Did you know that Ellerslie’s name has a fascinating Scottish connection? Ellerslie the Auckland suburb was named after a family home in Renfrewshire Scotland. Robert Graham an early politician and entrepreneur named it after his father’s house. He arrived in Auckland in 1842. He bought land in 1848 and built Ellerslie House his family homestead.
This area became much more than just a homestead. Robert Graham’s vision transformed Ellerslie. He developed the Ellerslie Zoological Gardens. This wasn’t your average zoo. It included flower beds fountains a bandstand and even a dance pavilion. This made Ellerslie a popular leisure destination for Aucklanders.
But Ellerslie’s story is also entwined with horse racing. Races had been held here since 1857. In 1886 the Racing Club acquired a permanent site from the Graham family. This included the Zoological Gardens. The racecourse even had its own railway station for race days. It was a major feature of Ellerslie in the 1920s and 1930s.
The Ellerslie Racecourse isn’t just about the races. Māori called the site Waiatarua meaning “two songs”. This referred to a waiata or song that came from caves under the racecourse. Imagine the sound of water and air creating a vibrating song. In the 1960s a new grandstand was built. The caves were filled with concrete but it is said the singing can still be heard.
The Ellerslie Town Centre developed near the intersection of Main Highway and Ellerslie-Panmure Highway. The Southern Motorway’s construction in the 1960s initially hurt the area causing many empty shops. However Ellerslie recovered in the 2000s. Employment boomed in nearby business parks. A pedestrian overbridge connected the town centre to these parks. This overbridge was even featured in the opening scene of the New Zealand film Once Were Warriors. A mosaic storyboard on the overbridge called the Bridge of Memories portrays Ellerslie’s history.
Ellerslie has even had its own meteorite moment. On June 12 2004 a meteorite crashed through the roof of a house. It bounced off the couch and hit the ceiling. Amazingly nobody was hurt. This meteorite is officially the Auckland Meteorite. This was a rare event according to Auckland University experts. The meteorite is now displayed in the Auckland Museum.
Ellerslie’s story shows how a small area named after a Scottish home evolved. It became a vibrant community known for its horse racing stunning gardens and surprising celestial events. It is truly a unique part of Auckland’s rich history.