Manukau

Manukau, comprising the statistical areas of Manukau Central and Puhinui East, had a population of 3,450 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 318 people (10.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 711 people (26.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,083 households. There were 1,764 males and 1,689 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.04 males per female, with 567 people (16.4%) aged under 15 years, 942 (27.3%) aged 15 to 29, 1,584 (45.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 354 (10.3%) aged 65 or older.

The Manukau Central area is mostly commercial or rural, with a population of 771. The Puhinui East area is mostly residential, with a population of 2679.

Ethnicities were 21.0% European/Pākehā, 10.3% Māori, 23.2% Pacific peoples, 52.9% Asian, and 3.7% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 55.5%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 18.4% had no religion, 35.1% were Christian, 17.9% were Hindu, 5.0% were Muslim, 3.4% were Buddhist and 15.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 549 (19.0%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 471 (16.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,605 (55.7%) people were employed full-time, 318 (11.0%) were part-time, and 126 (4.4%) were unemployed.[3]

Central office block of Westfield Manukau City

The Manukau Central area was part of the largely rural area of Wiri in the early 20th century. Its transition from farmland was driven by Manukau City Council, which formed in 1965 and purchased land there in 1966 for the development of an administrative and commercial centre. The Manukau City Centre mall, now Westfield Manukau City, opened in October 1976, and the Manukau City Council administration building in 1977. Several government departments established offices in the late 1970s.[4]

In 1983 Manukau City Council decided to rename the area Manukau Central, with the name Wiri continuing for the industrial area to the west. The name Manukau City Centre has been used for the central business district around the mall and city council building.[4]

The Rainbow's End theme park opened just south of the city centre in 1982.[4] Vodafone Events Centre, a multi-purpose event centre, is also opened in 2005 located at Manukau. Another shopping centre, Manukau Supa Centa, opened to the west of the city centre in 1998.[5] Manukau Institute of Technology, which has its main campus at Ōtara, built another campus at Manukau Central in 2014.

The suburb, since November 2010, is in the Manukau ward, one of the thirteen electoral divisions of Auckland Council.

AUT South Campus entrance

Puhinui School is a state contributing primary school (years 1–6). It has a roll of 618.[10]

South Auckland Seventh-day Adventist School is a state-integrated full primary school (years 1–8). It has a roll of 351.[11]

Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of March 2020.[12]

Manukau also has the South Campus of Auckland University of Technology and the Manukau Campus of Manukau Institute of Technology.

Manukau is well-connected for transport. The Southwestern Motorway (State Highway 20) joins the Southern Motorway (State Highway 1) at Manukau Central. Eastern Line train services carry passengers between Manukau Railway Station and central Auckland's Britomart Transport Centre. Adjacent to the train station is the Manukau bus station (opened April 2018), connecting southern and eastern suburbs and a stop for inter-city services.[13][14]

• Photographs of Manukau held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections.