Oratia
Encyclopedia
Oratia is a suburb of west Auckland
in New Zealand
, located in the former territorial authority of Waitakere
City.
It is approximately 16km to the north west of Auckland CBD
(Central Business District), and sits at the eastern edge of the Waitakere Ranges
Heritage Area. It is a relatively quiet community, bridging metropolitan Auckland with the wild forests and beaches of western Auckland.
The population of the Otimai area (including Oratia and parts of neighbouring Waiatarua) was 2,511 in the 2006 Census
Sunnydale in Parker Road is the oldest surviving residence in West Auckland built around 1860 from Kauri timber milled on the site.
Oratia Cemetery has burial sites dating from 1867 onwards. The gateway entrance was built in 1935. Its Category II listing is attributed to historical and visual significance.
Thomas Parr, a pioneer orchardist and nurseryman, established a plant nursery called Albion Vale on West Coast Road in 1879. Now a Category I Listed Building, the house has been restored to its original design after being used for many years as "The Town and Country Roadhouse", which was considered to be one of the finest restaurants in Auckland in the 1940s. The small Oratia Folk Museum is adjacent to Albion Vale. It was originally a small settler cottage built around 1870.
The Oratia Valley was settled by Dalmatia
n migrants in the late 1890s and early 1900s. They planted orchards and vineyards, leading to Oratia becoming known as the fruit bowl of Auckland. A strong sense of community developed which continues today, although some of the old families have moved out of the area. Many of Oratia's roads are named after the families who lived in Oratia in the 1800s, e.g. Parker, Carter, Shaw, Parr.
Many of the original orchards have now disappeared, and although still relatively sparsely populated compared to most of metropolitan Auckland, Oratia has developed into a community with many businesses and homes.
Ann Endt , an Oratia gardener, had a rose
named after her.
Gilian Painter is an Oratia writer who has had a number of books published about herbs and cookery.
Geoff Davidson of Oratia Native Plant Nursery received the Life Time Achievement Award from the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network in 2007 for his work to save species from extinction and being part of major initiatives to protect plants and plant communities.
of 9 and a roll of 542. It serves Oratia and a catchment area extending to the coast at Piha
and Karekare
. There is also a kindergarten located on the same site.
The Bruce McLaren
Intermediate school in Henderson
, named after the New Zealand Racing Driver, provides education for year 7 and 8 students.
The local state secondary school is Henderson High School.
Liston College and St Dominic's College
in Henderson
both offer Catholic education.
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...
in 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...
, located in the former territorial authority of Waitakere
Waitakere
Waitakere City was the name of a city which existed from 1989 until 2010 in the Auckland region. It was New Zealand's fifth largest city, with an annual growth of about 2%...
City.
It is approximately 16km to the north west of Auckland CBD
Auckland CBD
The Auckland CBD is the geographical and economic heart of the Auckland metropolitan area. Bounded by several major motorways and by the harbour coastline in the north, it is surrounded further out by mostly suburban areas...
(Central Business District), and sits at the eastern edge of the Waitakere Ranges
Waitakere Ranges
The Waitakere Ranges are a chain of hills in the Auckland metropolitan area, generally running approximately 25 km from north to south, 25 km west of central Auckland, New Zealand. The maximum elevation within the ranges is 474 m...
Heritage Area. It is a relatively quiet community, bridging metropolitan Auckland with the wild forests and beaches of western Auckland.
The population of the Otimai area (including Oratia and parts of neighbouring Waiatarua) was 2,511 in the 2006 Census
New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
The New Zealand government department Statistics New Zealand conducts a census of population and dwellings every five years. The census scheduled for 2011 was cancelled due to circumstances surrounding the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, however, and legislation introduced to hold the next...
History
Oratia was first settled in the 1860s, with 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) land parcels granted to new immigrants. Cochrane's orchard was possibly the earliest orchard in the area dating back to this time, although it no longer exists.Sunnydale in Parker Road is the oldest surviving residence in West Auckland built around 1860 from Kauri timber milled on the site.
Oratia Cemetery has burial sites dating from 1867 onwards. The gateway entrance was built in 1935. Its Category II listing is attributed to historical and visual significance.
Thomas Parr, a pioneer orchardist and nurseryman, established a plant nursery called Albion Vale on West Coast Road in 1879. Now a Category I Listed Building, the house has been restored to its original design after being used for many years as "The Town and Country Roadhouse", which was considered to be one of the finest restaurants in Auckland in the 1940s. The small Oratia Folk Museum is adjacent to Albion Vale. It was originally a small settler cottage built around 1870.
