The beginnings……

St Heliers Bay is one of Auckland's most beautiful and desirable suburbs. In 1982, the town was a home for a small bunch of locals, and a holiday haven for city dwellers.

January 29th 1920 - Looking west along   Tamaki Drive

1965 - St Heliers Bay Road, from Tamaki Drive

The original Maori name for St Heliers was Whanga-Nui, meaning 'Large Bay' and it was here, at local Karaka Bay, on March 4 1840 that the Treaty of Waitangi was signed by representatives of Queen Victoria and the Tamaki Chiefs.

It came to be called St Heliers Bay in 1883, because Major Walmsley, stud Manager of Glen Orchard farm, saw in it a likeness to St Helier, the chief town of Jersey.

The first block of land purchased in St heliers was a 116-acre lot bought by Major Thomas Bunbury in 1841, for the splendid sum of one hundred and twenty-one pounds, three shillings and ten pence. In the early days the principal landowner of the district was the Church of England, with the rest of the district divided into three farms.

St Heliers Bay Wharf - 1890's

View from end of St Heliers Bay Wharf - 1890's

It came to be called St Heliers Bay in 1883, because Major Walmsley, stud Manager of Glen Orchard farm, saw in it a likeness to St Helier, the chief town of Jersey. The first block of land purchased in St heliers was a 116-acre lot bought by Major Thomas Bunbury in 1841, for the splendid sum of one hundred and twenty-one pounds, three shillings and ten pence. In the early days the principal landowner of the district was the Church of England, with the rest of the district divided into three farms.

Between 1881 and 1883 the St Heliers and Northcote Land Company bought and subdivided 600 acres of land, and built the wharf for the twice daily ferry service with Auckland.

By the turn of the century the population of St heliers was growing, and it became a popular seaside resort for holidays and day trippers coming from the city on the ferries.

In 1915 the first bus service began from St heliers to the city via Remuera. St Heliers retained much of its village atmosphere throughout the 1920's, but in 1931 the opening of the waterfront Tamaki Drive from St Heliers to Auckland, transformed the bay.

The ferry service had beeen discontinued some years before and with regular bus services to and from the city, the suburbs of St Heliers had a marked increase in population, which has continued to this day.

St Heliers Bay Hotel - 1890's corner of

St Heliers Bay Rd/Tamaki Drive

1924 - St Heliers Bay Road - Post Office is the building with the double chimney.

St Heliers is, today, one of the most popular and beautiful suburbs of Auckland - ten minutes from the heart of the city, yet retaining much of its original seaside charm and identity…