Pukekohe is a town in the
Auckland RegionThe Auckland Region was one of the sixteen regions of New Zealand, named for the city of Auckland, the country's largest urban area. With one third of the nation's residents, it was by far the biggest population and economy of any region of New Zealand, but the second-smallest land area.On 1...
of the
North IslandThe North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of
New ZealandNew 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...
. Located at the southern edge of the Auckland Region, it is approximately 50 kilometres south of
Auckland CityAuckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
, between the southern shore of the
Manukau HarbourManukau 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:...
and the mouth of the
Waikato RiverThe Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand. In the North Island, it runs for 425 kilometres from the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and emptying into Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake. It drains Taupo at the lake's northeastern edge, creates the...
. The hills of Pukekohe and nearby Bombay Hills form the natural southern limit of the Auckland region. Pukekohe is located within the political boundaries of the
Auckland CouncilThe Auckland Council is the council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It began operating on 1 November 2010, combining the functions of the existing regional council and the region's seven previous city and district councils into one "super council" or "super city" governed by a mayor, 20...
, following the abolition of the Franklin District Council on the 1st of November, 2010.
The
MāoriMāori 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...
word
puke-kohe means “hill of the
kohekoheKohekohe is a medium-sized tree native to New Zealand. It is found in lowland and coastal forests throughout most of North Island and also occurs in the Marlborough Sounds in the north of the South Island. Mature trees grow up to 15m in height, with a trunk up to a metre in diameter...
”, New Zealand’s native
mahoganyThe name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
.
During the New Zealand Wars, a battle was fought in Pukekohe known as the
Defence of Pukekohe East 1863The Defence of Pukekohe East was an action during theInvasion of the Waikato, part of the New Zealand Wars. On 13 September and 14 September 1863, 11 settlers and 6 militia men inside a half completed stockade around the Pukekohe East church held off a Māori taua or war party of approximately 200...
.
Function
Pukekohe is a rural service town for the area formerly known as the Franklin District. It has a population of mainly of European descent, with significant indigenous Māori and ethnic
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n and East Asian communities. There are also a notable amount of people of South African and Dutch descent. The population growth from 2007 to 2008 was 2.2 percent.
The fertile volcanic soil and warm moist climate supports a large horticultural and dairy farming industry. The Pukekohe long keeper
onionThe onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
is well known internationally.
Pukekohe has a high school, a
rugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
stadium (
Bayer Growers StadiumGrowers Stadium is a stadium based in Pukekohe, New Zealand. Its usual tenants are the Counties Manukau Rugby Union team who play in the ITM Cup, the national rugby union competition in New Zealand. In July 2009, Counties Manukau announced that Bayer New Zealand Ltd would the main sponsor of their...
, home of the
Counties-Manukau SteelersThe Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Franklin district of New Zealand. The Steelers colours are red, white, and black horizontal bands. The 'Steelers' moniker is a reference to the nearby Glenbrook steel factory...
), horse-racing, and
Pukekohe Park RacewayAlthough Pukekohe Park Raceway is better known internationally as a motor racing circuit, it is primarily a horse racing circuit in New Zealand. It is located south of Auckland City in the North Island. The track is now owned by Pukekohe Park Limited...
, a motorsports facility. Opened in 1963, this circuit is famous for having hosted the
New Zealand Grand PrixThe New Zealand Grand Prix, sometimes known as the New Zealand International Grand Prix, is an annual motor racing event held in New Zealand first run in 1950. Currently it is the signature race of the Toyota Racing Series. It is one of only two current national Grand Prix events that are not part...
29 times between 1963 and 2000, as well as the V8 International (a round of the V8 Supercars championship) between 2001 and 2007, before the event was moved to
HamiltonHamilton Street Circuit is a temporary street circuit in Hamilton, New Zealand as part of the V8 Supercars championship. The 2008 event from 18 to 20 April was known as the Hamilton 400....
.
Association football
Pukekohe is home to
Pukekohe AFCPukekohe AFC is a semi-professional football club in Pukekohe, New Zealand.Pukekohe currently compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2.-External links:*...
who compete in the
Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2The Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2 is a New Zealand Association football semi-professional status league competition that is run by the Auckland Football Federation and includes soccer clubs located in the northern part of the North Island, New Zealand. It is open to clubs from the Northland,...
, and
Pukekohe High SchoolPukekohe High School is a High School in Pukekohe in the Franklin District of New Zealand.-House system:There are five Houses at Pukekohe High School they are:...
football teams.
Transport
Pukekohe is on the North Island Main Trunk Railway and is the
southernmost stationPukekohe Railway Station is the southern terminus of the Eastern and Southern Lines of the Auckland railway network. It has an island platform between the main lines and an original wooden station building complete with signal panel....
of the Auckland suburban rail network, at the end of the Eastern and Southern Lines. Monday to Friday services are provided by Veolia Transport with off peak services being introduced in 2009. There is also a bus service provided by Waka Pacific.
Famous people
- Blair Hopping, Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
player
- Peter (Possum) Bourne, Rallycar driver
- Simon Doull
Simon Blair Doull is a New Zealand radio personality, commentator and former international cricketer. He was a right arm medium pace swing bowler, and played in 32 Test matches and 42 One Day Internationals for the New Zealand national cricket team...
, cricket representative and radio personality
- Malietoa Tanumafili II, Samoan Head of State -- educated at Wesley College
Wesley College is a secondary school in Pukekohe, New Zealand. The school provides education from year 9 to 13.The school was founded by members of the Methodist Church in 1844, making it one of the country's oldest schools. Initially located in Grafton and then the Three Kings area of Auckland, it...
- Jonah Lomu
Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
, All Black -- educated at Wesley CollegeWesley College is a secondary school in Pukekohe, New Zealand. The school provides education from year 9 to 13.The school was founded by members of the Methodist Church in 1844, making it one of the country's oldest schools. Initially located in Grafton and then the Three Kings area of Auckland, it...
- Bill Birch
Sir William Francis Birch, GNZM , usually known as Bill Birch, is a former New Zealand politician. He served as Minister of Finance for several years in the fourth National government.-Early life:...
, MP -- was a long-time resident
- Leslie Comrie
Leslie John Comrie was an astronomer and a pioneer in mechanical computation.-Life:Leslie John Comrie was born in Pukekohe , New Zealand, on 15 August 1893....
, astronomer and pioneer in mechanical computation
- Allan Wilson
Allan Charles Wilson was a pioneer in the use of molecular approaches to understand evolutionary change and reconstruct phylogenies, and a contributor to the study of human evolution. He was one of the most controversial figures in post-war biology; his work attracted a great deal of attention...
, molecular biologist -- grew up in the area
- DJ Ali, hip hop music producer
- Andy Dalton
Andrew Grant Dalton is an ex-All Blacks rugby union player who captained the side 17 times in tests...
, resident and All BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
captain
- Rex Mason
Henry Greathead Rex Mason was a New Zealand politician. He served as Attorney General, Minister of Justice, Minister of Education, and Minister of Native Affairs, and had a significant influence on the direction of the Labour Party...
, mayor and MP
External links