New Lynn

New Lynn, comprising the statistical areas of New Lynn North, New Lynn North West, Fruitvale, New Lynn Central, New Lynn Seabrook, New Lynn Central South and New Lynn South, had a population of 20,214 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,980 people (10.9%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 2,946 people (17.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 6,744 households. There were 10,074 males and 10,143 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female, with 3,795 people (18.8%) aged under 15 years, 4,593 (22.7%) aged 15 to 29, 9,591 (47.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,232 (11.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 40.0% European/Pākehā, 10.5% Māori, 16.1% Pacific peoples, 42.7% Asian, and 3.5% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 49.1%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 38.2% had no religion, 34.5% were Christian, and 22.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 4,800 (29.2%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 2,166 (13.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 8,586 (52.3%) people were employed full-time, 2,082 (12.7%) were part-time, and 786 (4.8%) were unemployed.[2]

Māori use of the area began long before the arrival of Europeans, and a Māori portage existed between the Waitemata and Manukau harbours before European colonisation.[3] Some time after European colonisation of the Auckland Isthmus began, the area of New Lynn was surveyed by Frederick Utting in 1863, who named it after King's Lynn in Norfolk because of a similarity in the countryside.[4]

A brickyard was established by Dr Daniel Pollen by Whau Creek in 1852. He brought in brickmakers from Staffordshire in England, four of whom later established their own yards along the creek. By 1870 there were 13 brick and clay yards on the local waterways, exploiting the high-quality pleistocene clay in the area. Many of the ceramics companies failed due to the 1880s depression, competition, and changing preferences to use wood rather than bricks for construction. By 1910, there were only two ceramics companies in New Lynn, and two more in Avondale.[4]

The population was less than 100 in 1900, but grew rapidly over the next decade due to the expansion of the Western railway line, which had been established in 1880,[5] and New Lynn's development as an industrial centre. New Lynn became a Town District in 1910, and a Borough in 1939.[4]

One of the ceramics companies grew to become the largest brick-producer in New Zealand. A merger of four companies in 1929 formed the Amalgamated Brick and Pipe Company, later called Ceramco. It produced the well-known Crown Lynn pottery. It closed down in 1989.[6]

In 1935, the population of New Lynn was 3,500. The Great Depression caused high levels of unemployment. During World War II, the area was considered strategic due to the Whau River and the railway. Machine gun posts and tank traps were built, and the bridge over the Whau was mined with explosives. Fear of possible Japanese bombing led to air raid shelters being built.[4]

LynnMall was the first American-style shopping mall in Auckland when it opened in 1963. It became the first air-conditioned mall in New Zealand in 1987, the first to open on Sundays in 1991, and the first to be smoke-free in 1994. The mall was substantially expanded in 1999.[7]

In September 1974, New Zealand's first Pizza Hut restaurant opened in New Lynn.[8] It became the final eat-in Pizza Hut to be demolished in 2016.

The New Lynn Borough became part of Waitakere City in the local body reforms of 1989.[4] Today, New Lynn is part of Auckland's Council's Whau Local Board area.

New Lynn had a local government just like other suburbs of Auckland at that time. The local government was called New Lynn Borough Council, which started in 1929 and merged into Waitakere City Council in 1989, eventually amalgamated into Auckland Council in November 2010.

New Lynn Railway Station, located next to the bus transport centre and the LynnMall shopping centre, was upgraded in 2008–2010 to cater for the increased frequency of trains expected on the Auckland regional network after its electrification. The section of track on the Western line between Portage Road and Titirangi Road was trenched to allow trains to pass beneath the New Lynn town centre. A new twin-platform station was built below road level near the site of the existing station. The works were expected to "revitalise New Lynn", sinking the rail line which currently "splits" the town in two.[9][10] As part of the redevelopment projects for the area, part of Totara Avenue, in the New Lynn town centre, is being transformed into shared space.[11]

New Lynn has had ready road access to the Auckland CBD since the Northwestern Motorway and an expressway through Waterview were completed in the late 1970s.[12]

Arahoe School, Fruitvale Road School and New Lynn School are coeducational contributing primary (years 1-6) schools with rolls of 615, 309 and 458 respectively.[13] New Lynn School opened in 1888,[14] Arahoe School opened in 1958[15] and Fruitvale Road School opened about 1961.

Oaklynn Special School is a coeducational school with a roll of 166. It is a special school for students with intellectual impairments.[16] The school runs ten satellite classes at nearby primary, intermediate and secondary schools.[17]

New Lynn has no secondary schools but is serviced by large school campuses in surrounding suburbs, including Kelston Boys' High School, Kelston Girls' College, Avondale College (co-ed), and Green Bay High School (co-ed).

• Photographs of New Lynn held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections.