Did you know that Weymouth is also known as Weymouth by the sea? Welcome to Weymouth. This southern suburb of Auckland sits on a peninsula. It is nestled between the Manukau Harbour and the Pahurehure Inlet.
The traditional name for this area is Waimāhia. It means the muffled waters. The name refers to how sounds of the Manukau Harbour seemed distorted here. Waimāhia can also reference Reremoana Te Māhia. She was the daughter of Te Ākitai Waiohua chief Te Wirihana.
Weymouth’s European settlement was first surveyed in 1857. Property sales began in 1864. Some thought Weymouth was named after an immigrant ship. But no ship named Weymouth visited New Zealand before 1866. The name likely echoes Waimāhia. Or perhaps it was a nod to the English coastal resort of Weymouth.
Early Weymouth served as the Karaka ferry’s departure point. This ferry connected Weymouth and Karaka. It offered travelers a direct route to Waiuku. A private ferry service may have existed as early as 1856. By 1860, the Auckland Provincial Council launched an official service. The Karaka Highway Board took over. But the service closed by 1880.
There were plans to build a bridge between Weymouth and Karaka since 1872. Weymouth became a popular vacation spot. It also hosted an annual regatta in the early 20th century.
From the 1920s, Weymouth saw Chinese immigration. They created market gardens here. They used the area’s fertile soil.
The Weymouth Memorial Hall was built in 1926. It was privately owned. In 1940, it was sold to the Manukau County Council. The Weymouth wharf opened in 1914. An oyster farm operated here in the 1930s. It supplied oysters to Auckland restaurants and fish markets.
Until the 1970s, Weymouth was isolated. Then Clendon Park was developed. In 1990, the Weymouth Residents & Ratepayers Association defined the boundary between the two suburbs.
Weymouth covers 2.83 square kilometers. As of June 2024, its population was about 12,830. That is a population density of 4,534 people per square kilometer.
A public walkway runs along Weymouth’s Manukau Harbour shores. Enjoy the views. Take in the sea air. Remember Weymouth’s rich history. From muffled waters to market gardens. Weymouth offers a unique slice of Auckland life.