Wattle Downs

Wattle Downs gets its name from the 200-acre blackwood and silver leaf wattle grove planted on the peninsula in the 1880s by farmer Mr White for an extract from the bark used in the tanning of skins. The project would subsequently fail due to planting the wrong trees; however, the 'Wattle Downs' name remains.[1][2]

Under the company name Wattle Downs Ltd, the Kimptons, Campbells, and Clements families purchased the 460-acre dairy farm in 1933, during the Great Depression. The first residential development started around 1970, after the farm was acquired by developers.[3][4][5]

Aerial view of Wattle Downs during development in 1980 (pointing towards Manukau Harbour)

• The original 'Wattle Downs estate' development takes place in the early 1970s after the Campbell family sold their land to Mercantile Developments. 1400 houses were built, most were detached and settled on the southern side of the Wattle farm peninsula, it featured predominantly bungalows, art deco and 70's style housing. A number of streets were named after famous golf courses around the world as the subdivision was built around a local golf course.[6] The Bluewater Cove subdivision, situated on the peninsula's northern side was built alongside the established housing estate.[7]

• Wattle Cove, a significant development jointly built by Winstone, Fletcher Building and Dempsey Morton, was a $300 million (NZD) subdivision that built 900 houses on the peninsula's west side throughout 2005-2016. A primary school and early learning centre was also built.[8]
• Mahia Park, another significant development, built houses on the peninsulas east side adjacent to Papakura Stream, the houses were built over the course of the 2000's. The original land belonged to Ian Ross and the Ross family before being sold off for development.[1]
• Acacia Cove, a retirement village, was built in the 2000s and currently has 217 villas and 15 self-contained apartments.[9] Wattle Downs Care Home, operated by Bupa, is a further retirement community situated opposite Acacia Cove. It includes 60 rest homes, a medical and geriatric hospital and Bupa Short Stay services.[10]
• A large greenfield landholding on the western waterfront side of the Wattle Cove precinct currently zoned as Mixed Housing Suburban per the Auckland Unitary Plan remains as privately owned open space held by the Kimpton family following the adjacent development of Wattle Cove.
• Wattle Park, a development that started construction in 2019, is a 112 terraced home subdivision located off Mahia Road opposite the established peninsula's housing.[11]
  

Most streets in Wattle Downs are tree-lined, and the majority of the trees are non-native. However the reserves in the suburb contain a mix of native and foreign trees planted over the course of the 1900's. Several artificial wetlands and detention ponds were built in reserves for stormwater management and creating small habitats for wildlife.

Historically, Kauri trees were prominent in the area; it was a place where the Te Waiohua tribes collected Kauri resin as it was required to produce the tattoo pigment used in Tā moko (traditional Māori tattoos).[12]

A Monterey pine tree in Moko-kauri / Kauri Point Reserve

The ponds at Wattle Farm Ponds Reserve were established in the 1960s. They were previously sewage treatment ponds serving the Manurewa district before being decommissioned in 1967 after completion of the Mangere Treatment Plant. Subsequently, the Manukau City Council acquired the land to be developed as Wattle Farm Reserve.[23] The two ponds now act as a freshwater cleansing system to take the silt from the runoff of the Papakura and Waimahia streams before it flows into the Manukau Harbour. The main pond is between 0.6m deep at the jetty end, to 1.6m at the far end by the tide gate.[24] A $3.5 million improvement project of the reserve commenced throughout 2017-2018, and improved water quality and sediment management, new recreational facilities were also built.[25] The ponds are used for radio-controlled boating, model yachting, and waka ama racing.