Titirangi
Encyclopedia
Titirangi is a suburb
in the Waitakere Ward
of the city of Auckland
in northern New Zealand
. It is an affluent, residential suburb located 13 kilometres to the southwest of the Auckland city centre, at the southern end of the Waitakere Ranges
. in Māori language
"Titirangi" means "long streaks of cloud in the sky", but this is often given as "fringe of heaven".
The population was 3,330 in the 2006 Census
, an increase of 93 from 2001.
It is characterised by houses built within the native bush
of the Waitakere Ranges. Many are of unusual design or are raised on poles to avoid the damp. The Waitakere Ranges lie on the west coast in the path of the prevailing winds from the Tasman and consequently attract a high rainfall. The native bush is home to many native birds, such as the Fantail
, Tui
, Kererū
or "Wood Pigeon", Morepork
and White-eye
. The landscape of Titirangi ranges from Titirangi Beach on the Manukau Harbour
to 400 metre high parts of the Waitakere Ranges.
For a long time the area had a reputation for bohemianism
. A number of well known New Zealand musicians, artists, writers and potters currently live or have lived in the area, including singer/songwriter Tim Finn
(who wrote the song "I Hope I Never" there), actress Alma Evans-Freake
, author Maurice Shadbolt
, painters Colin McCahon
(whose house is preserved as a museum) and Bibi Asgher, photographers Brian Brake
and Peter Evans, poet John Caselberg
and potter Len Castle
. An active local theatre, art gallery and radio station are based in historic Lopdell House. Many short walks or tramps in the Waitakeres start from Titirangi, and maps and advice can be found at the nearby Arataki Visitor Centre
Titirangi has a doctors' surgery, dental clinic, primary school, kindergarten, play centre, library, supermarket, fire station, war memorial hall, theatre, arts & crafts shop, art gallery, garden centre, community halls, two banks, post office, three restaurants, four cafés, a wine shop and three takeaways.
Titirangi is bordered to the south by Manukau Harbour, to the west and north west by the rest of the Waitakere Ranges' native bush clad hills consisting of the large Centennial Memorial Park and water catchment areas which supply much of Auckland's water. The main road into the Waitakeres, the Scenic Drive
, begins in Titirangi. To the east and north are a number of more urban suburbs. For many New Zealanders, the name "Titirangi" is associated with Auckland's best-known golf
course, the Titirangi Golf Course. The course is actually located on the border of the nearby suburbs of New Lynn and Green Bay
. Less than scrupulous real estate agents tend to call New Lynn, Green Bay and Konini by the relatively more prestigious name of Titirangi. Other suburbs surrounding Titirangi include Waima, Konini
, Glen Eden
, Woodlands Park
, Laingholm
and Waiatarua
.
of 10 and a roll of 506 . The school celebrated its centenary in 1972 although the history of the school goes back to around 1845.
The nearest state secondary schools are Green Bay High School, Kelston Boys' High School
and Kelston Girls' High School. Catholic students usually commute by train from New Lynn to Marist College
(girls) or St Peter's College
(boys).
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
in the Waitakere Ward
Waitakere Ward
The Waitakere ward is an administrative sub-district of Auckland City. It has two local boards, Henderson-Massey and Waitakere Ranges.It consists of that part of the old Waitakere City lying West of a line from Te Atatu North to Titirangi ....
of the city of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
in northern New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is an affluent, residential suburb located 13 kilometres to the southwest of the Auckland city centre, at the southern end of the Waitakere Ranges
Waitakere Ranges
The Waitakere Ranges are a chain of hills in the Auckland metropolitan area, generally running approximately 25 km from north to south, 25 km west of central Auckland, New Zealand. The maximum elevation within the ranges is 474 m...
. in Māori language
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
"Titirangi" means "long streaks of cloud in the sky", but this is often given as "fringe of heaven".
The population was 3,330 in the 2006 Census
New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
The New Zealand government department Statistics New Zealand conducts a census of population and dwellings every five years. The census scheduled for 2011 was cancelled due to circumstances surrounding the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, however, and legislation introduced to hold the next...
