The isthmus south of the mountain was traditionally settled by Ngāi Tāhuhu, descendants of Tāhuhunui-o-te-rangi, captain of the Moekākara waka and namesake of Ōtāhuhu.[7][8] Four archaeological sites near Carbine Road/Panama Road near the Tāmaki River were occupied in the mid to late 1500s.[8] A large number of storage pits for root vegetables (such as kūmara) were found at the sites, suggesting the area was extensively gardened by Māori, as well as an area where toki (adze) were created.[6][8] South of Mutukaroa / Hamlins Hill was Karetu, a 2 km portage between the Waitematā Harbour/Tāmaki River and the Manukau Harbour.[8]
Mount Wellington had historically supplied most of Auckland's vegetables alongside Tāmaki until the 1940s when that land was turned into an industrial estate.[9]
Demographics
Mount Wellington covers 10.36 km2 (4.00 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 29,000 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 2,799 people per km2.
While most of the suburb is residential, Sylvia Park is almost entirely commercial, and the central area of Mount Wellington Industrial is almost entirely industrial.
Mount Wellington had a population of 26,280 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,047 people (4.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 2,985 people (12.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 13,215 males, 12,966 females and 99 people of other genders in 8,553 dwellings.[12] 3.8% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 34.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 4,785 people (18.2%) aged under 15 years, 6,012 (22.9%) aged 15 to 29, 12,321 (46.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 3,165 (12.0%) aged 65 or older.[11]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 35.5% European (Pākehā); 12.8% Māori; 24.3% Pasifika; 38.7% Asian; 2.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.4% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 90.8%, Māori language by 2.4%, Samoan by 4.7%, and other languages by 34.5%. No language could be spoken by 2.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 48.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.[11]
Of those at least 15 years old, 6,441 (30.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 8,643 (40.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 6,405 (29.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $45,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 2,259 people (10.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 12,264 (57.1%) people were employed full-time, 2,034 (9.5%) were part-time, and 696 (3.2%) were unemployed.[11]
Mt Wellington Shopping Centre has 22 stores spread across 9,000 m2, including anchor tenants Countdown and Supercheap Auto.[28]
Education
Bailey Road School, Stanhope Road School and Sylvia Park School are state full primary schools (years 1–8) with rolls of 376, 618 and 571 students, respectively.[29][30][31]
Panama Road School is a contributing primary school (years 1–6) with a roll of 373 students.[32]
All these school are coeducational. Rolls are as of November 2024.[33]
^"Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Mount Wellington North West (145300), Mount Wellington North East (146000), Mount Wellington Ferndale (146200), Mount Wellington East (146500), Mount Wellington West (146600), Mount Wellington Central (147200), Sylvia Park (147400), Mount Wellington Industrial (147700), Mount Wellington South West (149100) and Mount Wellington South East (149500).
