects with the Great South Road. The construction in the 1960s of the Southern Motorway meant that Ellerslie was less easily accessible from nearby Greenlane, resulting in a downturn in trade and many empty shops, with the area featuring as a backdrop of urban blight in the famous movie Once Were WarriorsOnce Were Warriors (film)
Once Were Warriors is a 1994 film based on New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling 1990 first novel. The film tells the story of an urban Māori family, the Hekes, and their problems with poverty, alcoholism and domestic violence, mostly brought on by family patriarch Jake...
. However, in the 2000s, a strong upturn in employment in the nearby business parks on the southern side of the motorway (connected to the area with a pedestrian overbridge), as well as a long-term strategy by a local business association, helped revive the area - which is now increasingly becoming oriented to lunchtime crowds and again has many prosperous smaller businesses.
Demographics
Based on the 2001 Census, and relative to Auckland on the whole, the Ellerslie area had a number of characteristics:- Higher than average rate of residents with a bachelor or higher degree (21.8 per cent of residents aged over 15 compared to 19.5 per cent across Auckland as a whole)
- Lower level of public transport use (0.86 per cent of people used the train compared to 0.33 per cent across the city, while 4.57 per cent of people used the bus compared to 7.66 per cent of people across the city)
- Higher than usual rate of people driving private or company vehicles to work (68 per cent compared to 58 per cent)
- More people identifying themselves as having a European background, (88 per cent compared to 62 per cent for the city), with 18% of Asian background, the same proportion across Auckland as a whole
- More couples without children, (46 per cent of families without children compared to 38 per cent across the whole city)
- Smaller than average household size (the average household size of 2.2 persons, compared to a 2.7 Auckland average)
Notable buildings
- Christ Church 1883, a wooden gothic building in Ladies Mile. Its most significant feature is a full set of windows gifted to the congregation by the English firm of Clayton and Bell..
- Former Ellerslie Post Office 1909 John CampbellJohn Campbell (architect)John Campbell was an architect, responsible for many government buildings in New Zealand.Born in Scotland, he travelled to New Zealand in 1882 after training in Glasgow under John Gordon. From 1883 to his retirement in 1922 he worked for the government, holding the title of Government Architect...
architect. Decommissioned in the 1980s.
- Former Southern Cross Picture Theatre 1925, converted into squash courts in the 1970s.
- Former Municipal Offices 1926, (corner of Ramsgate St and Main Highway).
- Aborfield (corner of Ramsgate St and Main Highway). A two-storey wooden Italianate house, the residence of Lieut. Col Charles Dawson (18th Royal Irish Regiment), Chairman of the Mount Wellington Road Board and Master of the Pakuranga Hunt.
Association football
Ellerslie is home to Ellerslie AFC who compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1
The Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1 is a New Zealand Association football semi-professional status league competition that is run by the Auckland Football Federation and includes soccer clubs located in the northern part of the North Island, New Zealand...
.
Education
The main local State secondary schools are Auckland Grammar SchoolAuckland Grammar School
Auckland Grammar School is a state secondary school for years 9 to 13 boys in Auckland, New Zealand. It had a roll of 2,483 in 2008, including a number of boarders who live in nearby Tibbs' House, making it one of the largest schools in New Zealand...
, Epsom Girls Grammar School, One Tree Hill College, St Peter's College
St Peter's College, Auckland
St Peter's College is a Catholic college for year 7 to 13 boys . The school, located in Auckland, is one of the largest Catholic schools in New Zealand and is an integrated school under an integration agreement entered into by the Catholic Bishop of Auckland and the Government of New Zealand in...
, Michael Park School, Selwyn College
Selwyn College, Auckland
Selwyn College is a co-educational public secondary school in the Eastern Suburbs of Auckland, New Zealand.Selwyn offers the NCEA qualification, and a Certificate in Performing Arts...
and Baradene College of the Sacred Heart
Baradene College of the Sacred Heart
Baradene College of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic high school for girls aged between 11 to 18 located in Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand.Established 1909, Baradene celebrated its 100th year in 2009....
. However, of these schools only Michael Park School is located within Ellerslie itself.
Libraries
Auckland City LibrariesAuckland City Libraries
Auckland City Libraries was a network of 17 public libraries and a mobile library operated by Auckland City Council. In November 2010, Auckland's local councils merged to create a supercity resulting in ACL merging with six other Auckland public library systems to form...
.
Residents or rates payers of Ellerslie are entitled to free library membership at any of the 17 branches of Auckland City libraries.
Ellerslie Toy Library is a branch of the Toy Federation of New Zealand established by Miss Gillan Gorick in 1972 as a not for profit organisation. There are now 220 toy libraries all over New Zealand. The Ellerslie toy library relies on membership fees and donations to run the library.
External links
- Ellerslie Online (business association website)