Karangahape Road

Karangahape is a word from the Māori language. Before Europeans appeared Auckland was occupied by several Māori iwi each of whom apparently used the same name for the Karangahape Ridge but with slightly different meanings.

The original meaning and origin of the word is uncertain; there are several interpretations – ranging from "winding ridge of human activity" to "calling on Hape". Hape was the tohunga (priest/navigator) of the Tainui migratory waka who lived around the Manukau Harbour. As the ridge was a walking route and was known as Te Ara o Karangahape – The Path of Karangahape – the name possibly indicates the route that was taken to visit him.[1]

Until the mid 20th century Karangahape Road was the only street in central Auckland with a Māori name, undoubtedly due to its use as a thoroughfare in pre-European times. Its Māori name proved difficult for many European settlers to pronounce and as it was the only major thoroughfare in the central area demarcated as a "road" (as opposed to a street) during the 19th century it was apparently often referred to as "The Road".

In 1908 there was a movement to replace the long Māori name with something more urbane, European and modern. Although there were several public meetings and much discussion in the newspapers at the time, the city council was unmoved and the name survived. The topic re-emerged in 1913 but was again unsuccessful, probably because of the advent of the First World War. Just before the Royal Tour in 1953 there was another push to rename the road; this time as "Elizabeth Street" but again the original name survived. From the early 20th century it has become widely known as "K Road", even outside of Auckland.

The statistical area of Karangahape, which includes the streets between Hopetoun Street Beresford Square to the north and the northwestern motorway to the south, covers 0.28 km² (0.11 sq mi)[2] and had an estimated population of as of June 2023,[3] with a population density of Formatting error: invalid input when rounding people per km².

Karangahape had a population of 2,307 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 504 people (28.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 894 people (63.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,074 households, comprising 1,260 males and 1,047 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.2 males per female. The median age was 32.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 105 people (4.6%) aged under 15 years, 846 (36.7%) aged 15 to 29, 1,179 (51.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 174 (7.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 61.9% European/Pākehā, 5.5% Māori, 3.3% Pacific peoples, 29.6% Asian, and 7.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 56.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.5% had no religion, 26.5% were Christian, 0.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 4.6% were Hindu, 1.8% were Muslim, 2.6% were Buddhist and 2.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 987 (44.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 69 (3.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $43,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. 600 people (27.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,413 (64.2%) people were employed full-time, 291 (13.2%) were part-time, and 78 (3.5%) were unemployed.[4]

Corner Pitt Street and Karangahape Road in 1909, showing the rich architecture typical of many historic retail buildings constructed on the ridge street.

K'Road in 1957, a healthy main street with department stores and many other shops – before the motorways destroyed or degraded much of the surrounding residential areas, starting several decades of decline.[5]

The western portion of the street became run-down and turned into the city's red-light district. The main part of the street remained a shopping hub but in the mind of the general public the reputation of the street as a whole became very disreputable. Now only a small number of obvious remnants of that time, such as the 'Vegas Girl' of the 'Las Vegas' strip club, still exist in the 2000s.[6]

As it was a travel route used by the pre-European Māori, Karangahape Road is an older thoroughfare than Queen Street, which was only developed by Europeans in the 1840s. The land was part of the parcel of 3000 acres sold by a local Māori to the government in 1841.[7] The Karangahape ridge was the formal southern edge of Auckland City in the 19th century.[7] In 1882 the ratepayers of Newton (along with Ponsonby and Grafton) voted to become part of Auckland City.

From about 1900 to the early 1960s, K' Road was Auckland's busiest shopping street with a large range of clothing and shoe shops and several department stores. Most retail chain stores had branches here, often in preference to Queen Street. During the interwar period most of Auckland's main shops selling furniture, musical instruments, radios and household appliances were located here.[8][9]

In 1908 the gas street lighting was replaced with electric lamps. In 1935 the whole street was lit by electric lights under the shop awnings to create a "Community Lighting" project referred to as the "Great White Way". Activated by the Mayor Sir Ernest Davis this created a mile of lit-up shop fronts which added to the glamour of late night shopping. In 1948 the second set of traffic lights in Auckland (and the first lights to have pedestrian phases) were installed at the Pitt Street intersection. In 1949 the street lamps were fitted with the first fluorescent street lights in New Zealand.[7]

The Karangahape Road Business Association (KBA) had begun in 1911 as an informal gathering of business people in the area. It officially dates from 1924 when it was registered as the Karangahape Road Businessmen's Association. Its first president was Mathew James Bennett, who ran a paint, wallpaper and interior decorating firm. Bennett was involved in a number of organisations including the Auckland Electric Power Board.

