NORTH SHORE HISTORY WITH DAVID VERRAN
Bulldozer clearing part of Smith's Bush in the mid to late 1950s. Photo T1013 courtesy of the North Auckland Research Centre, Takapuna, Auckland Libraries.
Mackay's or Smith's Bush on Northcote Road The land including Smith’s Bush was originally purchased from the Crown by Alexander Mackay in 1849 and he fenced off the bush portion to keep cattle out of the area. That bush area currently includes puriri, totara and particularly 50 to 100 year old kahikatea, along with other native trees. Note that there is no kauri or pohutukawa and there is evidence of some milling of puriri. Mackay died 11 May 1900, aged 88, but the area was still called Mackay’s Bush in 1902. The property was later purchased by Captain James Smith. Although living in Ponsonby, Smith had business interests in the local area and was a director of the Takapuna Tram and Ferry Company. He died 20 July 1923 and for a time the grassed part of the property was used by his son Toby (Talbot Wight Smith), some say as a racetrack. At first, Smith’s estate was managed by James’ widow, Catherine, along with the New Zealand Insurance Company. When she died on 13 August 1933, that Company continued to work for the surviving beneficiaries. In 1925, the Takapuna Borough Council took out an option on the 33 acres 3 roods and 10 perches property, which included the bush, with the intent of developing it into a park and recreation ground. However, the executors of Smith’s estate wanted 5,000 Pounds for the whole property. The Takapuna Borough Council regarded that as beyond its financial resources, despite a 2,000 Pound grant from the government, and ultimately the option lapsed. In 1928 the executors offered to sell the land at government valuation, but there was no further approach from the Council. In 1941 the New Zealand Insurance Company issued two separate tenders; one a tender to mill the timber on the property while the other tender was to purchase both the land and timber, along with fences and a small house on the property. It was confirmed that the property had at that time around 18 acres in native bush.
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Following a public outcry, the government offered just an 800 pound grant towards purchasing the property as a park, because of financial constraints due to the Second World War. However, there was now also money from the Auckland Botanical Society, the Takapuna Horticultural Society, the Auckland Institute and Museum, Auckland City Council and all the various Boroughs, Town Districts, Road Boards and County Councils in the greater Auckland region. The sale price to the Crown was also reduced from 2,000 pounds to 1,700, with the beneficiaries of Smith’s estate regarding the 300 pounds difference as their donation to the appeal, and the government then formed the Onewa Domain Board. The Board’s first meeting was on 22 January 1943 and in May 1943 the buildings on the site were removed. However, post-war, the bush was now in the way of the northern approaches to the proposed Auckland Harbour Bridge. The Auckland Botanical Society, and others, supported a route that skirted the bush but this was deemed to be too expensive. In July 1956, the official ‘middle line’ of the motorway was defined through the north eastern portion of the bush and the bulldozers moved in. By 1959 the road through the bush was completed, despite problems dealing with a number of underground springs, and the motorway opened as part of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. This meant the bush was now in two pieces, but, a suggestion in the early 1960s for some form of linkage, possibly a bridge across to Karaka or Puriri Street, didn’t proceed. Accessible from a gate by the cricket club rooms, the nature trail is an easy 40 minutes along a boardwalk. If you pick up a brochure, you can follow the marked loop trail to identify examples of the various trees. Recommended. By David Verran