, an increase of 93 from 2001.
It is characterised by houses built within the native bush
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
of the Waitakere Ranges. Many are of unusual design or are raised on poles to avoid the damp. The Waitakere Ranges lie on the west coast in the path of the prevailing winds from the Tasman and consequently attract a high rainfall. The native bush is home to many native birds, such as the Fantail
Fantail
Fantails are small insectivorous birds of southern Asia and Australasia belonging to the genus Rhipidura in the family Rhipiduridae...
, Tui
Tui
As a noun, Tui may refer to:* Tu'i , a title of nobility in Polynesia and some of Melanesia* Tui Awards, New Zealand's annual music industry awards* Tui , a brand of New Zealand beer produced by Tui Breweries...
, Kererū
Kereru
The New Zealand Pigeon or kererū is a bird endemic to New Zealand. Māori call it Kererū in most of the country but kūkupa and kūkū in some parts of the North Island, particularly in Northland...
or "Wood Pigeon", Morepork
Southern Boobook
The Southern Boobook , also called the Mopoke, Morepork, Ruru or Tasmanian Spotted Owl, is a small brown owl found throughout New Zealand, Tasmania, across most of mainland Australia and in Timor, southern New Guinea and nearby islands.The bird has almost 20 alternative common names, most of which...
and White-eye
White-eye
White-eye can refer to:*White-eye , a large family of birds.*White-eye , a species of fish.*White-eye mutation, a mutation in Drosophila melanogaster linked to the X chromosome, found by reciprocal cross breeding experiments in 1906.*A lioness member of the Marsh Pride of lions that have featured...
. The landscape of Titirangi ranges from Titirangi Beach on the Manukau Harbour
Manukau Harbour
Manukau Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in New Zealand by area. It is located to the southwest of the Auckland isthmus, and is an arm of the Tasman Sea.-Geography:...
to 400 metre high parts of the Waitakere Ranges.
For a long time the area had a reputation for bohemianism
Bohemianism
Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
. A number of well known New Zealand musicians, artists, writers and potters currently live or have lived in the area, including singer/songwriter Tim Finn
Tim Finn
Brian Timothy "Tim" Finn, OBE is a New Zealand singer and musician. Finn is most known for his music with New Zealand 1970s and 1980s rock group Split Enz, and later for his solo work, a temporary membership in his brother Neil's band Crowded House and his joint efforts with Neil Finn as the Finn...
(who wrote the song "I Hope I Never" there), actress Alma Evans-Freake
Alma Evans-Freake
Alma Johnson is a New Zealand television personality, actor, producer, teacher and adjudicator of speech and drama and public speaking. She first joined broadcasting in the late 1940s at Dunedin's 4ZB as a trainee copywriter. A few years later she took up a government bursary to study drama in...
, author Maurice Shadbolt
Maurice Shadbolt
Maurice Francis Richard Shadbolt CBE was a New Zealand writer and playwright. He was born in Auckland, and educated at Te Kuiti High School, Avondale College and Auckland University College...
, painters Colin McCahon
Colin McCahon
Colin John McCahon was a prominent New Zealand artist. During his life he also worked in art galleries and as a university lecturer...
(whose house is preserved as a museum) and Bibi Asgher, photographers Brian Brake
Brian Brake
Brian Brake was one of New Zealand's most internationally successful photographers.Born in Wellington, New Zealand, John Brian Brake was the adopted son of John Samuel Brake and his wife Jennie Brake...
and Peter Evans, poet John Caselberg
John Caselberg
John Caselberg was a prominent New Zealand writer, based in Dunedin. His work ranged through poetry and playwriting to short stories and essays...
and potter Len Castle
Len Castle
Leonard Ramsay "Len" Castle, DCNZM, CBE was a renowned New Zealand potter.Born in Auckland in 1924, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1946 from University of Auckland and trained as a secondary school teacher, eventually taking a lecturing position at the Auckland College of Education...
