Woodhill, Auckland
History
In 1878, Woodhill School was established, in part sponsored by Ngāti Whātua communities of the surrounding area, who wanted a school for their children to attend.
The railway line reached Woodhill in the 1880s, and allowed expansion of the existing farming settlement. Ambury's Creamery shipped the cream by rail to be made into butter in Auckland. A post office was established, and a store opened up opposite the creamery, becoming a social centre until it was destroyed by fire about 1970. The Woodhill Hall was another centre for social gatherings. It contained a library in the late 1920s, and was also used for church services.
In the 1920s, planting of trees to reclaim the sand dunes to the west brought forestry workers to the settlement, and a pine tree nursery was created in Woodhill in 1934. A settlement was created on the hill for the workers and their families. After the forest was privatised in 1987, this settlement disappeared.
Education
Woodhill School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating of 6 and a roll of 77 (August 2024). The school celebrated its 126-year reunion in 2003. The school was one of the earliest established in West Auckland. Many children from as far away as Swanson would commute to Woodhill, until the Swanson School was established in 1888.
Climate
| Climate data for Woodhill (1971–2000 normals, extremes 1948–1993) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 30.1 (86.2) |
29.2 (84.6) |
31.1 (88.0) |
27.2 (81.0) |
25.5 (77.9) |
22.2 (72.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
22.0 (71.6) |
23.9 (75.0) |
25.8 (78.4) |
28.1 (82.6) |
31.1 (88.0) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 26.4 (79.5) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.4 (79.5) |
23.8 (74.8) |
21.0 (69.8) |
18.7 (65.7) |
17.4 (63.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.3 (70.3) |
23.3 (73.9) |
25.2 (77.4) |
27.5 (81.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 22.9 (73.2) |
23.4 (74.1) |
22.5 (72.5) |
20.1 (68.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
15.6 (60.1) |
14.9 (58.8) |
15.2 (59.4) |
16.3 (61.3) |
17.7 (63.9) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.3 (70.3) |
18.9 (66.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 18.7 (65.7) |
18.9 (66.0) |
17.8 (64.0) |
15.6 (60.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
11.4 (52.5) |
10.6 (51.1) |
11.0 (51.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
13.8 (56.8) |
15.3 (59.5) |
17.0 (62.6) |
14.7 (58.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14.4 (57.9) |
14.4 (57.9) |
13.2 (55.8) |
11.1 (52.0) |
9.2 (48.6) |
7.3 (45.1) |
6.3 (43.3) |
6.8 (44.2) |
8.5 (47.3) |
9.9 (49.8) |
11.3 (52.3) |
12.8 (55.0) |
10.4 (50.8) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 8.6 (47.5) |
8.7 (47.7) |
6.9 (44.4) |
4.2 (39.6) |
1.5 (34.7) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
0.5 (32.9) |
2.2 (36.0) |
3.5 (38.3) |
5.3 (41.5) |
6.7 (44.1) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 6.1 (43.0) |
4.8 (40.6) |
4.7 (40.5) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
2.0 (35.6) |
2.5 (36.5) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 75.1 (2.96) |
59.2 (2.33) |
99.4 (3.91) |
108.5 (4.27) |
113.8 (4.48) |
134.8 (5.31) |
129.9 (5.11) |
137.4 (5.41) |
121.9 (4.80) |
92.1 (3.63) |
94.0 (3.70) |
88.4 (3.48) |
1,254.5 (49.39) |
| Source: NIWA | |||||||||||||
Notes
- ^ Peter Dowling, ed. (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. pp. map 10. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8.
- ^ Roger Smith, GeographX (2005). The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. Robbie Burton. pp. map 34. ISBN 1-877333-20-4.
- ^ Dunsford, Deborah (2002). Doing It Themselves: the Story of Kumeu, Huapai and Taupaki. Huapai-Kumeu Lions Club. p. 39. ISBN 0-473-08969-6.
- ^ "Woodhill". Helensville & District Historical Society. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
- ^ Education Counts: Woodhill School
- ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
- ^ "Jubilees & reunions - Woodhill School". Education Gazette New Zealand. 81 (12). 8 July 2003. Retrieved 17 October 2008.
- ^ Adam, Jack; Burgess, Vivien; Ellis, Dawn (2004). Rugged Determination: Historical Window on Swanson 1854-2004. Swanson Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc. p. 40. ISBN 0-476-00544-2.
- ^ "CliFlo -The National Climate Database (Agent number: 1402)". NIWA. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
External links
