Highbrook is a suburb located in the city of

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

, in the

North Island The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. The area is on the eastern side of the Auckland city centre and is a large industrial area developed only in recent years. The area is under governance of the

Auckland Council Auckland Council () is the local government council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority that also has the responsibilities, duties and powers of a regional council and so is a unitary authority, according to t ...

, and is home to a large bulk of New Zealand and international businesses and organisations.

History

The eastern shores of the

Tāmaki River The Tāmaki River or Tāmaki Estuary is mostly an estuarial arm and harbour of the Hauraki Gulf, within the city of Auckland in New Zealand.

is part of the

rohe The Māori people of New Zealand use the word ' to describe the territory or boundaries of tribes (, although some divide their into several . Background In 1793, chief Tuki Te Terenui Whare Pirau who had been brought to Norfolk Island drew ...

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki is a Māori people, Māori tribe that is based in the area around Clevedon, New Zealand, Clevedon, part of the Auckland region (''Tāmaki'' in the Māori language). It is one of the twelve members of the Hauraki Collective ...

, who descend from the crew of the ''

Tainui Tainui is a tribal waka (canoe), waka confederation of New Zealand Māori people, Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki Māori, Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapo ...

'' migratory waka, who visited the area around the year 1300. The mouth of the Tāmaki River was traditionally known as ("The Waters of Tāiki"), named after the Ngāi Tai ancestor Tāiki. Tāiki settled with his followers along the eastern shores of the Tāmaki River, alongside the descendants of Huiārangi of the early

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...

Te Tini ō Maruiwi. The upper reaches of the river near modern Pakuranga is traditionally known as , referring to Mokoikahikuwaru, a protector

taniwha In Māori mythology, taniwha () are large supernatural beings that live in deep pools in rivers, dark caves, or in the sea, especially in places with dangerous currents or deceptive breakers (giant waves). They may be considered highly respecte ...

of the ''Tainui'' waka who is described in legends as taking up residence at the Panmure Basin. Ngāi Tai created extensive cultivations along the eastern shores of the Tāmaki River. Ururoa is a traditional settlement in Highbrook, and was a location where fish were dried, even in the late 1820s. From the 1960s, Highbrook was the estate of Sir Woolf Fisher, founder of

Fisher & Paykel Fisher & Paykel Appliances Holdings Limited () is a major appliance manufacturer founded in 1934. It is a subsidiary of Chinese multinational home appliances company Haier and is based in East Tāmaki, New Zealand. Originally an importer of do ...

. The area was known as the Ra Ora Stud and was used as a breeding and training facility for racehorses."History"
''Highbrook Business Park, Highbrook Estate, Auckland, New Zealand''. Retrieved 12 July 2013. The Fisher family opted to use the land for commercial development and developed plans in 1998. In 2001, business zoning was allowed and commercial property was developed under the company name Highbrook Development Ltd. In 2007, the new Highbrook motorway interchange was completed, facilitating improved access to the area.

References

Suburbs of Auckland Howick Local Board Area East Auckland Populated places on the Tāmaki River {{Auckland-geo-stub