Soaring high above the Manukau Harbour stands Blockhouse Bay School. Its history is rich and fascinating. Blockhouse Bay itself was named in 1948. Before that it was known as Avondale South. Even earlier it was part of Waikomiti. The name Blockhouse Bay refers to the blockhouses built during the New Zealand Wars. These served as a defence system for Auckland.
Imagine the scene in 1860. A wooden blockhouse was constructed overlooking Te Whau Bay. This 12-acre site provided an excellent view of the Manukau Heads. It was also conveniently close to the Whau Portage a crucial route for Maori tribes. Colonel Thomas Mould of the Royal Engineers oversaw its construction. The blockhouse was built to withstand musket fire. It had thick walls and firing slits. A fence and trench surrounded the building itself.
Soldiers from the 57th and 65th Regiments manned the blockhouse until 1863. It never saw action. In the 1880s it was rented out. A fire gutted the building. Eventually it was demolished. Interestingly remnants of the trenches were reportedly visible in the 1940s.
Blockhouse Bay wasn’t always a school. Early industries included a tannery and small farms. In the early 1900s it became a popular holiday spot. Families travelled along rough roads to enjoy the beach. During the Great Depression workers improved the beachfront. They built stone walls and pathways. Blockhouse Bay School itself however is much younger. It offers a vibrant and inclusive learning environment. The school’s logo features a tui and koru representing its vision: We Seek We Strive We Soar. The pohutukawa tree symbolizes the school itself. The mountain represents the wider Blockhouse Bay community. The ripples in the Manukau Harbour show the school’s impact on its students. Blockhouse Bay School’s legacy continues to grow. Its students leave prepared to soar.