Te Rimu Tahi. That is the Māori name for the ridge now known as Ponsonby Road. It means “The Lone Rimu Tree.”
Ponsonby Road stretches north to south. It is located 2 km west of Auckland CBD. Ponsonby Road wasn’t always its name.
Originally, the area was Dedwood in 1845. The name changed to Ponsonby in 1873. But who was Ponsonby?
It could be Major-General Sir Henry Ponsonby. He served as Queen Victoria’s private secretary. Perhaps it was The Honourable Ponsonby Peacocke. He was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council. Maybe it was Major-General Sir Frederick Ponsonby. He commanded cavalry in the Napoleonic Wars. Or perhaps it was Major-General Sir William Ponsonby. He was killed at Waterloo.
Before European settlement, Māori had fishing and gardening circuits here. A harvesting place for Kuta existed by the Waikuta Stream.
In 1840, Apihai Te Kawau gifted 3,000 acres to Governor William Hobson. This land included what became Ponsonby. Dedwood saw growth in the 1840s and 1850s. Sawmills and shipyards supported a small workforce here.
Bishop Pompallier purchased 40 acres in 1853. This area became St Mary’s Mount. It spurred Catholic immigration. Street names like Pompallier Terrace reflect this heritage.
The area transformed in the 1970s. Ponsonby became a hub for artists and civil rights groups. It became known as the birthplace of New Zealand Reggae. The Polynesian Panthers were established here in 1971.
Three Lamps is located at the intersection of Ponsonby Road, College Hill, and St Marys Road. Its name comes from a 19th-century lamppost. The original lamp was removed in the 1930s. A replica now stands on the footpath since 2012.
Several notable buildings line Ponsonby Road. St John’s Church is a Methodist church built in 1882. St Mary’s Old Convent Chapel dates back to 1866. The Ponsonby Fire Station was constructed in 1902. The Ponsonby Post Office was built in 1912.
The Leys Institute includes a gymnasium and a public library. They were built in the early 1900s. The Auckland Unitarian Church was built in 1901.
Ponsonby Road has seen many changes. Once working-class, it went through gentrification. Today, it is known for its vibrant community. It is a place where history and modernity meet.