During the middle of the 20th century the Karangahape Road Area was a destination shopping centre, especially busy on late nights when family groups would travel in (often on public transport) and clog the pavements. A line was painted down the centre of the footpaths to regulate foot traffic and police were posted at the Pitt Street intersection to stop people being pushed out into the traffic. A typical late-night outing included seeing a movie, shopping, a meal and promenading along the street window shopping and being seen. At this time the street had five cinemas (The Avon, Vogue, Newton Palace, Playhouse and Tivoli) and probably as many dance halls (The Music Academy, Peter Pan Cabaret) including the Druid's Hall in Galatos Street which is still in operation as a music venue.

K Road was the location of many shops aimed at the beauty and fashion trade; fabric, clothing, shoes, accessories and many specialist hair and beauty salons (Kay's Beauty Salon, Winter's Hair Dressing, Miss Hubber, The Powder Puff Salon). There were several photographers' studios located along the ridge since the late Victorian period (Ellerbeck, Andrews, Morton's, Partington, Tadema, Sarony, St John Biggs, Peter Pan Studios). In addition to a collection of some fairly upmarket dress emporiums (Flacksons, LaGonda) and furriers, there were a number of establishments which specialised in bridal fashions and accessories (Tadema Studios was just one of the photographers which specialised in Wedding photography).

As shops were not open on Saturdays or Sundays before the 1980s, the inner city was rather quiet during the day on the weekends. Karangahape Road was an exception, however. Most weddings take place on a Saturday and groups of women would loiter on K road outside the many photographers' studios to catch a glimpse of wedding parties as they arrived or departed from having their studio portraits taken. Sundays were a social event as well; up until the 1960s people attending church dressed up and there was interest in what people, especially women, were wearing.

The Karangahape Road area was the location of several major churches; The Baptist Tabernacle, The Pitt St Methodist Church, St James' Wellington Street, Congregationalist, St Benedicts, The Church of Christ Scientist, The Church of Christ, The Church of the Epiphany, Church of Jesus, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Chinese Presbyterian Church, the Salvation Army, Pacific Island Church, two Brethren Halls and after 1966, the main Synagogue. There was also the Higher Thought Temple, The Theosophical Society, The Foresters Hall, The Druids Hall, The Scots Hall, The Hibernian Society, The Irish Hall, three Freemasons Halls, several Trade Unions, the Maori Hall and the Old Folks Association. Any of these organisations were likely to be the location of a service, lecture or social event on any given day.

After 1965, K' Road lost most of its local customer base when construction of the inner-city motorway system resulted in over 50,000 people having to move out of the surrounding areas.[8][9] The downturn in trade led to many shops closing and the relocating of businesses to other areas of Auckland. This accelerated the decline, and by the early 1970s the low rents in the western portion of the street meant it had acquired a rather seedy reputation as Auckland's red-light district although the adult industry never accounted for more than 4 percent of the businesses in the area at any time.

Since the early 1990s there has been a move away from this image largely due to newly constructed apartment blocks attracting residents back to the area, as well as a general gentrification of close by areas such as Ponsonby. Karangahape Road is probably the most notorious street in the country, as most people imagine it is lined with strip clubs, brothels and adult shops. The reality is different; despite the street's reputation very few enterprises are connected with the adult industry; the proportion of outre establishments to more ordinary businesses has remained fairly constant at about 3% between the early 1960s (when the first Red Light business appeared) and today.[8] Even at its height of its reputation (between the 1970s and 1990s) as the biggest Red Light area in the country there were never more than 12 Adult businesses. Today there are 150 shops along the main road, K Road, and around 700 businesses in the general area - in 2010 only 8 were connected with the sex industry - in 2022 there are 6.

