Glen Eden | |
|---|---|
 Glen Eden town centre,Playhouse Theatre and Glen Eden library seen from Harold Moody Park | |
 Interactive map of Glen Eden | |
| Coordinates:36°55′S174°39′E / 36.917°S 174.650°E /-36.917; 174.650 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| City | Auckland |
| Local authority | Auckland Council |
| Electoral ward | Waitākere ward |
| Local board | Waitākere Ranges Local Board |
| Area | |
| • Land | 753 ha (1,860 acres) |
| Population (June 2025)[2] | |
• Total | 21,230 |
| Train stations | Glen Eden railway station |
| Sunnyvale | Glendene | Kelston |
| Oratia |   Glen Eden  | New Lynn |
| Konini | Kaurilands | Titirangi |
Glen Eden is asuburb ofWest Auckland, New Zealand, located at the foothills of theWaitākere Ranges. Originally known asWaikumete, the suburb gained the name Glen Eden in 1921. The suburb is in theWaitākere Ward, one of the thirteen administrative areas of Auckland governed byAuckland Council.
Part of therohe ofTe Kawerau ā Maki, the area was developed into orchards during theColonial era of New Zealand. TheGlen Eden railway station opened in 1880, linking the area to central Auckland along theWestern Line, and leading to the development of theWaikumete Cemetery. Suburban housing was built in the area in the 1950s and 1960s.
The Glen Eden area is located at the foothills ofWaitākere Ranges, north ofTitirangi. TheWaikumete Stream flows north from Titirangi, forming a valley in the centre of the suburb.[3]
Glen Eden forms a part of the Waitematā-Waitākere foothills ecological zone. Sheltered from theTasman Sea by the Waitākere Ranges, the area was originally dominated by forests ofkauri,Phyllocladus trichomanoides (tānekaha or celery pine) andrimu, with abundantnīkau palm andsilver fern. The soils are a mix ofMioceneWaitākere volcanic soil andWaitemata Group sedimentary rock.[4]
The area is within the traditionalrohe ofTe Kawerau ā Maki, aniwi that traces their ancestry to some of the earliest inhabitants of theAuckland Region.[5] West Auckland was known as Hikurangi, and the area of the upper catchments ofTe Wai-o-Pareira / Henderson Creek was known as Ōkaurirahi, a reference to the maturekauri forests of the area.[6] The northern Glen Eden andKelston area was called Onewherowhero, a reference to the red coloured clay found in the area.[7][8] Te Kawerau ā Maki had akāinga near modern Holdens Road inOratia, close to Glen Eden.[6] In 1825, most members of Te Kawerau ā Maki fled the area for refuge in theWaikato during theMusket Wars, with a small number remaining in the area to maintainahi kā (fires of continuous occupation).[5] After the Musket Wars, Te Kawerau ā Maki returned to the area in the 1830s. Most members chose to settle close to a defensivepā atTe Henga / Bethells Beach.[5]
After the 1840 signing of theTreaty of Waitangi, paramount chiefApihai Te Kawau of the iwi now known asNgāti Whātua Ōrākei made atuku (strategic gift) of land atWaihorotiu on theWaitematā Harbour, which developed into the modern city ofAuckland.[9] By this time, modern Glen Eden was known as Waikomiti or Waikumete, literally meaning "Water of the Wooden Bowl", referring to a type of snare used to catchkererū.[10] Waikūmete is a traditional Te Kawerau ā Maki name forLittle Muddy Creek in southTitirangi on theManukau Harbour,[6] that was applied to the greater area during the time of European settlement.[11] By the 1880s, the spelling Waikomiti was regularly described as a misspelling of Waikumete,[12][13][14] and in 1898 the post office was officially renamed.[15]
Early settlers such as John Bishop and Thomas Canty felled bush in theOratia and Glen Eden areas from the mid-1840s.[16] Kauri logging of the Waitākere Ranges foothills was an early industry which drew people to the area.[17] Glen Eden was a part of the Titirangi Block sold to the crown in 1848.[18] Permanent European settlers first arrived in the Glen Eden area in 1853, clearing the land to be used as orchards.[19] The orchards began to prosper in the early 1900s, when immigrants fromDalmatia (modern-dayCroatia) settled in the area.[19] The clay soils made travelling in the area difficult, but were conductive for brickmaking, such as at Ceramco Park.[20][17]
TheWestern Line opened in March 1880, connecting Waikumete to Auckland by rail and encouraging growth in the area.[19][21] The train station acted as a hub for the community, with most businesses opening close to the station.[22] In 1886, theWaikumete Cemetery was established, due to the proximity of the area to the Western Line.[23] Many people viewed the cemetery as having a negative effect on the area, making it a less desirable place to live.[17]
In 1901, the first town hall was built in the area, and in 1910 the first Methodist Church was constructed in Waikumete.[24] Social life of the area revolved around the town hall, which showed movies, held dances and political meetings.[25] DuringWorld War I, the hall was used to trainterritorials for the army.[25]
The Waikumete Cemetery became the burial place for many of the people who died during the1918 influenza pandemic.[26] While local residents were mostly unscathed, people who died in Auckland were transported en masse to Waikumete Cemetery.[27]
