Parnell, New Zealand

Parnell (Māori: Panēra)^[3]^[4] is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is one of New Zealand's most affluent suburbs,^[5] consistently ranked within the top three wealthiest,^[6] and is often billed as Auckland's "oldest suburb" since it dates from the earliest days of the European settlement of Auckland in 1841. It is characterised by its mix of tree-lined streets with large estates; redeveloped industrial zones with Edwardian town houses and 1920s bay villas; and its hilly topography that allows for views of the port, the Waitematā Harbour, Rangitoto Island and the Auckland Domain. To its west lies the Auckland Domain, to the south Newmarket, and to the north the Ports of Auckland.

Parnell Rise and Parnell Road make up the main road through Parnell. Parnell Rise leads to the central business district to the west; Parnell Road runs from Parnell Rise uphill to the top of the suburb, and then bends almost 90 degrees and continues towards Newmarket in the south-east. Parnell Road ends at the intersection of George and Sarawia Streets, where it becomes Broadway. Early European settlers knew Parnell Road as "Manukau Road" until well after the formation of Khyber Pass Road in 1845.

Political representation[edit]

Parliament[edit]

Parnell forms part of the Epsom Electorate for parliamentary representation. Parnell represents approximately 20% of the population in the electorate. The current Member of Parliament for Epsom, David Seymour, represents ACT New Zealand.

Local government[edit]

Parnell forms part of the Ōrākei Ward within Auckland Council.

The Swan Hotel, 31–35 Parnell Rise – constructed prior to 1856 and is one of the earliest timber public houses surviving in Auckland. Additions to the building date from the 1880s and were designed by Edward Bartley. This building originally stood directly on the foreshore. Historically this cove (now completely reclaimed) had been used by Maori to beach their waka; this usage continued after European settlement and part of the foreshore was demarcated as a Maori hostel (currently used by police Commercial Vehicle Safety Team [CVST] as a heavy vehicle weighbridge and compliance checkpoint).

[16]

Parnell Rail Bridge – 19th century metal rail bridge on massive volcanic basalt rock piers. This structure allows the rail line to cross over Parnell Road without disrupting traffic.

Mayfair Apartments – 1930s brick Neo-Georgian highrise apartment block.

Windsor Castle Hotel, 144 Parnell Road – a which dates from the 1850s. The hotel was remodelled in the 1880s after the architect R. MacKay Fripp was commissioned to convert the existing hotel into a larger pub; the existing facade was built during this conversion.

hotel

Former Heard Factory – three storeyed art-deco style industrial building built for a confectionery manufacturer.

Heard Park – this land was donated to the city in 1953 by the Heard family, the owners of Heards Candy, the adjacent large Art-Deco Heards building.

204 Parnell Road – this church was designed by Edward Mahoney and formally instituted by Bishop Pompallier in 1861; it is the only Catholic church in Parnell and the oldest Catholic church in the city. The Sisters of Mercy had a convent here and a Catholic primary school ran for a century, until it closed due to falling rolls in the 1950s.

Church of St John the Baptist (Catholic)

more commonly known as the Parnell Rose Garden – this park was created in 1913 as Parnell Park. Parnell Park was created by combining land belonging to several large houses, one of which (the home of the Gillies family) which was retained as the tearooms. One of the other properties belonged to Sir John Logan Campbell whose house Killbryde was demolished in 1924. The park is distinguished by many mature trees which were planted by the previous private owners. The park was renamed for Sir Dove-Myer Robinson, the longest-serving mayor of Auckland, who served for 18 years. The Rose Gardens are popular for weddings and each year in November, the park is host to the Parnell Festival of Roses, which showcases New Zealand craft stalls, art exhibitions, music, strolling performers and thousands of roses. One portion of the garden is a collection of heritage roses collected by the late Nancy Steen, the Nancy Steen Garden. The entrance to the park is a War Memorial built in the 1920s of volcanic basalt composed of three massive arches. The park enjoys views over the Waitematā Harbour; its grounds blend with those of the adjacent historic Anglican St Stephen's Chapel & graveyard, Judges Bay Reserve and Point Resolution Park with its Parnell Swimming Baths.

Dove-Myer Robinson Park

– located above the Parnell Swimming Baths and includes a walkway across the railway line and Tamaki Drive to connect with the Waitematā Harbour.

Point Resolution Park

Judges Bay and the adjacent Parnell Swimming Baths provide saltwater bathing.

Judges Bay Reserve

– one of Auckland's oldest cemeteries and the location of a Selwyn Church.

St Stephen's Churchyard

– an area of largely native bush accessible from Ayr Street, Laurie, Avenue, Kenderdine Lane and Cathedral Place.

Ayr Reserve

– an area of native bush accessible from Alberon Street, Staffa Street and St Georges Bay Road.