K Road currently boasts an eclectic collection of shops, cafés and a nucleus of dealer art galleries. Since the early 1990s it has developed as a focus for nightlife; its restaurants, bars and nightclubs make it a major part of Auckland's social scene. This is largely due to redevelopment of the Queen Street valley in the 1980s as increased rents made many nightclub venues relocate to the K Road ridge. Since the mid 1990s K Road has become a centre for much of Auckland's bohemian scene, with many venues for alternative music and fringe art as well as the LGBT community. In 2007, a museum dedicated to the preservation of sapphic lesbian culture was created and the Charlotte Museum Trust was registered. The organization became part of the Te Papa National Museum Standards programme and currently occupies space just off of K Road on Howe Street.[10][11][12][13] This area is also known for its trendy op shops, and craft and art collectives.

The street received a major upgrade of its footpaths and street furniture which finished in 2006, at a cost of NZ$3.5 million.[14] As of 2009, approximately 400 businesses were on K Road.[8]

In 2011 the Karangahape Road overbridge had a $2.1 million upgrade as part of the Rugby World Cup Celebration. Designed by Opus Architecture and funded by Auckland Transport, it took 6 weeks to complete. Included in the design were three internally lit perspex pylons which act as entry markers for the bridge designed by the renowned Tongan artist Filipe Tohi. In 2021, a Rainbow Crossing was installed to celebrate the area's history as a refuge for queer people.[15]

Popular guided heritage walks are conducted on Karangahape Road. Notable buildings and sites include:

Symonds Street intersection

Partington's Windmill

Symonds Street tram shelter

• Cordis Hotel, 77–79 Symonds Street. At the corner of Karangahape Road and Symonds Street. This was a Sheraton Hotel before becoming part of the Langham chain. In 2017, Langham Hotel was renamed the Cordis Hotel.[16] Partington's Windmill stood on the site from 1850 to 1950. The windmill's demolition was controversial and led to laws for heritage protection and the formation of Heritage New Zealand.[7]
• 

  Karangahape Road Motorway Bridge at night
  Grafton Bridge, 1910. At the eastern end of Karangahape Road, a large concrete structure spanning Grafton Gully. When it was completed in 1910 it was the largest concrete single-span bridge in the world. Its construction required disturbing only eight graves.
• 1910 tram shelter, Symonds Street. Built in 1910 by Auckland City Council to accompany the adjoining bridge this ornate tram shelter includes public toilets. These may have been the first public toilets for women.
• Symonds Street Cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in Auckland and the first official burial ground. Here are located the graves of many of Auckland's early settlers including Captain William Hobson, the first Governor of New Zealand who died in 1842. The cemetery was officially closed in 1905 when it was handed over to the Auckland City Council as a park. When the motorway system was constructed in the mid 1960s, it required the moving of over 4100 bodies. These were reinterred in two memorial sites within the cemetery.
• Jewish Centennial Memorial Hall. Designed by Albert Goldwater and his son John Goldwater this structure is in the International Modernist style. Dating from 1953 this chapel and mortuary replaces an earlier wooden building from the 19th century. It commemorates the first Jewish religious ceremony held in New Zealand in 1853.

