Henderson, New Zealand

5,850 people live in Henderson. This is an increase of 546 people, or 10.3 percent, since the 2006 Census.[1]

The suburb is in the Waitākere Ward, one of the thirteen administrative divisions of Auckland Council. It was named after early colonial settler Thomas Henderson, who started a timber mill in the area in ca. 1847 to process the kauri trees which were cut from the Henderson Valley, and upstream from the eastern flanks of the Waitākere Ranges.[2]

Henderson features a large shopping centre, WestCity Waitakere, with numerous other shops and large-scale stores also in the area.

On the outskirts of Henderson is the Corban's Wine Estate, a major New Zealand export wine brand. The Corban's Estate Arts Centre hosts the annual InterACT Disability Arts Festival.[3][4]

Henderson Train Station is adjacent to the main shopping centre and a bus interchange. The West Wave pool in Henderson, owned by the Auckland Council, was built to host the Aquatics at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

The Local Member of Parliament for Henderson is Phil Twyford, the MP for Te Atatū, who keeps an office in the suburb.

At the northern end of Henderson, near the Lincoln Road motorway interchange, the Toroa, a historical ferry being restored, is a well-known local landmark.

Henderson had a local government just like other suburbs of Auckland at that time. The local government was called Henderson Borough Council, which started in 1946 and merged into Waitakere City Council in 1989, eventually being amalgamated into Auckland Council in November 2010.

Henderson High School is a secondary (years 9-13) school with a decile rating of 4 and a roll of 932.[5] Henderson Intermediate is an intermediate (years 7-8) school with a decile rating of 3 and a roll of 531.[6] The high school was founded in 1953[7] and the intermediate school was established in 1964 .

There are two Catholic secondary schools, St Dominic's College, Henderson (for girls - opened in 1952, transferred to Henderson in 1967 - decile 6) and Liston College (for boys - opened in 1974 - decile 5).

Henderson School and Henderson South School are contributing primary (years 1-6) schools with a decile ratings of 3 and 2, and roll of 168[8] and 247,[9] respectively. Henderson School was founded in 1873[10] and Henderson South School in 1967.[11]

Holy Cross School, a Catholic primary school, is a full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating of 4 and a roll of 481 .[12] It celebrated its 75th jubilee in 2007.[13]

The Western rail line runs through the suburb, with Henderson Train Station being adjacent to the town centre. Both main walk- and cycleways of the Project Twin Streams go through the suburb.

• Photographs of Henderson held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections.