Henderson, New Zealand facts for kids

Henderson (Māori: Ōpanuku) is a major suburb of Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) west of Auckland city centre, and two kilometres (1.2 mi) west of the Whau River, a southwestern arm of the Waitematā Harbour. The suburb is located within the Henderson-Massey Local Board of the Waitākere Ward, one of the thirteen administrative divisions of Auckland Council.

Description

The population was 4,026 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 123 from 2001.

The suburb is in the Waitakere 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 Waitakere Ranges.

Henderson features a large shopping and theatre complex, the Australian-owned Westfield WestCity shopping centre, 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.

Henderson Train Station is situated adjacent to the main shopping centre and a bus depot is planned nearby. The public transport hub has been dubbed "Baby Britomart". 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 Atatu 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.

Transport

The Western Line runs through the suburb, with Henderson Railway Station being adjacent to the town centre. Henderson Railway Station is adjacent to the main shopping centre and a bus interchange. The suburb is also served by the Sturges Road Railway Station. Motorway access is provided via the interchange at Lincoln Road, in the adjacent suburb of Lincoln. The main walkways and cycleways of the Project Twin Streams go through the suburb.

Henderson during the Eke Panuku Streets For People trial

Demographics

Henderson, comprising the statistical areas of Henderson Central, Henderson Valley Park, Henderson North East and Henderson East, had a population of 8,706 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 777 people (9.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,677 people (23.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 2,892 households. There were 4,179 males and 4,533 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.92 males per female, with 1,704 people (19.6%) aged under 15 years, 1,830 (21.0%) aged 15 to 29, 3,636 (41.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,542 (17.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 48.2% European/Pākehā, 15.3% Māori, 22.2% Pacific peoples, 26.8% Asian, and 3.6% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 40.2%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 37.0% had no religion, 44.6% were Christian, and 12.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,272 (18.2%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 1,422 (20.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,234 (46.2%) people were employed full-time, 747 (10.7%) were part-time, and 333 (4.8%) were unemployed.

Education

Henderson High School is a secondary (years 9-13) school with a roll of 988 students. The high school was founded in 1953

Henderson School and Henderson South School are contributing primary (years 1-6) schools with rolls of 217 and 229 students, respectively. Henderson School was founded in 1873 and Henderson South School in 1967.

Holy Cross School, a Catholic primary school, is a full primary (years 1-8) school with a roll of 424 students. It celebrated its 75th jubilee in 2007.

All these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as at April 2023.