Pitt Street intersection

• Pitt Street Buildings – Queen Anne Style block of shops from 1904. Corner of Pitt St and K Road. Distinguished by several gables, this building is regarded by many as a symbol of the area.
• Pitt Street Methodist Church – 78 Pitt Street. 1866 Gothic structure by local architect Philip Herapath with sculptural figures and details by Anton Teutonberg, the first European sculptor in New Zealand.
• Wesley Bicentennial Hall – 78 Pitt Street. 1940 building By Daniel B Patterson in a mixture of Gothic and Art-Deco styles.
• Central Fire Station – 58 Pitt Street. 1902 Queen Anne style building designed by Goldsboro & Wade architects.
• 1912 Fire Station – One Beresford Square. Designed by Goldsboro & Wade architects. Extension to the earlier 1902 structure.
• Former Beresford Street Congregationalist Church – 19 Beresford Square. 1875 Neo-Greek Style building by Philip Herapath. Possibly the second oldest concrete structure in the country. Now called Hopetoun Alpha.
• Naval & Family Hotel – 1897, Arthur Wilson architect. Corner of Pitt Street and K Road. An ornate three-storey building with Italianate, English Baroque and Queen Anne influences. A veranda was added in the 1940s, the original building being designed without one, in common with many hotels of the colonial period, to discourage intoxicated men from loitering outside. It has an Historic Places Trust B classification, which protects the exterior. A Georgian-style hotel occupied the site from about 1862 until it burnt down in 1894.[7]

Symonds St Cemetery.

• Former Palace Theatre (also known as Newton Picture Palace until 1915) – 251–253 Karangahape road. Built as a Foresters Hall in 1884 this was turned into a cinema in 1911. In 1926 R&W Hellaby Ltd converted the theatre into shops with the top floor becoming a cabaret and dance floor. The first female City Councillor, Ellen Meville made speeches here.
• Former George Court and Sons Department Store – 1924, Clinton Savage architect, based on Selfridges in Oxford Street, London. 238 K Road; Corner K Road and Mercury Lane. Proto-modern building showing the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright and Otto Wagner. The Court brothers opened their first drapery store on K Road in the 1890s (cnr Liverpool St).[7]
• 

  Mercury Theatre
  Mercury Theatre – 1910, Edward Bartley architect. 9 Mercury Lane. The oldest surviving theatre in Auckland. This English Baroque styled building was constructed in 1910 as the Kings Theatre for Sir Benjamin Fuller. When it was converted into a cinema in 1926 a new entrance on K Road was built (now the Norman Ng building). Between 1962 and 1990 this was the location of the Mercury Theatre Company. The street's name, France Street, was changed to Mercury Lane in the 1990s in memory of the Theatre Company. Currently owned by a church, it is occasionally used as a theatre.
• Norman Ng Building – 256 Karangahape Road. 1926 entrance to the Prince Edward Picture Theatre (previously the King's Theatre) designed by Daniel B Patterson for Sir Benjamin Fuller. After the cinema closed in 1959 this building was sold off and purchased by Norman Ng who ran a fruit & vegetable shop here. A popular café called Brazil was located here for almost two decades from the early 1990s, a succession of cafes has succeeded it. The renovated interior boasts many original Art-Deco features.

Edinburgh Street intersection

444-472 Karangahape Road, east of the Edinburgh Street intersection.

• Pacific Island Church – Edinburgh Street. This is the First Pacific Island Church in New Zealand, founded by the late Susuga a le Toeaina Reverend Leuatea Sio in 1947. The current building dates from 1962 and was used as a location for the wedding scenes in the 2006 film Sione's Wedding and a similar scene in the 2012 sequel film.
• Pacific Island Church Memorial – outside the church is a granite obelisk erected in 1997 to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the founding of the church in 1947 by the late Susuga a le Toeaina Reverend Leuatea Sio. The obelisk is engraved with Pacific Island images and patterns; the lamp which surmounted it has been recently restored.
• Pacific Island Church Hall – The current building dates from 1979 and was opened by the then Prime Minister Robert Muldoon, it replaces several late Victorian wooden buildings which had been the centre of the Newton Presbyterian Church.
• Maori Hall – 5 Edinburgh Street. 1907 Foresters Hall turned into a Maori community facility in 1931. Currently owned by the PI Church opposite.

Western part of K'Road, looking east.

Karangahape Road was the location of two of the earliest radio stations in the country; In 1923 Charles Pearson obtained a license for the first radio station in Auckland. Initially called 1YB this station was renamed 1ZB in 1931. Its frequency was 1090AM. Pearson's morning announcer was a young woman called Maud Basham who later became famous as Aunt Daisy.

The first broadcasting house in Auckland, The Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand, operated from 1925 to 1931 on France Street with large radio antennae on top of the George Courts building. It ran a commercial radio station with the call sign 1YA and the frequency 910AM until it was absorbed into the Government Broadcasting System as part of National Radio in the 1930s.

