Viaduct Harbour

Viaduct Harbour, formerly known as Viaduct Basin, is a former commercial harbour on the Auckland waterfront that has been turned into a development of mostly upscale apartments,[3] office space and restaurants. It is located on the site of a formerly run-down area of the Freemans Bay / Auckland CBD waterfront in Auckland, New Zealand. As a centre of activity of the 2000 America's Cup hosted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, as well as the 2022 Rally New Zealand, the precinct enjoyed considerable popularity with locals and foreign visitors.

Viaduct Harbour
Suburb
Lighter Basin area, at the western edge of the Viaduct Harbour
Lighter Basin area, at the western edge of the Viaduct Harbour
Coordinates: 36.843534°S 174.760015°E / -36.843534; 174.760015
CountryNew Zealand
CityAuckland
Local authorityAuckland Council
Electoral wardWaitematā and Gulf ward
Local boardWaitematā Local Board
Established1990s (redeveloped as a residential / entertainment area)
Area
[1]
 • Land60 ha (150 acres)
Population
 (June 2022)[2]
 • Total1,190
(Waitematā Harbour) (Waitematā Harbour) (Waitematā Harbour)
Wynyard Quarter
Viaduct Harbour
 Auckland CBD
Saint Marys Bay Freemans Bay Auckland CBD

Demographics

The statistical area of Wynyard-Viaduct, which also includes Wynyard Quarter, covers 0.60 km2 (0.23 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 1,190 as of June 2022,[2] with a population density of 1,983 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006699—    
2013975+4.87%
20181,008+0.67%
Source: [4]

Wynyard-Viaduct had a population of 1,008 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 33 people (3.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 309 people (44.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 630 households, comprising 516 males and 492 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.05 males per female. The median age was 44.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 39 people (3.9%) aged under 15 years, 189 (18.8%) aged 15 to 29, 648 (64.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 129 (12.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 75.3% European/Pākehā, 3.6% Māori, 1.8% Pacific peoples, 18.8% Asian, and 6.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 53.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.4% had no religion, 30.4% were Christian, 0.9% were Hindu, 1.8% were Muslim, 1.8% were Buddhist and 3.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 495 (51.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 33 (3.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $74,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 507 people (52.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 645 (66.6%) people were employed full-time, 99 (10.2%) were part-time, and 27 (2.8%) were unemployed.[4]

History

Original purpose
The Viaduct Basin in 1924

Designed along the line of the basins common in London,[3] the Viaduct Basin was so-called because of a failed scheme by the Auckland Harbour Board in the early years of the 20th century. As the size of ships was increasing dramatically, rather than build new wharves or dredge the harbour channels, it was proposed that cargo ships moor out in the Waitematā Harbour channel and be unloaded into "lighters", small barges that would then ferry the goods to shore via the specially built wharves in the new "Viaduct Lighter Basin". The shipping companies refused to co-operate and forced the Harbour Board to engage in dredging and the construction of new wharves.

This left the partially completed lighter basin without a real purpose, so it was used to berth the various fishing boats and thus tidy up the appearance of the Auckland waterfront further east. Next to the Lighter Basin a fish market and various warehouses were constructed, including Turners & Growers Ltd, the city's main produce wholesalers. The far side of the area was connected by a mechanical bridge that was able to be raised to allow passage into the basin to the fishing vessels which used it.

Timber mills had occupied the edges of Freeman's Bay prior to the construction of the Lighter Basin and Victoria Park; these continued to be a feature of the area for most of the 20th century along with other industries such as foundries, many of which were associated with ship building in one way or another.

For most of the 20th century, the harbour acted as the centre for much of the fishing industry in Auckland.[5]

New quarter

In 1995, Russell Coutts and Team New Zealand won the America's Cup in San Diego. This led to Auckland hosting the 2000 America's Cup, and the viaduct was redeveloped to accommodate the America's Cup teams.[5] After the competition, the area became a mixed-use zone of apartments and restaurants.[3] A 2003 proposal to rename the Viaduct Harbour to 'Blake Harbour' (for Sir Peter Blake, a famous New Zealand yachtsman) was not successful. In 2011, the area of the Auckland waterfront to the west of the Viaduct Harbour, historically known as the Western Reclamation or Tank Farm, was redeveloped into Wynyard Quarter.[6]

  • The quarter seen from the Sky Tower, with approximate boundaries shown marked in red
    The quarter seen from the Sky Tower, with approximate boundaries shown marked in red
  • The original redevelopment on the eastern side of the Viaduct Harbour
    The original redevelopment on the eastern side of the Viaduct Harbour
  • Drawbridge linking the Viaduct Harbour to the Wynyard Quarter in Auckland
    Drawbridge linking the Viaduct Harbour to the Wynyard Quarter in Auckland

See also

References
  1. "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  2. "Population estimate tables - NZ.Stat". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  3. "It's 'sea and be seen' for Viaduct Harbour's residents". The New Zealand Herald. 26 January 2002. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  4. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Wynyard-Viaduct (131300). 2018 Census place summary: Wynyard-Viaduct
  5. Haworth, Jenny (2016). Auckland Then and Now. United Kingdom: Pavilion Books. p. 42-43. ISBN 978-1-910904-79-4. Wikidata Q116870435.
  6. Kara, Scott (11 August 2011). "Forward Thinking: Metal heaven". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
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