West Auckland has a diverse and proud history, reaching from the stories told by Māori of the formation of the ranges, their settlement of the area, to the arrival of Pakeha settlers and their industries, the long-held arts traditions, and the diverse range of larger-than-life characters. These themes and many more were explored during the conference. We also discussed how to go about researching the West Auckland heritage. The day culminated in the first-ever re-enactment in voice and music of a historical journey by missionaries up the West Coast.

This day was the beginning of a tradition for the West and thanks to all those who were involved in putting it together.

Pa Bethell, Lavinia Perry and Mrs Marie Perry with the dog, Anawhata Jack, on Anawhata Road, c1930, West Auckland Heritage

Pa Bethell, Lavinia Perry and Mrs Marie Perry with the dog, Anawhata Jack, on Anawhata Road, c1930. Photographer unknown. West Auckland Research Centre, J.T. Diamond Collection, JTD-03K-05700.

Download 2016 Programme

Giant kauri tree, Nihotupu bush. Girth of the tree is 52 feet (just under 16 metres), 1890s, West Auckland Heritage

Giant kauri tree, Nihotupu bush. Girth of the tree is 52 feet (just under 16 metres), 1890s. Photographer unknown. West Auckland Research Centre, J.T. Diamond Collection, JTD-08F-05174.

2016 Conference Presentations

Click to view a PDF of the presentation.

Molly Cowan’s Karekare Childhood

by Kirsty Cameron

Heavy Clay Moments

by Myfanwy Eaves

Construction of Dams in the Waitakere Ranges before 1930s

by Harvey Stuart

Laingholm

by Wayne Mackenzie

Exhibition Drive

by Fiona Drummond

Swanson Heritage Trail

by Anko Hanse

The Shaws of Karekare

by Colin Davis

California Comes To New Lynn: Dorothy Thorpe and Crown Lynn

by Finn McCahon

Swanson Heritage Survey and Design Guidelines

by Fiona Whyte

Hetana Hamlet and the dashed hopes of Norman McGregor Smith

by Sandra Coney

Archiving Pacific community stories with Auckland City Libraries

by Smita Biswas & Jarcinda Stowers-Ama

Tracks and Trails of the South West Ranges

by Bruce Harvey

I Did Not Want to Be Mrs Colin – Annie Eleanor McCahon née Hamblett

by Linda Tyler

Atkinson Park and life at Paturoa Bay: 1910-1980

by Lynnette Sollitt-Morris

Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area – Historic Heritage Upgrade Project

by Mica Plowman and Rebecca Ramsay

‘A well-stocked mind’ – Inside Jack Diamond’s manuscript collection

by Erica O’Flaherty

Collecting our stories of people and place

by Sue Berman

Logging industry in the Waitakere Ranges

by the West Auckland Research Centre

Henderson – Heart of the West

by Vivien Burgess, Gai Bishop, Grant Cole

Tales from 20 years of the Going West Books and Writers Festival

by Naomi McCleary & Robyn Mason

Ko te ngākau o te hāpori whānui ki Waitakere ko Hōani Waititi Marae

by Carolyn Morgan

Turning 30 – Te Uru’s Anniversary Show

by Andrew Clifford

The Journey

by Bob Harvey