Te Atatu

Te Atatu (Te Atatu North/Peninsula Te Atatu South)
Location of Te Atatu in Auckland.
Basic information
Local authority	Auckland Council
Surrounds
North	(Waitemata Harbour), Hobsonville
Northeast	(Waitemata Harbour), Birkdale, New Zealand, Kauri Park
East	(Waitemata Harbour), Point Chevalier
Southeast	(Whau River), Rosebank Peninsula
South	Glendene
Southwest	Henderson
West	Lincoln
Northwest	Massey

Te Atatu (Maori for "the dawn") is the name of two suburbs in western Auckland, New Zealand: Te Atatu Peninsula and Te Atatu South. They are located next to each other some 10 kilometres to the west of the Auckland city centre.

Te Atatu Peninsula, formerly known as Te Atatu North, lies, as the name suggests, on a small peninsula. It is located at the western extremity of the Waitemata Harbour, and is formed by the Henderson Creek, an estuarial arm of the harbour that extends southwest from the harbour. The peninsula thus formed is four kilometres in length and two kilometres in width, and is joined to the main part of the North Island at its southern end.

Te Atatu South is sited at the point where the peninsula meets the rest of the island, south of the motorway interchange, which bisects the formerly more closely linked areas. Both suburban areas are characterised by a well-established suburban neighbourhood, with two town centres providing shops, medical services and community facilities. Most inhabitants work in west Auckland or Auckland City.

The Te Atatu electorate, which covers both suburbs, was served in the New Zealand Parliament by Chris Carter, who was New Zealand's first openly gay Cabinet Minister. It is now served by Phil Twyford.

The peninsula (and to a large degree, the southern part of the suburb), is defined by Henderson Creek in the west, and the Whau River in the east. Mangroves and other estuarine epifauna dominate the boundaries, with the geology composed mostly of marine and stream sediments.

The two suburbs were relatively rural areas until the 1950s when the first stages of the Northwestern Motorway (part of State Highway 16) were opened along the coast of the Waitemata Harbour. This encouraged suburban settlements to the west of Auckland, and Te Atatu grew rapidly as a result. In the 2000s, the working-class suburb area became increasingly popular for luxury apartments and other higher-cost residential development.