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Helensville () is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is sited northwest of Auckland, close to the southern extremity of the Kaipara Harbour. State Highway 16 passes through the town, connecting it to Waimauku to the south, and Kaukapakapa about to the north-east. Parakai is to the north-west. The Kaipara River runs through the town and into the Kaipara Harbour to the north.
Tāmaki Māori settled the southern Kaipara Harbour in the 13th or 14th centuries, drawn by the marine and forest resources. The upper reaches of the Kaipara River was the location of Te Tōangaroa, a portage where waka could be hauled between the Kaipara Harbour and the Waitematā Harbour. By the 15th century, the area had become home to some of the earliest pā sites in the Auckland Region. By the early 18th century, Ngāti Whātua, who had traditional ties to the area, had re-established themselves along the Kaipara River.
Helensville was established as a kauri logging settlement in 1862, developing into a regional centre for the south Kaipara by the 1870s. Helensville became a major centre for the dairy industry between 1911 and the 1980s.
The area has traditionally been a wetland and flood plain for the Kaipara River, until the late 19th century when the Kaipara River catchment was developed into farmland. Historically, the hills to the east of Helensville were a kauri-dominated forest.
One of the earliest known iwi to settled in the area are Te Tini o Maruiwi, who descend from Maruiwi, captain of the Kahutara, one of the first migratory waka, and migrated north into the Kaipara Harbour. Ngāti Whātua traditions tell of the Māhuhu-ki-te-rangi migratory waka arriving at the Kaipara Harbour. Some of the crew members, including Rongomai, Mawete and Po, settled at Tāporapora, with the descendants of Toi-te-huatahi, who already lived in the area. Tāporapora was a fertile sandy land that gradually eroded west of the Okahukura Peninsula, of which Manukapua Island is a remnant.
People were drawn to the southern Kaipara Harbour due to its rich resources from the harbour and surrounding kauri-dominated forests. Based on archaeological findings, many of the earliest people to come to the area caught moa. The southern Kaipara was an important transportation node due to Te Tōangaroa, a portage where waka could be hauled between the Kaipara Harbour and the Waitematā Harbour, via the Kaipara River and Kumeū River. Major settlements in the area were typically upland of the Kaipara River, due to the swampy ground immediately beside the river, and the Ohirangi wetlands (Te Tareminga were used to trap moa in ancient times).
Known traditional names for the area include Tungoutungou, which describes the meandering Kaipara River near Helensville, and further upstream near the Helensville Bridge was known as Te Pu a Tangihua.
Over time, many Tāmaki Māori developed the tribal identity Ngā Oho. Around the 15th century, a group known as Ngāti Awa who descended from the Mātaatua waka settled Te Korowai-o-Te-Tonga Peninsula, led by Tītahi. The iwi were prominent constructors of terraced pā. Over 18 pā sites can be found in the Helensville area, which likely represent some of the earliest fortified pā in Auckland. Ōtakanini pā, located near Parkhurst northwest of Helensville, has been dated to at least 1400AD.
By the mid-17th century, Ngāti Awa and Ngā Oho struggled to control territory. A descendant of Tītahi, Hauparoa, asked his relative Maki, a renowned warrior who lived at the Kawhia Harbour, to help Ngāti Awa secure the region. Maki conquered and unified many of the Tāmaki Māori tribes, including Ngā Oho of the south Kaipara and West Auckland. After an incident where Maki unsuccessfully asked a slave steal kūmara from Hauparoa's storage pits, Maki attacked Ngāti Awa. Over time, Maki's descendants became known as Te Kawerau ā Maki; a name that references the kūmara incident. Maki chose the southern Kaipara as his base of operations, and his children migrated to different areas of the northern and western Auckland Region.
Around the year 1740, war broke out between Ngāti Whātua and Waiohua, the confederation of Tāmaki Māori tribes centred to the southeast, on the Tāmaki isthmus. Kiwi Tāmaki, paramount chief of Waiohua, led a surprise attack in the south Kaipara during an uhunga (funeral rite commemoration), in response for past grievances and to assist a Ngāti Whātua faction who were opposed to Te Taoū. Kiwi Tāmaki's party pursued the survivors south to the pā at Te Mākiri (Te Awaroa / Helensville), confronting Tuperiri and Waha-akiaki, two prominent members of Te Taoū who managed to survive. By 1741, Ngāti Whātua had successfully fought against Kiwi Tāmaki, and members of Te Taoū established themselves on the Auckland isthmus.
An early skirmish between Te Taoū and Ngāpuhi during the Musket Wars occurred at Paehoka, south of Helensville, likely in the late 18th century. Conflict continued through the early 19th century, and in 1818 English missionary Samuel Marsden witnessed Ngāti Whātua of the Kaipara River being attacked from the north. Following the battle of Te Ika a Ranganui at Kaiwaka, Ngāti Whātua fled the area, except for a small contingent who remained for ahi kā (visible land occupation). Ngāti Whātua began returning to the Kaipara River from 1828, and were fully re-established by 1835.
