Can you imagine a pirate ship gracing the shores of Milford? Right here, where Milford Beach meets the Wairau Creek, once stood “Ye Olde Pirate Shippe”. Milford wasn’t always the tranquil suburb we see today. It started as “Campbell’s Bush”, named after John Logan Campbell. He owned much of the North Shore, including land around present-day Kitchener Road in Milford. Milford later took its name from either Edwin Harrow’s lakeside home, Milford House, or his hometown in Wales, Milford Haven. Harrow owned a grand hotel in nearby Takapuna.
Milford’s transformation began in the late 1800s. Takapuna and Lake Pupuke were becoming popular tourist destinations. This prompted farmers to subdivide their land around the lake. Large summer homes popped up along the shores. Wealthy Aucklanders flocked to the area for weekend getaways. They eventually made Milford their permanent home, commuting to Auckland by ferry.
Milford boomed in the 1920s. It was the place to be for entertainment. Two cinemas, the Milford Picture Drome and the Bridgeway Theatre, competed for audiences. The Picture Drome doubled as a dance hall after the movies. Then, in 1929, “Ye Olde Pirate Shippe” arrived. This elaborate dance hall and restaurant, designed to resemble a pirate ship, drew crowds from all over Auckland. A swimming pool joined the party in 1936, cementing Milford’s status as a leisure hub. Even American troops frequented the pirate ship during World War II.
The festive atmosphere faded after the war. The pirate ship met its demise in the 1950s. The pools disappeared in 1957. The Auckland Harbour Bridge opened in 1959. This changed everything. The bridge sparked rapid suburbanization across the North Shore. Milford transitioned from a holiday town to a residential suburb in the 60s and 70s.
The Milford Marina, built in 1968 at the mouth of the Wairau Creek, brought a boating industry to the suburb. In 1994, the Milford Shopping Centre opened. Milford Beach, stretching two kilometers from Black Rock to Castor Bay, remains a popular spot. The Wairau Creek, which once suffered from pollution due to surrounding farms, now flows cleanly into the Hauraki Gulf, right here at Milford. Milford has evolved. From a rural area to a holiday resort, and finally, to the residential haven it is today. Who knew this peaceful suburb once hosted a pirate ship, echoing with music and laughter?