Considering Favona’s story, think about race horses and market gardens. Favona is a suburb in Auckland. It’s mostly industry-dominated. Favona is part of the Māngere area. The origin of the name Favona is uncertain. Some think it relates to cattle. The Robertson family farmed in Māngere.
Favona may be named after a race horse. This horse rose to prominence in the 1890s. John Lennard raised it on his farm. The farm was in Māngere. In 1899, Hugh Mosman bought farmland here. He called his estate Favona Farm. Mosman was a member of the Queensland Legislative Council.
Favona sits south of the Māngere Inlet. It surrounds the Tararata Creek and Harania Creek. Boggust Park Crater is in Favona. It is Auckland’s oldest volcanic feature. It erupted 130,000 years ago.
The first Māori evidence in Māngere dates to the 14th century. Settlements appeared in the 15th century. The area is near Te Tō Waka. This is the shortest portage. It connects the Manukau Harbour to the Waitematā Harbour. The location is at Ōtāhuhu.
Missionary William Thomas Fairburn brokered a land sale in 1836. The sale was between Māori chiefs. Pōtatau Te Wherowhero and Turia of Ngāti Te Rau were the chiefs. The sale covered most of South Auckland. It stretched from Ōtāhuhu to Papakura. The sale aimed to end hostilities. The chiefs’ understanding is unclear. Māori continued living in South Auckland. The sale did not change their lives. Fairburn faced criticism for the purchase’s size. In 1842, the Crown reduced his land holdings. It then partitioned much of the land for European settlers.
Until the 1860s, Māori in Manukau and Waikato sold goods at Onehunga port. In 1863, Governor Grey demanded loyalty oaths. Māori in South Auckland had to swear loyalty to the Queen. They also had to give up weapons. Most refused due to Tainui links. They left before the Government’s Waikato invasion.
In 1862, the Mangerei Highway Board formed. This established local government. Favona remained rural until the mid-20th century. In 1899, Hugh Mosman bought a 300-acre farm. He bred race horses there. Investors bought the farm in 1910. They subdivided it into urban farmlets. The area was called Favona Park. Favona once had many greenhouses. These were for tomato production.
The first store opened in Favona in 1922. An Anglican hall followed. It served as a church and community hall. From the 1920s to 1970s, Chinese market gardeners thrived here. Families like the Luens, Chongs and Ou Hongs were prominent. Black Bridge crossed the Tararata Creek. It was the terminus for buses from Onehunga and the city. After World War II, industrial development boomed. Pacific Steel opened its steel mill in the 1960s.
Favona was relatively poor. It had one of New Zealand’s largest caravan parks until 2005. This began as an unlicensed park in 1986. Favona hosts Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s Māngere campus. Many shipping and freight companies operate here. Progressive Enterprises has its national distribution headquarters here.
Favona covered 2.61 square kilometers. In June 2024, its population was about 11,110. The population density was 4,257 people per square kilometer. Favona School was established in 1973. Koru School and Sir Keith Park School also serve the area. Sir Keith Park School is a special school.
Favona has a rich history. Its journey from rural farmland to industrial hub tells a unique Auckland story. The blend of cultures and industries makes Favona a special place. Its story continues to evolve.