Sandringham, New Zealand

Part of the Sandringham Shops area

The Sandringham suburb began as a small farming settlement known as Cabbage Tree Swamp, named for the prevalence of cordyline australis and the area's predisposition to flooding. The first European settlers in the area were mainly engaged in dairy farming or growing produce. By 1862, there were sixteen properties along what was then Cabbage Tree Swamp Road.[4] In 1877, Cabbage Tree Swamp residents successfully lobbied to have the road's name changed to Kingsland Road.[5] The road and suburb were renamed again as Edendale in 1916, and finally as Sandringham in 1929.

Through the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the suburb grew slowly and remained mostly farmland and scrub. There was no water supply in the district by 1900[6] and by 1924 the area was still without gas or electricity.[7] Flooding was a major problem in the area. Eden Park and Gribblehurst Park became lakes during heavy winter rain, as did the reserve land east of Sandringham Shops. After a heavy storm in 1919, locals recalled boating through the streets and floodwaters "flowing through the bay windows" of one low-lying house.[8] Substantial development only came around 1925 with the construction of the tramline, resulting in the core of what is now the Sandringham Shopping Centre being built. Rows of evenly spaced streets spread on each side of Sandringham road and were lined with wooden Edwardian houses. Large parts of the area remained undeveloped however, and services such as telephone, electricity and gas were only provided at a minimum level.

Over the following decades more retail buildings were constructed. Large-scale subdivision of farmland began in the 1920s, and Californian bungalows began to dominate the architecture of the area. Around 1927, the Mayfair Cinema was built, an elegant building in the Neo-Greek style; it was demolished in the early 1990s. The Sandringham Service Station, still operating in 2011, was first erected by Sydney Waring in 1929.[9] The first Indian restaurant, Stan's Halal Hotpot was opened in 2001 followed by Satya's in 2006. An increasing number of South Asian restaurants have opened in Sandringham village which has led to it often being referred to as Auckland's "Little India".[10]

After the Second World War, what little remained of the farmland was developed as state housing. Sandringham Village is a virtually intact example of an interwar suburban shopping precinct.

As part of the Eden electorate, Sandringham became a no-licence area from 1909 until 2000, meaning that alcohol could not be sold. As a result, there were no public houses in Sandringham until the opening of Prague Bar 2011[11] (now closed) which was followed by the opening of Lord Kitchener Pub in 2016 . Earlier plans to build a tavern at 597 Sandringham Road were successfully opposed by residents in 2001.[9]

Sandringham, comprising the statistical areas of Sandringham North, Sandringham Central, Sandringham West and Sandringham East, had a population of 12,060 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 822 people (7.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,149 people (10.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 3,981 households. There were 6,054 males and 6,006 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.01 males per female, with 2,244 people (18.6%) aged under 15 years, 3,039 (25.2%) aged 15 to 29, 5,766 (47.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,011 (8.4%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 53.2% European/Pākehā, 7.0% Māori, 10.2% Pacific peoples, 36.6% Asian, and 3.4% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 44.7%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 45.2% had no religion, 28.1% were Christian, and 22.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 4,119 (42.0%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 807 (8.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 5,553 (56.6%) people were employed full-time, 1,449 (14.8%) were part-time, and 387 (3.9%) were unemployed.[16]

Edendale School is a coeducational contributing primary school (years 1-6) with a roll of 624 as of March 2020.[17][18]

• Waring Shops - This imposing block of narrow shop blocks was constructed in 1923 and takes its name from the local grocery store. The shop has maintained its look, with the same clear white paint job it has always had. It is now a T-shirt shop and electrician's office.
• Sandringham Community Centre - the community centre is an important gathering place, with an expanding range of classes and bookings for personal and community events. Two community playgroups meet in facilities behind the community centre : a Muslim group Tuesdays and Thursday mornings, and the general community group Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.
• Edendale Primary School[19] is on Sandringham Road, and Good Shepherd,[20] Balmoral School[21] and Maungawhau Primary[22] are slightly further. Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Nga Maungarongo, where the New Zealand School curriculum is taught in the Maori language,[23] is on Haverstock Road. Local intermediates include Balmoral School,[21] Kowhai Intermediate[24] and Wesley Intermediate.[25] The local secondary schools are Mount Albert Grammar School,[26] Marist College[27] and St Peter's College.[28]

Sandringham is home to Eden Rugby Football Club and the Mt Albert Ramblers softball club. Edendale Reserve has a playing field for amateur sport.

Sandringham is well served by south bound buses, and is only 7 km from the Auckland CBD.[29] The centre of all the shopping and business activities in Sandringham village is along Sandringham Road, roughly between Halesowen Avenue and Lambeth Road. By vehicle Sandringham can be accessed from the Northwestern Motorway (SH16) via St Lukes Road.

• Sandringham Village
• Sandringham Community Centre
• SPiCE (Sandringham Project in Community Empowerment)
• Mount Albert Grammar School
• Marist College
• St Peters College
• Edendale Primary School
• Central United Football Club
• Eden Rugby Football Club
• Mt Albert Ramblers
• Photographs of Sandringham held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections.