Waiwharariki Anzac Square

01 March 2018 - 31 August 2023

Takapuna
Complete

A new square for Takapuna.

Waiwharariki Anzac Square is part of our programme of urban regeneration in Takapuna.

Waiwharariki square completed

The creation of Waiwharariki Anzac Square allows for a space that offers improved connection through the heart of Takapuna to the beach and provides a centrally located civic space for the community that is available for a variety of uses all-year round, including as a place to gather, markets, festivals, and community events.

An image from the karakia whakawātea (blessing ceremony) on Friday September 1, 2023.

What's next?

Future development surrounding the town square will include a mix of shops, businesses and homes.

These developments are part of the urban regeneration of Takapuna, led by Eke Panuku Development Auckland on behalf of Auckland Council. Our goals are to revitalise the town centre, improve public spaces, create better connections to the beach and support more options for urban living and public transport, to bring about a great future for Takapuna.

Designed with the future in mind

Waiwharariki Anzac Square is part of the Unlock Takapuna programme which has a Green Star –Communities rating. The independent rating was awarded by the New Zealand Green Building Council for exceptional masterplanning. By obtaining Green Star ratings, we’re future-proofing Takapuna, planning for climate change and building community resilience. In Waiwharariki Anzac Square, features such as filters to treat stormwater runoff at the source, sustainable timber and low-carbon concrete will ensure this development delivers a sustainable public space for the community.

The gift of a name

Mana whenua gifted the name Waiwharariki to the square. Waiwharariki is the mana whenua place name for the area now known as Takapuna, the beach, and town centre.

In the mid-1800s, Waiwharariki was the name used for the settlement at the Shoal Bay headland within Takapuna. The name acknowledges the significant coastal flax wharariki that was commonly found throughout the coastal rocks and waters endemic to that area. The wharariki plant was favoured and frequently used by Māori weavers to make tools including kete and sleeping mats.

The name also respects a specific settlement that was established for Ngāti Pāoa. In 1849, following the death of Ngāti Pāoa chieftainess Rīria Takarangi, Governor Grey gifted Māori leader Patuone a life interest in 110 acres at Waiwharariki (Takapuna Beach).