| Rodney | ||
|---|---|---|
| District | Name | Rodney District |
| Population | 100,000 (June 2011 estimate)[1] | |
| Land area | 2,427.01 km² (937.07 sq mi) | |
| Extent | Muriwai to Hibiscus Coast; south to Helensville |
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Rodney District is a former local government area in the northernmost part in New Zealand's Auckland Region, created in 1989 from the amalgamation of Helensville Borough and Rodney County. The seat of the district council is at Orewa, and the district includes Kawau Island to the north. The district was, in its last period, led by mayor Penny Webster and 12 councillors. The area now generally composes the Rodney Ward and Rodney Local Board and is governed by Auckland Council since 1 November 2010.[2]
Rodney stretches from the spectacular black volcanic sand beaches of Muriwai in the west to the holiday resorts of the Hibiscus Coast in the east. The area includes a number of regional parks or areas of special interest. On the eastern tip of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula is the Shakespear Regional Park, while north of Orewa are Wenderholm Regional Park and Mahurangi Regional Park. Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve, which surrounds Goat Island, was New Zealand's first marine reserve, officially opened in 1977. It covers a coastline of about 5 km (3 mi), extends out in sea by 800 m, and encompasses 5 km2 (2 sq mi), inside which all marine life is protected.
Towns in the south of the district are becoming dormitory districts for Auckland, which is now accessible largely by motorway, although they retain their origins and character as holiday resorts. Further north, communities are more rural. Some have become famous for particular activities such as Puhoi and its cheese factory, or Waiwera and its geothermal hot pools. Warkworth is a good base to explore the Kowhai Coast, which includes historic Kawau Island, the home of New Zealand's former Governor Sir George Grey, where Mansion House is now a museum.
The dominant feature of the western side of Rodney is Kaipara Harbour, the largest enclosed harbour in the Southern Hemisphere, with a perimeter of about 3,000 km (1,864 mi). The area was once famous for its kauri timber mills.
Kumeu, Matakana, and Huapai are becoming well known for their wineries, a number of which provide sampling, cellar-door sales, and restaurants.
The district is divided into three wards, each containing a number of towns and settlements:
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