| Papakura | |
|---|---|
| Basic information | |
| Local authority | Auckland City |
| Electoral ward | Manurewa-Papakura Ward |
| Date established | 1943 |
| Population | 28,010 (2009) |
| Facilities | |
| Train station(s) | Papakura Train Station |
| Hospitals(s) | Counties Care, Papakura Private Practice |
| Surrounds | |
| North | Takanini |
| Northeast | Ardmore |
| East | Red Hill |
| Southeast | Opaheke |
| South | Drury |
| Southwest | Pahurehure, Rosehill |
| West | (Towards Manukau Harbour) |
| Northwest | Wattle Downs |
Papakura is a suburb of Auckland, and is currently under authority of the Auckland Council, in northern New Zealand. It is located on the shores of the Pahurehure Inlet, approximately 32 kilometres south of Auckland CBD. Papakura is the last off-ramp on Auckland's southern motorway and the area is not considered to be a part of South Auckland because of its rural and urban lifestyle, unlike nearby Manukau City.
Papakura is a Māori word believed to have originated from papa, meaning earth or flat (abbreviation of Papatuanuku) and kura meaning red, reflecting the rich, fertile soil upon which the community was founded.
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An old highway, the Great South Road, runs through Papakura, forming its main street. The road was constructed during the New Zealand Wars to transport supplies to the Waikato campaign. It was guarded by armed constabulary and was a designated military road.
During the major reformation of local government in 1989, Papakura became a district. Prior to that time, a smaller area was known as Papakura City, which was a small city of New Zealand, but the new district included parts of the surrounding rural countryside that had previously been part of Manukau City. After the major change “Papakura City” went to “Papakura District”, and instead of being an independent city, the area was amalgamated, including it into the Auckland Region. The whole district counts as part of the Auckland urban area for statistical purposes, forming part of its southern boundary.
From October 2010, after a review of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance, the entire Auckland Region was amalgamated into a single city authority. As well as the Papakura District, other territorial authorities such as North Shore City, Rodney District, Waitakere City, Auckland City, Manukau City, and the Franklin District were abolished and the entire area was dissolved into a single Auckland city council. The suburb of Papakura and other suburbs of the Papakura District are now in the Manurewa-Papakura Ward of the Auckland Council.
The Papakura Military Camp was established on the outskirts of the town in 1940 and remains an important army base for New Zealand. It incorporates the New Zealand SAS training area. In the early 2000s some land was set aside for new housing developments.
Papakura is home to Papakura City who compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2.
Papakura has many primary schools in its zone (excluding Rosehill, Takanini, and Opaheke):
Papakura has two intermediate school (excluding Rosehill, Takanini, and Opaheke):
Papakura has two secondary school (excluding Rosehill, Takanini, and Opaheke):
In addition to the Local Council Chambers, Papakura is served by a large Police Department; one of Auckland's busiest stations, a District Courthouse, and a WINZ office. In 2004, the Papakura Courthouse acted as the Supreme Court for Pitcairn Island.
Papakura once served a significant military population, but now only the SAS special forces are based at Papakura.[1]. Nearby houses were originally Army Homes, but are now in private hands.
Auckland's southern motorway and the North Island Main Trunk Railway run through the Papakura District. Train and bus services provide the bulk of public transport, with frequent trains on the Southern Line between Papakura and the CBD (Britomart). Recent investment has focused on upgrading and refurbishing the region's trains and suburban railway stations, most recently with the opening of a modern station facility at the town centre. Papakura is the final stop for most southbound public transport in Auckland, and Papakura is the third busiest station on the rail network. Drawn by frequent services into and out of the city, rail commuters come from Papakura itself, Franklin County and the northern Waikato. Though the motorway and Great South Road flow relatively freely at peak times, road commuters are affected by the acute traffic congestion as they get closer to metropolitan Auckland.
Some notable sports facilities include an indoor-outdoor swimming pool, an international-quality athletics track, a sports stadium, and venues for rugby, netball, golf, tennis, badminton, soccer, and many other sports. The council also operates a library and a theatre. Papakura also has a number of skate parks, and a skate bowl.