Alberon Reserve

– an area of Native bush accessible from Scarborough Terrace.

Scarborough Reserve

– located in the centre of Parnell Village. This land was donated to the city in 1953 by the Heard family, the owners of Heards Candy. The large Art-Deco Heards building is adjacent to the park, now no longer a working confectionery factory.^[20]

Heard Park

Fraser Park – located at the western end of Parnell Road. This triangular piece of land was previously the location of Parnell School; its wooden school buildings were demolished in the 1950s.

– located in Parnell, was the home of rugby league football in Auckland from 1921 to 2002.

Carlaw Park

– arguably also part of Grafton, forms the westernmost edge of Parnell and houses extensive forest, the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and the Winter Gardens.^[21]

Auckland Domain

- accessible from Waitoa Street and Awatea Road, an area of grass fringed with trees, and a view south-east from the steep bluffs above Hobson Bay.

Awatea Reserve

Parnell has several parks and reserves.

Infrastructure[edit]

Until 2017 Parnell never had a dedicated railway station. Parnell Railway Station was opened to the public in March 2017. It serves the Western and Southern Lines. It was built near the Mainline Steam Depot at the west of the Parnell commercial area, and north of the Parnell Tunnel, which has been located beneath the suburb since 1873.^[22]^[23]

Education[edit]

Parnell lies within easy reach of two universities (University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology) and of some significant State secondary schools: Auckland Grammar School, Epsom Girls' Grammar School, St Peter's College and Baradene College of the Sacred Heart.

ACG Parnell College is a private composite school (years 1–13) with a roll of 1,806 as of February 2024.^[24]^[25]

Parnell District School is a state full primary school (years 1–8) with a roll of 462 as of February 2024.^[24]^[26]

Both these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of February 2024.^[24]

(1807–1880), first Chief Justice of New Zealand – lived in Judges Bay – hence the name

William Martin

1809–1884 – Attorney-General, member of the Executive and Legislative Councils, and writer – the other judge who lived in Judges Bay

William Swainson

Anglican Bishop of Auckland. Every bishop since has resided in the Palace; Bishops Court in St Stephen's Ave or Neligan House next door

George Selwyn

Reverend Anglican clergyman, watercolourist and early photographer. Kinder House, Ayr Street

John Kinder

Reverend (1817–1882) and his wife Blanche in 1863–64. Ewelme Cottage Ayr Street

Vicesimus Lush

Sir – Lawyer and New Zealand Premier – Built the house now known as Hulme Court

Frederick Whitaker

Lieutenant Colonel (1788–1855) – Commander of British Troops in New Zealand – lived at Hulme Court, Parnell Road

William Hulme

Governor Colonel Sir KCMG CB (1807–1887), Governor of New Zealand (1855–1861); used Hulme Court as a temporary Government House

Thomas Gore Browne

Sir – Minister of Native Affairs and advisor to Governor Grey – resided at Hulme Court

Francis Dillon Bell

Captain Thomas Sparrow Carmichael (1825–1900) – 66 St Georges Bay Road

Justice Gillies – house on Gladstone Road – now the Tearooms for the

Parnell Rose Gardens

Sir John and Lady Campbell – lived on Gladstone road, the house Killbryde was demolished in 1924 and the land incorporated in the Parnell Rose Gardens

Logan Campbell

– novelist – Walpole was born in Parnell, probably in the Anglican Deanery in St Stephen's Avenue

Hugh Walpole

Sir , Prime Minister (2008–2016) lives on St Stephen's Avenue^[27]

John Key

A.E.T. Devore, Mayor of Auckland 1886–1889

(1864–1929), Mayor of Brisbane (1911, 1921–1924)

Harry Diddams

Patrick Steel – Fashion designer – at the 1974 Benson & Hedges Fashion Design Awards

Young Designer of the Year

Sir KBE CSTJ (1911–1993), All Black and chief executive

Harcourt Caughey

(1908–1984), painter

Peggy Spicer

(1930–1992) and David Halls (1938–1993), television entertainers and chefs^[28]

Peter Hudson

The Heart of Colonial Auckland, 1865–1910. Terence Hodgson. Random Century NZ Ltd 1992. 1-86941-148-X

ISBN

Colonial Architecture in New Zealand. John Stacpoole. 1976.

A.H & A.W Reed

Decently And in Order, The Centennial History of the Auckland City Council. G.W.A Bush. Collins 1971.

Auckland Through A Victorian Lens. William Main. Millwood Press, 1977.

Auckland's Original Shoreline. Dr Neride Campbell. Heart of the City 2005.

The Lively Capital, Auckland 1840–1865. Una Platts. Avon Fine Prints Limited New Zealand 1971.