The Oratia Valley was settled by Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n migrants in the late 1890s and early 1900s. They planted orchards and vineyards, leading to Oratia becoming known as the fruit bowl of Auckland. A strong sense of community developed which continues today, although some of the old families have moved out of the area. Many of Oratia's roads are named after the families who lived in Oratia in the 1800s, e.g. Parker, Carter, Shaw, Parr.
Many of the original orchards have now disappeared, and although still relatively sparsely populated compared to most of metropolitan Auckland, Oratia has developed into a community with many businesses and homes.
Community
Despite its small size, Oratia has a number of amenities:- There is a SuperetteSuperetteA Superette, is a compact food market "convenience store" or "mini-mart".The term is most commonly used in the North Island of New Zealand, but also to a lesser extent in Northern New England, Newfoundland and Labrador, and elsewhere as an alternative name for a "convenience store" or...
, a garage for petrol and car servicing, a veterinary clinic, an osteopathic clinic, furniture makers and farm shops selling local produce. - Oratia Settlers Hall is a small venue hosting events as well as a monthly country market.
- Parrs Park offers a large playground, basketball courts, skating facilities and space for field sports. It is the home ground for Oratia UnitedOratia UnitedOratia United AFC is a semi-professional association football club based in Waitakere City, New Zealand. They comepete in the US1 Premiership.Their home ground is Parrs Park in the suburb of Oratia.-Club history:...
, the local association football club. - The Oratia Farmers Market sells a range of local produce every Saturday morning.
- Artisan Wines produces and sells wine from its own vineyard, and also has a restaurant.
- The Packing Shed Gallery and Cafe is situated in the original packing shed of the Tara Orchards built in 1908.
- "Just Plane Interesting" is a shop selling an eclectic range of antiques, curios and collectibles.
- The Otimai Girl Guide complex was opened in 1927, and now also operates as a venue for corporate events and private special occasions.
- Landsendt is a large sub-tropical garden considered to be of national significance . A range of rare plants are grown here, many originally sourced from South America, and now forming a rare plant "gene bankGene bankGene banks help preserve genetic material, be it plant or animal. In plants, this could be by freezing cuts from the plant, or stocking the seeds. In animals, this is the freezing of sperm and eggs in zoological freezers until further need. With corals, fragments are taken which are stored in water...
". - Oratia Native Plant Nursery is renowned for plant conservation, and is one of the earliest native plant nurseries in New Zealand.
Notable People
Hugh Redgrove, a plant breeder from Oratia, introduced a Hebe named "Oratia Beauty" in 1982.Ann Endt , an Oratia gardener, had a rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
named after her.
Gilian Painter is an Oratia writer who has had a number of books published about herbs and cookery.
Geoff Davidson of Oratia Native Plant Nursery received the Life Time Achievement Award from the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network in 2007 for his work to save species from extinction and being part of major initiatives to protect plants and plant communities.
Education
Oratia District School, established in 1882, provides primary (years 1-6) education for the area. It has a high decile ratingSocio-Economic Decile
Decile, Socio-Economic Decile or Socio-Economic Decile Band is a widely used measure in education in New Zealand used to target funding and support to more needy schools....
of 9 and a roll of 542. It serves Oratia and a catchment area extending to the coast at Piha
Piha
Piha is a northern New Zealand coastal settlement with a population of about 600. It is one of the most popular beaches in the area and a major day-trip destination for Aucklanders throughout the year, although especially so in summer.-Location:...
and Karekare
Karekare, New Zealand
Karekare is a small coastal settlement in northern New Zealand, where the Waitakere Ranges descend into a large black sand surf beach.- Location :It is located 35 kilometres west of Auckland city centre, south of the larger beach of Piha....
. There is also a kindergarten located on the same site.
The Bruce McLaren
Bruce McLaren
Bruce Leslie McLaren , born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor....
Intermediate school in Henderson
Henderson
-People, families:*Henderson , description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname*Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan-New Zealand:*Henderson, New Zealand*Henderson , former parliamentary electorate...
, named after the New Zealand Racing Driver, provides education for year 7 and 8 students.
The local state secondary school is Henderson High School.
Liston College and St Dominic's College
St Dominic's College, Henderson
St Dominic's College, Henderson is an integrated college for girls in Year 7 to Year 13 located in Henderson, Auckland, New Zealand. The College was founded by the Dominican Sisters in 1952 in Northcote, Auckland. The school was transferred to Henderson in 1967...
in Henderson
Henderson
-People, families:*Henderson , description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname*Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan-New Zealand:*Henderson, New Zealand*Henderson , former parliamentary electorate...
both offer Catholic education.