“Psst. Ever noticed the ground beneath your feet here at Kiwi Esplanade?” We’re standing on a living history book. This isn’t just any coastal street. Kiwi Esplanade is a window into Auckland’s fiery past.
Kiwi Esplanade is a coastal street in Māngere Bridge. It follows the shore of the Manukau Harbour. The name “Kiwi Esplanade” might come from a local resident, Mrs. Kewene.
Look around you. Notice the rocks along the shore. These aren’t ordinary rocks. They are pāhoehoe lava flows. These flows came from Māngere Mountain. That eruption happened about 50000 years ago. A thick layer of volcanic ash protected the lava from erosion. The sea’s erosion exposed them relatively recently. You can also spot ʻaʻā lava flows here.
These lava flows make Kiwi Esplanade the best example of pāhoehoe lava in New Zealand. The shore has rocks reefs and mudflats.
Kiwi Esplanade is more than just geology. It’s a haven for native birds. The South Island oystercatcher loves this area. The shoreline earned the title of Area of Significant Conservation Value. Many species live here. You might find the annelid Heteromastus filiformis. The New Zealand cockle called Austrovenus stutchburyi also lives here.
People have lived along the Manukau Harbour since the 14th century. Archaeological sites along Kiwi Esplanade date back to the 15th century. These sites show that Tāmaki Māori people ate mostly cockles from the shore. The area near the Manukau Yacht & Motor Boat Club might have been a place to launch waka.
Interestingly the first shop in Māngere Bridge opened at the corner of Kiwi Esplanade and Coronation Road. That was in the early 1880s. The eastern section of the walk became a recreational reserve in 1912. The road you are walking on was developed during the Great Depression in the 1930s.
Kiwi Esplanade was even the subject of a Robert Sullivan poem in 1987.
In 2005 a coastal walkway was built along Kiwi Esplanade. This happened when the oxidation ponds were removed. The walkway goes through Ambury Regional Park and Ōtuataua Stonefields. It’s part of the Te Araroa Trail. This trail stretches from the top to the bottom of New Zealand.
Ngā Hau Māngere Bridge connects Māngere Bridge to Onehunga. Tāmaki Māori people used a basalt rock crossing here long ago. Allan Park was once the Oriental Rendezvous cabaret club. It burned down in 1940. The Māngere Boating Club has been here since 1961. You can find a playground next to it. The Manukau Yacht & Motor Boat Club moved here in 1979.
So as you walk along Kiwi Esplanade remember you’re walking on ancient lava. You’re surrounded by history and nature. It is all interwoven. Take a deep breath and appreciate this unique place.