Lucas Creek

Day 207, Friday 16 March 2018

I went north of Auckland today to an area once known as Okahukura or Kaipatiki. It was renamed Lucas Creek in 1845 after a flax trader called Daniel Lucas (or possibly Clucas), who bought land around the creek, but abandoned it a year later and presumably left the country.

A shopkeeper called Michael Phillips bought land in Lucas Creek in 1863, and established a butcher shop, bakery, and gum store. Gumdiggers would come here to sell their gum and buy supplies. The creek would have been used for boat transport of goods to the Waitemata Harbour.

By 1889 this was a major fruit growing area, with apples and pears exported to Britain. Grapes and lemons were also grown. The following year, the name changed to Albany.

Now the orchards are long gone. Lucas Creek is an unprepossessing stream with malodorous mud along its banks. Kell Reserve runs south along the creek, with numerous branching walkways and bridges across the creek.  North of Dairy Flat Road is Gills Reserve, which I will explore at a later date.

Distance travelled: 45 km. Total distance so far: 27,838 km