Clevedon Village

Clevedon is synonymous with ‘Rural Style’. Farming is still a way of life but increasingly Clevedon offers the rural lifestyle, close to the sophistication and amenities of Auckland city. The land is a lush paradise of rolling countryside. The Hunua Ranges to the south provide a stunning backdrop, while to the east lies Kawakawa Bay and Orere Point. Clevedon Village itself offers kiwi hospitality, country charm and a burgeoning array of little shops, galleries and cafés.

The Clevedon, Maraetai & Whiford rural areas, at over 37,000 hectares makes up more than two thirds of the entire land area of Manukau City, yet its population accounts for only 4% of all city residents. The area, which is linked to Howick and Pakuranga in so many ways, is predominantly rural with a series of coastal and inland settlements including Whitford, Beachlands, Maraetai, Clevedon, Kawakawa Bay and Orere Point.

Known as Te Wairoa by the Ngai Tai and Ngati Paoa people, Clevedon has had a chequered naming history since European settlement. Early pioneers generally referred to the area as Wairoa South, however in 1886, to avoid confusion with several other towns in New Zealand, also named Wairoa, an English settler from Clevedon, in Somerset, renamed the area. This was said to upset the locals who were predominantly Scottish immigrants, as it was felt that the name did not reflect their Scottish heritage.

In 1852, one of the first European settlers to arrive in Clevedon was Mr Duncan NcNicol and his family. Later, in 1865, a further 150 new immigrants arrived from Scotland on the boat "Viola". These people decided to settle in the Clevedon Valley and the surrounding districts.

Originally covered in thick native bush, the settlers cleared the land and, as a result, many were involved in timber milling and gum digging activities. After clearing, the land became used predominantly for pastoral farming, with some horticultural development in prime soil areas.