Whitford, New Zealand facts for kids

Whitford is a rural town, to the south-east of Auckland, New Zealand. There are multiple versions of how the town was named. It may be named after Richard Whitford, a man who operated a flax mill on the Waikopua near Housons Creek and was the postman. Others think Whitford referred to the White-ford over the Turanga Creek at the end of Sandstone Road, where the salt dries when the tide is out. Another possibility is that it is named after Whitefoord Park part of a vast property belonging to L.D. Nathan was initially listed as ‘Whitefoord Park’ in Wises Post Office Directory for 1875–6, but by the time it went on sale for subdivision in 1903 it was known as Whitford Park.

The Pacific Coast highway near Whitford has views of the surrounding countryside, farms, and Hauraki Gulf.

Historical facts

• Whitford's first European settlers, George and William Trice, started a popular farm on Clifton Road in 1843. Most of the following settlers arrived in the mid-1850s.
• The Nathans' “Whitford Park” estate provided feathers from its ostriches for use in the fashion trade from 1869 until the 1920s. Racehorses were also trained there; this practice still occurs today.
• The town's Granger’s brickworks operated from the 1878 until 1920. The Trices goldmine was converted to a landfill. Today, metal is quarried from there.
• Transport usually occurred via water until the 1920s, when roads and motor transport were improved.
• Today, Whitford has a real estate agent for city workers now occupy some farms. Beef, sheep, dairy, and timber are the chief economic activities.
• Ayrlies Garden, one of New Zealand's best-known gardens, is located in Whitford.

Demographics

The statistical area of Turanga includes Whitford but at 85 square kilometres is much larger, and includes Brookby. It had a population of 3,015 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 213 people (7.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 504 people (20.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 972 households. There were 1,506 males and 1,509 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female. The median age was 44 years, with 552 people (18.3%) aged under 15 years, 582 (19.3%) aged 15 to 29, 1,449 (48.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 429 (14.2%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 83.5% European/Pākehā, 7.5% Māori, 2.0% Pacific peoples, 13.4% Asian, and 2.3% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 28.2%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 51.6% had no religion, 37.7% were Christian, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.8% were Muslim, 1.3% were Buddhist and 1.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 663 (26.9%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 273 (11.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $45,500. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,272 (51.6%) people were employed full-time, 468 (19.0%) were part-time, and 66 (2.7%) were unemployed.