Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe
St George Street, Town Centre.
Papatoetoe's location in Auckland.
Basic information
Local authority	Auckland Council
Population	39,585 (2001)
Facilities
Train station(s)	Papatoetoe Train Station Puhinui Train Station
Surrounds
North	Middlemore
Northeast	Ōtara
East	Flat Bush
Southeast	Puhinui, Manukau Central
South	Puhinui, Manukau Central
Southwest	(Towards Manukau Harbour)
West	(Towards Auckland Airport)
Northwest	Māngere East

Papatoetoe is a suburb in the Auckland conurbation of northern New Zealand. One of the larger suburbs of the area commonly known as South Auckland, it is located to the northwest of Manukau Central, and 18 kilometres southeast of Auckland CBD.

Papatoetoe is a Māori name, which can be loosely translated as 'undulating area where the toetoe is the predominant feature', making it named after the 'Prince of Wales' feather (or toetoe / toi toi), which grew abundantly in the swampy parts of the region. Due to some confusion over the spelling, the area was known as Papatoitoi for many years.

People have lived in the Papatoetoe area for almost the entire time of human settlement in New Zealand. For both the original Māori and the first English settlers, the Papatoetoe area was handily located close to the narrowest points between Auckland's two great harbours, where waka could be ported over land. It was also rich in fertile soil.

Inlets run from Papatoetoe eastward to the Waitemata Harbour and westward to the Manukau Harbour. Thus for travellers past and present the routes south to the Waikato River and the north to the Auckland isthmus - Tamaki-makau-rau (Tamaki coveted by many) - have always been through Papatoetoe.

The definition of the Papatoetoe Highway district in 1865 and the Papatoetoe Town Board in 1919 helped establish the town. The first council Papatoetoe Borough Council was created in 1946 followed by the Papatoetoe City Council in 1965. The Papatoetoe City Council was merged into the Manukau City Council in 1989. Papatoetoe is now a suburb in the Manukau Ward which is part of the Auckland Council.

The area's main population growth occurred after World War II, when many returning service men received housing in the area. By 1980, population growth had mostly ceased, with all available land taken up, though some infill housing growth occurred later. The population in 2006 had a median age of 31, with 34% being NZ Europeans, 33% Asians, 26% Pacific Islanders and 16% Maori.