Onehunga is a genuine Kiwi town centre - vibrant, friendly and full of surprises. Wander down Onehunga Mall and beyond for a blend of rare and eclectic, old and new. Renovated heritage buildings take pride of place and many have been turned into funky cafés serving great coffee and treats. Just beyond the town centre, Onehunga’s thriving industrial area is packed with businesses representing a wealth of trades, services and specialties. As home to Auckland’s Dress-Smart, Onehunga is famous for its outlet shops. For serious shoppers, Dress-Smart offers quality brands at the lowest prices, while Onehunga Mall’s shops never fail to deliver treasures and bargains. With so much to see, do and buy, Onehunga offers a great day out. Visitors can take the free tourist shuttle bus from selected CBD hotels to Dress-Smart, or hop on the train to the Onehunga Station. Come by car and you’ll find that Onehunga is one of the last central Auckland suburbs to offer FREE parking! One of the many treasures is The Legendary Hard to Find Book shop. Hidden in full sight this store has a treasure trove of books. Wander in and bask in the array of volumes to be read, admired and discovered. This Aladdin’s cave provides hours of fascination as you wander from section to section. Built 1890′s. Formerly occupied by Gordon Sai Louie & Co, a family business selling fruit, vegetables and Chinese supplies. Mr Sai Louie senior was a great social worker for the Chinese community. The business ran for over 40 years closing in 1988. A notable feature is the original gold sign writing on the window. It has been said that the building is haunted. The staff say that if this is the case then it is certainly a friendly ghost. ONEHUNGA HISTORICAL ROOTS Onehunga has a rich heritage to explore too, with its history of Maori and European settlement and trade. Explore Onehunga by taking a heritage walk. Jellicoe Park, a short walk from the town centre, is a good place to start and a truly unique drawcard with museums, an historic home, swimming pools and wonderful gardens to enjoy. Onehunga had the distinction of electing the first woman Mayor in the British Empire, Mrs Elizabeth Yates (ca. 1845 - 1918), in 1893. By virtue of her role, she also became the first woman Justice of the Peace. Following excerpt is from an article in Wikipedia which highlights Mrs Yates life.. Earlier in 1893, after her husband had stood down from his post due to ill health in 1892, she had accepted the nomination for the office of mayor and in November defeated her opponent, F. W. Court, at the polls (also automatically becoming a Justice of the Peace) in a close race decided by only 13 votes.[2] The election made international news and brought her congratulations from Premier Richard Seddon and Queen Victoria.[1] However, she met strong opposition from a hard core of local councillors, town clerks and members of the public (four councillors and the town clerk resigned in response to her election),[2] and they often disrupted meetings and orchestrated opposition to her every proposal. It is noted by some critics that she did not help her own cause by being 'tactless' and 'dictatorial' in her manner. Only a year later, she was defeated roundly at the polls. Even her opponents had to concede however, that she had been very effective during her short tenure, having liquidated the borough debt, established a sinking fund, reorganised the fire brigade, upgraded roads, footpaths and sanitation, and having personally lobbied the government to authorise the reopening of the Waikaraka cemetery.[1] She later returned as a councillor to the Borough Council for two years between 1899 and 1901. She died in 1918 after a long time in a mental hospital.[1] References 1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Mogford, Janice C. "Yates, Elizabeth 1840-1848?–1918". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 7 April 2011. 2. ^ Jump up to: a b Elizabeth Yates (from 'nzhistory.net.nz'. Accessed 2009-02-18.) External links • Elizabeth Yates (entry on 'nzhistory.net.nz') Mrs Yates is buried in St Peters Church Cemetery located on Onehunga Mall. This cemetery also houses some of the Orpheus graves from the sinking of the HMS Orpheus on 7 February 1863. This was the worst maritime disaster in New Zealand history and a dramatic event in Onehunga Port’s history, highlighting the limitations of the Port. The 1,700-tonne steam corvette hit the middle bank, the Manukau Bar, at 1.30pm. By 9pm the mast, where most of the crew had taken refuge, went down; only 70 of 250 passengers survived. And then there’s the beautiful Manukau Harbour, right on Onehunga’s doorstep. Led by the community, new beaches, parks and walkways are being added so everyone can enjoy this magic foreshore. Soon to be completed. Auckland’s Famous Coast to Coast Walk Described as the hike that defines Auckland, this 16 km trail was recently named as one of the world’s top 10 city walks! Indie travel guide BootsnAll rated this walk one of the best city walks in the world in August 2012: One of few places in the world where you can literally walk from one ocean to another in less than a day, it’s easy to see why Auckland’s coast to coast trail is so popular, running from the Pacific Ocean on one side of the city, to the Tasman Sea at the other side. The 5-6 hour marked route runs from a remote coastal region through residential backstreets and over the city’s two most famous landmarks – Manungawhau (Mt. Eden), with its impressive crater topping the 643 feet (196 m) summit, and Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill), a 600 feet (183 m) now tree-less hill that nonetheless offers incredible views over the city with the cone-shaped outline of Rangitoto Island in distance. Finish your walk with a stroll through the city’s renowned Viaduct harbor, where you can enjoy a well-earned drink looking out over the ocean. (Source: www.bootsnall.com/articles/12-08/the-worlds-best-city-walks.html) It takes several hours to walk from Onehunga / Manukau Harbour to downtown Auckland and the Waitemata Harbour. You need to be fit to walk this 16 kilometre trail! If you’re planning on bringing a car, start off in Onehunga, where the parking is easier – then return by train from Britomart station, in the City, to retreive it! There’s plenty of background information on the sights along this walk on the Onehunga website http://www.onehunga.net.nz/category/explore/ Discover Onehunga and see for yourself!