On 1 November 1921, Waikumete was renamed Glen Eden, when the area was formed into a town district.[28] One of the reasons why the name changed was that the name Waikumete had become closely associated with the cemetery. The new name referenced the central Auckland suburb ofMount Eden, as well as the many valleys (glens) in the suburb.[29][30] After the area was formed into a town district, the area boomed as a working class neighbourhood.[31] TheGreat Depression greatly affected Glen Eden, leaving many new houses vacant as potential occupants could not afford to buy or rent them.[31]
In 1935, the Glen Eden town hall burnt down, and was rebuilt within the next two years.[24] The town hall remained a community social hub, holding events, movie showings and theatre productions.[32] The building is currently known as theGlen Eden Playhouse Theatre.[24] Between 1945 and 1954, the Waitemata Obstetric Hospital run byVera Ellis-Crowther operated from her land on Glengarry Road.[33]
The area developed from a rural community in the 1940s into a satellite suburb of Auckland in the 1950s.[34] In 1953 the population of the area had increased enough that the town district became the Glen Eden Borough.[24][34] The borough status of Glen Eden brought prosperity, and allowed the local council to borrow funds to develop the area.[34] Between 1951 and 1961, the population of Glen Eden tripled.[34] In 1970, Glenmall, a local shopping precinct, was opened to the south of the train station.[16] The population grew to over 10,000 residents in the mid-1980s.[35]
Many streets in Glen Eden are named after early residents, or after Antarctic explorers from theTerra Nova Expedition (1910–1913).[36] Most housing is wooden, with a few old farmhouses, some 1930s art deco houses, and post-war bungalows and weatherboard houses. There is also more recent terrace housing.[37]
Glen Eden covers 7.53 km2 (2.91 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 21,230 as of June 2025,[2] with a population density of 2,819 inhabitants per square kilometre (7,300/sq mi).
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 15,396 | — |
| 2013 | 17,853 | +2.14% |
| 2018 | 19,008 | +1.26% |
| 2023 | 19,593 | +0.61% |
| The 2006 population is for a smaller area of 5.67 km2. Source:[38][39] | ||
Glen Eden had a population of 19,593 in the2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 585 people (3.1%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 1,740 people (9.7%) since the2013 census. There were 9,660 males, 9,849 females and 84 people ofother genders in 6,582 dwellings.[40] 3.6% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 34.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 4,308 people (22.0%) aged under 15 years, 3,885 (19.8%) aged 15 to 29, 9,387 (47.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,016 (10.3%) aged 65 or older.[39]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 53.3%European (Pākehā); 15.6%Māori; 21.6%Pasifika; 25.1%Asian; 3.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 93.6%, Māori language by 3.0%, Samoan by 5.7%, and other languages by 23.2%. No language could be spoken by 2.9% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 35.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 33.2%Christian, 6.7%Hindu, 3.4%Islam, 1.0%Māori religious beliefs, 1.6%Buddhist, 0.5%New Age, 0.1%Jewish, and 1.8% other religions. People who answered that they hadno religion were 44.8%, and 7.0% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 4,194 (27.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 7,170 (46.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 3,921 (25.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $44,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 1,689 people (11.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 8,457 (55.3%) people were employed full-time, 1,746 (11.4%) were part-time, and 582 (3.8%) were unemployed.[39]
| Name | Area (km2) | Population | Density (per km2) | Dwellings | Median age | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glen Eden West | 1.15 | 3,774 | 3,282 | 1,152 | 33.6 years | $41,000[41] |
| Glen Eden Rosier | 1.24 | 3,456 | 2,787 | 1,104 | 34.7 years | $44,100[42] |
| Glen Eden North | 1.88 | 2,673 | 1,422 | 969 | 33.7 years | $41,900[43] |
| Glen Eden Woodglen | 0.92 | 3,231 | 3,512 | 1,092 | 34.0 years | $47,100[44] |
| Glen Eden Central | 1.25 | 3,612 | 2,890 | 1,329 | 35.7 years | $44,200[45] |
| Glen Eden Konini | 1.09 | 2,847 | 2,612 | 939 | 35.9 years | $50,800[46] |
| New Zealand | 38.1 years | $41,500 |
Glen Eden is separated between theKelston andNew Lynn general electorates, and entirely within theTāmaki Makaurau Māori parliamentary electorate.Carmel Sepuloni has been the Member of Parliament for Kelston since2014, and has her electorate office located in Glen Eden.Paulo Garcia has been the Member of Parliament for New Lynn since2023, whileTakutai Tarsh Kemp has been the Member of Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau since2023.