K Road has recently re-emerged as a film and audiovisual precinct. It has six independent film-makers and three screening venues. It was also the home of now defunct independent television station Alt TV.

Two radio stations, K FM Radio and Boosh.FM, operate from the street. K FM Radio broadcasts on the frequency 106.9 to most of the Auckland central business district and some of the inner-city suburbs. It plays reggae, dub, lounge, jazz, blues, funk and hip-hop in an attempt to reflect the diverse and alternative culture of Karangahape Road. Originally broadcasting from St.Kevin's Arcade, it is now based at 208 Karangahape Road.[17]

The offices of Women in Film and Television (WIFT) were located at 1 Beresford Square until about 2012.

The Auckland office of the New Zealand Film Archive was located in 300 Karangahape Road until about 2012, where the institute had a reference library and exhibition space.[18]

The song "Verona" by New Zealand rock band Elemeno P, from their album Love & Disrespect, refers to the café/restaurant/bar of the same name at 169 Karangahape Road. The current Verona building dates from 1923 and takes its name from the Victorian house that previously occupied the site, Mrs Bishop's "Verona" Boarding House.

Geddes Dental Renovations was a dental firm located in the K Road area on Queen Street. The company's radio jingle (broadcast from 1949 until the early 1980s) became a defining part of Auckland's culture; it was said it was possible to ascertain the presence of Aucklanders anywhere in the world by singing the Geddes' song.

Sung to the tune 'My Darling Clementine'

Broke my denture, broke my denture. Woe is me, what shall I do?

Take it in to Mr. Geddes, and he'll fix it just like NEW.

What's the address, what's the address? Hurry please, and tell me DO!

Top of Queen Street, on the corner, and the number's Four – Nine – TWO.

Arguably New Zealand's most famous commercial even though it hasn't been broadcast since the early 1980s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4G_Ne8YjR0

• 1987 Walkshort: a short film directed by Bill Toepfer featuring Harry Sinclair and Don McGlashan
• 1987 Jewel's Darl: a short film by Peter Wells starring Georgina Beyer, one of the scenes takes place on K Road.
• 1995 TV interview by Mark Staufer of Jordan Luck as his band The Exponents plays on a rooftop on K Road to promote a new album and tour.
• 1998 "I Can Change" by Trip to the Moon: Music Video showing several scenes on K Road. A collaboration between Tom Ludvigson and Trevor Reekie with Bobbylon of the Hallelujah Picassos on vocals.
• 1999 Ode to K' Rd Music Video by "Peter Stuyvesant Hitlist" – filmed entirely on K Road.
• 2004 1Nite Full-length feature film by Amarbir Singh – centring largely around K Road.
• 2005 The song "Verona" by New Zealand rock band Elemeno P, from their album Love & Disrespect
• 2006 Sione's Wedding: The Wedding scene is filmed in the Pacific Island Church in Edinburgh Street
• 2012 Sione's 2: Unfinished Business: several outdoor scenes were shot on K Road.

A surprising number of nationally known shops and brand names started on Karangahape Road or had a branch there.

