'Manukau topics' provides access to brief histories of Counties-Manukau communities, information on selected historic sites and buildings in the area, and essays on a range of other historical topics. These are listed below in the following categories:

• Communities
• Agriculture and industry
• Government and politics
• Names
• People
• Places
• Transport.

Further items are being developed.  Your contributions are welcome. 

* Topics coming soon

Communities

• A brief history of Manukau City*
• A history of Manukau City Centre*
• Manukau myths and memories
• An Otara timeline

Agriculture and industry

• The burning and sale of charcoal*
• Gold mining in the nineteenth century*
• The gathering and sale of kauri gum*
• Transmission lines in South Auckland 

Government and politics

• Manukau City Council’s first computer
• Hugh Lambie, first mayor of Manukau
• A history of local government in the Manukau area
• Manukau City Council’s offices
• The first Manukau County, 1876-1912
• The formation of Manukau City in 1965
• Political party leaders from South Auckland
• The southern supercity of 1963 

Names

• How Manukau city got its name
• Naming the Manukau (Manuka) Harbour*

People

• Christmas in the nineteenth century
• The Clevedonaires: Manukau’s first pop group
• Graffiti: a brief history
• Hugh Lambie, first mayor of Manukau
• Manukau myths and memories
• Political party leaders from South Auckland
• Selwyn’s sermon at Maraetai
• Springbok tours
• Vincent Ward and River Queen

Places

• Beachlands Memorial Hall
• Cambria Park*
• The Dilworth Trust Board’s bridge to nowhere
• First World War memorials
• Rainbow’s End Adventure Park
• St John’s Redoubt
• Selwyn’s sermon at Maraetai
• Vincent Ward and River Queen
• The Wiri Trust Hotel
• Woodside Methodist cemetery (brief version)
• Woodside Methodist cemetery (long version)

Transport

• The southern motorway to Wiri in 1955
• Tolls on the Great South Road in the 1860s

Your contributions

Submissions of material for inclusion in 'Manukau topics' are welcome. Please contact the Manager Research Services, bruce.ringer@manukau.govt.nz, to discuss potential contributions.

Material may be previously published or original. Manukau Libraries reserves the right to submit contributions to peer review, to accept or reject submissions, and to undertake minor editing. Authors may retain or waive copyright at their discretion.