North Shore, Auckland Overview

North Shore is a quaint city within the suburbs towards the north of downtown Auckland, known to be the hometown of various famous personalities, like Lorde, Nick Evans, Wayne “Buck” Shelford, Rachel Hunter, Benjamin Thomas Watt and many more. Apart from the ethos of the place, the city is known to be a popular tourist attraction for its beautiful beaches and shores, the prevalent café culture and a plethora of other things to do.

Considered a posh subsection of Auckland, or the ‘other side’ by the local folk, the North Shore offers a considerably sophisticated lifestyle to the people living there. Known for being an upmarket area, the region is highly wanted in terms of permanent residence, considering the premium real estate offered in the locality. Grand views of the beautiful Hauraki Gulf and the Auckland City Centre can be seen from the North Shore.

History

Initially, North Shore was not considered to be a proper residential region and had a very rural settlement. People from the main city used to go to the North Shore for weekends off, or for trips to the beaches and the shore areas; the locality was mainly used for serving leisure purposes and barely had a population of 50,000 people at the time, around the 1950s. Due to these very reasons, the area had not developed into a proper residential suburb and was lacking in employment opportunities. 1959 saw the building of the Auckland Harbour Bridge which led to a general expansion of the region as a proper town due to the population flocking in from Auckland CBD and the southern parts.

Geography

The suburban area is linked to the main Auckland city by the Auckland Harbour Bridge and the Upper Harbour Bridge wherein the former goes through the Waitematā Harbour to reach the main city and the latter provides a connection to Waitakere, which lies in the western half of Auckland. The region is surrounded by the Rodney district to its north, the Waitematā Harbour to its south and the Rangitoto Channel to the east; and is also divided up in four boards- Devonport – Takapuna, Kaipatiki, Upper Harbour and Hibiscus and Bays.

There are three wards that the area has been divided into for better administration and governance, the three being headed by two community boards each. The Northern Ward consists of Albany, Pinehill, Rosedale, etc. and Browns Bay, Long Bay, Torbay and the surrounding regions. The Harbour Ward includes Beach Haven, Birkdale, Glenfield, Hillcrest, etc. whereas the Central Ward encompasses Bayswater, Belmont, Devonport, Castor Bay, Forrest Hill and the areas surrounding these localities.

Things to Do and Places to Visit

There are a lot of enjoyable ways to spend a great time at North Shore. Right from shopping to water sports and beach walks, the town has a lot to offer.

Shopping- Starting from shopping, the Glenfield Shopping Mall is a locally loved mall where visitors find a large number of popular brands and is the perfect place to shop for gifts and souvenirs. It also hosts the Sunday Night Market in its basement, which has stalls full of delicious exotic cuisine at cheap and reasonable rates.

Lake Pupuke- A popular as a water sports area, as well as a highly visited spot for picnics and recreational purposes. The lake is formed from two old volcanic craters, in the shape of a heart, followed by a local Maori myth that explains the same.

Takapuna Beach- Another tourist attraction that is known for its eateries and scenic beauty, enjoyed by people of all ages.

The North Head Historic Reserve- A must-visit for history buffs, the historical park is perfect to learn more about the military history of New Zealand, and also enjoy views of the Rangitoto Island, Cheltenham Beach and the Auckland City.

Mount Victoria- The highest volcano in North Shore, Mount Victoria stands tall at around 87 meters above sea level. Visitors can choose to either walk up the hill or drive to the peak, which offers beautiful views of the main Auckland city and is the perfect spot for photographic purposes.

Devonport- One can learn more about the history of the village in the Devonport Museum or enjoy the mouth-watering handmade chocolates available at Devonport Chocolates.

How To Reach North Shore

The most convenient bus lines that stop near North Shore City are Bus – 973, Bus – 974 and Bus – 975.
The closest stations to North Shore are Rangatira Rd. and Aeroview and Beach Haven Shops both at a distance of 12-15 minutes on foot, approximately 902-1115 meters away.
The shuttle from Auckland CBD to North Shore takes around 25 minutes and is one of the cheapest options available.
Cab services and Uber rides are the fastest means to reach North Shore from Auckland CBD as they take about 8-10 minutes in total.