• David Nathan (1816–1883) – merchant and Jewish community leader. Buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery.
• Sir George Grey (1812–1898) – Premier of New Zealand, MP for Auckland West, twice Governor of NZ.
• Lady Eliza Lucy Grey (1823–1898) – wife of George Grey.
• Rev John Kinder (1819–1903) – Anglican clergyman, headmaster, watercolourist and pioneer photographer.
• Major General Sir Duncan Cameron GCB (1808–1888) – Commander of the British Imperial Forces in New Zealand.
• Major General Sir George Dean Pitt KH (1772–1851) – Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster Province. Residence in Pitt Street, demolished in 1943. Buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery.
• Lieutenant William Augustus Dean-Pitt KH (1833–1890) – son of Major General Sir George Dean Pitt. Buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery.
• Charles Partington – windmill owner and health food enthusiast. Residence on City Road. Buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery.
• Lewis Eady – piano importer and retailer. Residence on Liverpool Street.
• Samuel Vaile – founder of the real estate company bearing his name. Residence on K Road opposite Cobden Street – demolished in 1927. Buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery.
• Baron Charles de Thierry (1793–1864) – adventurer who attempted to establish his own sovereign state in New Zealand before British annexation. He spent his last years as a music teacher – residence on Symonds Street near City Road. Buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery.
• Philip Herapath – died 1892 aged 70. Architect, lived in Day Street.
• Sarah Dingwall – died 6 December 1943 aged 96. Spinster, lived on Day Street. Sarah and her brother David Dingwall left money for children's homes. Buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery.
• Rev Dr Arthur Guyon Purchas (1821–1906) – Anglican clergyman, surgeon, musician. Residence on Pitt Street, demolished 1970s.
• Israel Wendel – first proprietor of a wine bar in New Zealand (1876). Residence and vineyard on City Road.
• Madame Valentine – the most notorious madame in 19th century Auckland – brothel in Waverley Street - demolished 2010
• Robert De Montalk – architect, father of poet Count Geoffrey Potocki de Montalk – house demolished 1927.
• David Goldie (1842–1926) – Mayor of Auckland – Kauri timber merchant. Residence on Pitt Street demolished in the 1970s.
• Joseph Partington(1851–1941) – windmill owner, son of Charles. Residence on City Road. Buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery.
• William Henry Thomas Partington (1855–1940) – photographer: son of Charles. Studio on Grey Street. Buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery.
• Charles Goldie (1870–1947) – New Zealand portrait painter, son of David Goldie – house demolished in the 1970s.
• Arthur Mielziner Myers (1868–1926) – Mayor of Auckland (1905–1909) and MP for Auckland (knighted 1924) – residence on Symonds Street, near St Martin's Lane – demolished in the 1990s.
• Emily Keeling (1869–1886) – shot to death on her way to church by Edward Fuller who then killed himself. Buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery with her parents. Her funeral was attended by seven thousand people. House in Brisbane Street demolished for motorway.
• David Lawrence Nathan (1882–1944) – last owner of St Kevins House, demolished in 1922.
• Simone Renee Oulman (1888–1974) – wife of David Lawrence Nathan – born in Paris, Simone's parents were relations by marriage of Marcel Proust House demolished 1922 and replaced by St Kevin's Arcade.
• Dennis Gunn ( – 1920) – first person convicted using fingerprint evidence. Lived in Somerset Place, off Howe St (rebuilt as pensioner housing).
• Eve Maria Langley (1904–1974) – poet and novelist – lived in Partington's windmill in the late 1930s.
• Colin McCahon (1919–1987) – renowned New Zealand painter – lived in Newton Gully in the 1950s (house removed to Freeman's Bay).
• Bob Harvey (1940 – ) – Mayor of Waitakere City – grew up in Newton Gully in the 1950s (house removed for motorway).
• John Banks (1946 – ) – Mayor of Auckland City – from age 15–17 lived at 48 East Street (removed for motorway).
• Ahmed Zaoui ( ) – refugee, resided in the Dominican Priory in St Benedicts Street from 2004–2007.

• "The Lively Capital, Auckland 1840–1865" Una Platts, Avon Fine Prints Limited New Zealand 1971.
• The Heart of Colonial Auckland, 1865–1910. Terence Hodgson. Random Century NZ Ltd 1992.
• Colonial Architecture in New Zealand. John Stacpoole. A.H & A.W Reed 1976
• Decently And in Order, The Centennial History of the Auckland City Council. G.W.A Bush. Collins 1971.
• Auckland Through A Victorian Lens. William Main. Millwood Press 1977.
• Heritage Walks – The Engineering Heritage of Auckland. Elizabeth Aitken Rose. Tourism Auckland & IPENZ; Auckland Heritage Engineering Committee. I2005

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Karangahape Road.

• K'Road (official K'Road business association website, includes good heritage section)
• Karangahape Road Online (mainly a business listings website, includes timeline, virtual tour – streetscroll)