In 1862, settler John McLeod established a kauri timber mill on the eastern banks of the Kaipara River, at the modern-day site of Helensville. McLeod named his house "Helen's Villa", after his wife, which became the name for the township that developed around the timber mill. McLeod milled the kauri on the lands adjacent to his timber mill, and after a few years, Ngāti Whātua established a kāinga on the opposite banks.
The town grew based on the kauri timber industry and kauri gum collection. In 1865, the road from Riverhead to Helensville was improved, and pastoral farms were developed in the 1870s. By 1870, Helensville had become the main trading centre and transportation junction for the Kaipara Harbour settlements to the north. From 1875 to 1881, a short-lived section of railway operated between Kumeū, south of Helensville, and the village of Riverhead, on the upper shores of the Waitematā Harbour. This led to increased economic activity in Helensville, which developed into a township and became an economic hub. In 1881, the North Auckland Line was extended to Helensville, leading to the opening of the Helensville railway station.
In 1879, St Matthew's Anglican Church was established in Helensville. This was the first church in the wider southern Kaipara area, serving the surrounding rural communities such as Kumeū and Waimauku. In 1882, the first bridge across the Kaipara River was constructed at Te Horo Point, with the intention of this opening up farmland to the west.
In 1927, St Matthew's Anglican Church was rebuilt after a new larger church was required. During the 1930s, an exotic pine forest called the Woodhill Forest was established on the Te Korowai-o-Te-Tonga Peninsula, becoming an important industry for the area. During World War II, the 15th Battalion of the Home Guard was based at Helensville.
The dairy factory closed in the late 1980s, due to a decline in farming profitability in the area. The sand extraction industry became a major employer in the town, after Mt Rex and Winstone established processing facilities near the town in the 1990s.
In 2009, the Helensville railway station was closed for passenger services.
Helensville had a population of 3,279 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 459 people (16.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 606 people (22.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,611 males, 1,650 females and 21 people of other genders in 1,182 dwellings. 2.9% of people identified as LGBTQ. The median age was 36.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 708 people (21.6%) aged under 15 years, 582 (17.7%) aged 15 to 29, 1,521 (46.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 471 (14.4%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 84.1% European (Pākehā); 21.0% Māori; 7.7% Pasifika; 5.7% Asian; 1.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.4%, Māori language by 3.5%, Samoan by 1.0%, and other languages by 7.2%. No language could be spoken by 2.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.6, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 25.7% Christian, 0.9% Hindu, 0.3% Islam, 1.6% Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.8% New Age, and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 61.6%, and 7.3% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 381 (14.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,446 (56.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 633 (24.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $42,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 267 people (10.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,374 (53.4%) people were employed full-time, 369 (14.4%) were part-time, and 63 (2.5%) were unemployed.
Helensville Rural had a population of 1,620 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 129 people (8.7%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 318 people (24.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 816 males, 801 females and 3 people of other genders in 528 dwellings. 2.6% of people identified as LGBTQ. The median age was 42.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 288 people (17.8%) aged under 15 years, 291 (18.0%) aged 15 to 29, 813 (50.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 228 (14.1%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 91.7% European (Pākehā); 12.0% Māori; 3.5% Pasifika; 4.4% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.2%, Māori language by 1.5%, Samoan by 0.4%, and other languages by 6.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 21.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 22.0% Christian, 0.2% Hindu, 0.4% Islam, 0.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.9% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, and 1.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 65.4%, and 8.9% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 201 (15.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 783 (58.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 297 (22.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $47,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 216 people (16.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 762 (57.2%) people were employed full-time, 213 (16.0%) were part-time, and 27 (2.0%) were unemployed.
Within the Auckland Council, Helensville is a part of the Rodney local government area governed by the Rodney Local Board. It is a part of the Rodney ward, which elects one councillor to the Auckland Council.
| 1 | Reg Screaton | 1947–1950 |
| 2 | Herbert Onslow Strong | 1950–1953 |
| 3 | Charles S. West | 1953–1956 |
| 4 | Lionel M. T. Wotton | 1956–1961 |
| 5 | Arthur B. West | 1961–1968 |
| 6 | G. C. Russell | 1968–1974 |
| 7 | George A. Smith | 1974–1986 |
| 8 | Eric J. Glavish | 1986–1989 |
Helensville has its own locally produced monthly newspaper, the Helensville News. - Helensville's community newspaper
The township is in the North West Country Inc business improvement district zone Introducing North West Country | North West Country - Auckland which represents businesses from Kaukapakapa to Riverhead.
Helensville Primary School is a full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of as of . It was founded in 1877.
Tau Te Arohanoa Akoranga is a satellite campus of the state-integrated Kingsway School, offering a Christian-based education.
All these schools are coeducational.
With the cessation of the passenger train service the only public transport between Helensville and Auckland isthmus is by buses to and from Westgate in West Auckland then transfer to another bus route 110 to central Auckland. At rush hours an express bus operates to Downtown.
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