. An active local theatre, art gallery and radio station are based in historic Lopdell House. Many short walks or tramps in the Waitakeres start from Titirangi, and maps and advice can be found at the nearby Arataki Visitor Centre
Titirangi has a doctors' surgery, dental clinic, primary school, kindergarten, play centre, library, supermarket, fire station, war memorial hall, theatre, arts & crafts shop, art gallery, garden centre, community halls, two banks, post office, three restaurants, four cafés, a wine shop and three takeaways.
Titirangi is bordered to the south by Manukau Harbour, to the west and north west by the rest of the Waitakere Ranges' native bush clad hills consisting of the large Centennial Memorial Park and water catchment areas which supply much of Auckland's water. The main road into the Waitakeres, the Scenic Drive
Scenic Drive (Auckland)
Scenic Drive is a road that runs through the bush-clad Waitakere Ranges from Titirangi to Swanson on the western outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand. It is part of Auckland urban route 24...
, begins in Titirangi. To the east and north are a number of more urban suburbs. For many New Zealanders, the name "Titirangi" is associated with Auckland's best-known golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course, the Titirangi Golf Course. The course is actually located on the border of the nearby suburbs of New Lynn and Green Bay
Green Bay, New Zealand
Green Bay is an Auckland suburb. It is under the local governance of the Waitakere City Council.The population was 3,936 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 321 from 2001....
. Less than scrupulous real estate agents tend to call New Lynn, Green Bay and Konini by the relatively more prestigious name of Titirangi. Other suburbs surrounding Titirangi include Waima, Konini
Konini
Konini is a suburb in the west of Auckland, New Zealand, under the local governance of the Waitakere City Council. According to the 2001 census, Konini has a population of 3522....
, Glen Eden
Glen Eden, New Zealand
Glen Eden is a suburb of Auckland city, in New Zealand. The suburb is in the Waitakere Ward, one of the thirteen administrative areas of Auckland and is governed by the Auckland Council....
, Woodlands Park
Woodlands Park
Woodlands Park is a small quiet suburb on the outskirts of Waitakere City, within the Auckland urban area, New Zealand. Nestled in the Waitakere Ranges, Woodlands Park lies in a valley, bush clad hills separating it from Titirangi , Parau and Huia and Laingholm .Most housing was built in the 1950s...
, Laingholm
Laingholm
Laingholm is a small community situated in the Waitakere Ranges west of Auckland, in one of the fastest growing regions in New Zealand. It is part of Waitakere City, New Zealand's first "eco-city"....
and Waiatarua
Waiatarua
Waiatarua is a small settlement near the top of the Waitakere Ranges, which border New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, close to the junction of Scenic Drive, West Coast Road and Piha Road to Piha and runs east until the junction of Scenic Drive and Mountain Road...
.
Education
Titirangi School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1-6) school with a decile ratingSocio-Economic Decile
Decile, Socio-Economic Decile or Socio-Economic Decile Band is a widely used measure in education in New Zealand used to target funding and support to more needy schools....
of 10 and a roll of 506 . The school celebrated its centenary in 1972 although the history of the school goes back to around 1845.
The nearest state secondary schools are Green Bay High School, Kelston Boys' High School
Kelston Boys' High School
Kelston Boys' High School is an all-boys state secondary school in Kelston, a suburb in the Waitakere region of Auckland, New Zealand. It was created in 1963 when the roll of Kelston High School became too large for the site on the corner of Archibald and Gt North Rds...
and Kelston Girls' High School. Catholic students usually commute by train from New Lynn to Marist College
Marist College, New Zealand
Marist College is a Catholic girls high-school located in Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand. It teaches from year 7 through to Year 13 with a curriculum based on Roman Catholicism...
(girls) or St Peter's College
St Peter's College, Auckland
St Peter's College is a Catholic college for year 7 to 13 boys . The school, located in Auckland, is one of the largest Catholic schools in New Zealand and is an integrated school under an integration agreement entered into by the Catholic Bishop of Auckland and the Government of New Zealand in...
(boys).