The first authority to administered the area was the Waikomiti Road District, established 26 September 1867, it began operation in 1870 and was dissolved in 1886.[51] From the 1840s, the rural area that would become Glen Eden was known as the Parish of Waikomiti in theCounty of Eden. By the early 20th century, the area was administered as a part of theWaitemata County, a vast area which administered much of West and Northern Auckland.[52] The area was a part of the Waikumete Riding, a section of the county which covered Glen Eden (then Waikumete), Titirangi and Waiatarua.[52]
AfterWorld War II, a movement within the community began to separate the township of Waikumete from the surrounding Waitemata County, due to the perception that local government needed to increase rates to improve the area's roading.[52] In 1921 this was achieved, and the Glen Eden Town Council was formed.[28] The town board was composed of between 7 and 8 commissioners, of whom five served as chairman between 1922 and 1941: J Trefaskis, W H Shepherd, W E Martin, A J Routley and J H Harding.[53] The town board's early days were known for much in-fighting between commissioners.[52]
In 1953, the town became the Glen Eden Borough,[24] which allowed the council more autonomy, and granted them the ability to borrow money for local developments.[34]
In 1989, the boroughs of Glen Eden,Henderson andNew Lynn andWaitemata City (the former Waitemata County) merged to form theWaitakere City.[36] New Lynn and Glen Eden were administered together as parts of the New Lynn Ward. On 1 November 2010, theAuckland Council was formed as a unitary authority governing the entireAuckland Region,[54] with Glen Eden becoming a part of theWaitākere Ranges local board area, administered by theWaitākere Ranges Local Board.
Glen Eden is represented on theAuckland Council byWaitākere ward councillorsKen Turner andShane Henderson.[55]
During its existence from 1953 to 1989, the borough of Glen Eden had five mayors. The following is a complete list:[53]
| Name | Portrait | Term of office | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geoff Hallam |  | 1953–1956 |
| 2 | John F. Porter | | 1956–1965 |
| 3 | Harold Moody |  | 1965–1971 |
| 4 | Brian K. Berg | | 1971–1983 |
| 5 | Janet Clews | .jpg) | 1983–1989 |
In the early 20th century, school children travelled to local primary schools in New Lynn and Henderson.[56] In 1915, the first school that opened in the area, the Glen Eden Primary School.[24] Originally known as Waikumete School, the school changed its name to Glen Eden School in 1921, when the suburb was renamed.[56] The first school building was previously used for the school at New Lynn (the current location ofKelston Girls' College), which was transported to Glen Eden after a new school building was built for the New Lynn school.[56] Today, Glen Eden Primary School is a contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 318 students.[57] Prospect School opened in 1958,[34] and is a contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 340.[58] Another contributing school in the area isKonini School which opened in 1976. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi, a compositeMāori-language immersion school (years 1–13) with a roll of 234.[59] All these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as at July 2025.[60]
Glen Eden Intermediate School was built in 1960.[34] It is a school for years 7–8 with a roll of 966 students,[61] and located to the south of Glen Eden, in the modern suburb ofKaurilands. Local secondary schools nearby areKelston Boys' High School andKelston Girls' College, which opened as a co-educational high school in 1954 before separating in 1963.[16]
TheGlenora Rugby League team plays at Glenora Park.[37]
Glen Eden has one of the oldest Scouts clubs in the country, which has running since 1925.[62]
Glen Eden is accessible by West Coast Road, an arterial road that separates fromGreat North Road atKelston and heads towardsWaiatarua, a settlement in theWaitākere Ranges. Glen Eden is serviced by theGlen Eden railway station, located on theWestern Line of Auckland's suburban rail network.
