Great South Road, New Zealand

Many sections of Great South Road were constructed on ara hīkoi; traditional walking paths used by Tāmaki Māori.{{cite report|url=https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2022/09/PLA_20220901_AGN_10161_AT_files/PLA_20220901_AGN_10161_AT_Attachment_89974_1.PDF |title=Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Area Plan Update |date=September 2022 |access-date=1 May 2023 |publisher=Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board, Auckland Council}} The first sections of Great South Road were constructed in 1843. In 1851, the Tāmaki Bridge was constructed between Ōtāhuhu and Papatoetoe, opening up the south for greater development. By 1855, the road had reached as far south as Drury, from which a track led towards the Waikato River.{{cite web|url=https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/arts-culture-heritage/heritage-walks-places/Documents/papatoetoe-heritage-trail.pdf |title=Papatoetoe Heritage Trail |date=2013 |publisher=Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board |access-date=31 March 2023}} In 1861, Governor George Grey ordered the construction of the Great South Road further into the Waikato, to improve supply lines through swampy and thickly forested country, prior to the Invasion of the Waikato.{{cite web|last1=O'Malley|first1=Vincent|author-link1=Vincent O'Malley|title=‘The great war for NZ broke out less than 50 km from Queen St’: Vincent O’Malley on the Waikato War and the making of Auckland|url=http://thespinoff.co.nz/society/06-12-2016/the-great-war-for-nz-broke-out-less-than-50-km-from-queen-st-vincent-omalley-on-the-waikato-war-and-the-making-of-auckland/|website=The Spinoff |date=6 December 2016 |access-date=30 March 2023}} The road was constructed by British Army troops, including Dominic Jacotin Gamble, and provided a flow of supplies for the Waikato campaign.[http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/R/Roads/Development/en Roads – Development] (from Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 1966 Edition. Accessed 19 July 2008.) Queen's Redoubt at Pōkeno was a major base of operations for soldiers working on constructing the road.{{Cite Q|Q58623334}} Approximately 12,000 soldiers were involved in the construction over two years.

Redoubts were constructed along the road for protection. St John's Redoubt was constructed in 1863 but never saw any engagement and the redoubt was abandoned shortly after in 1864.{{cite report|url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/documents/conservation/historic/by-region/auckland/st-johns-redoubt/st-johns-redoubt-heritage-assessment-high-resolution.pdf |title=St Johns Redoubt 1863 Heritage Assessment | last=Dodd |first=Andy |date=25 May 2006 |publisher=Department of Conservation |access-date=14 October 2024}}

Toll booths were set up along the road in 1866 at Newmarket, Ōtāhuhu and Drury in order to pay for upkeep costs of the Great South Road.{{cite Q|Q117421984|page=25}} Travellers along the Great South Road complained about the excessive cost of these tolls, which were abolished in 1875. After the wars, more peaceful uses predominated, and the road became the main social and commercial link to the growing agricultural areas south of Auckland.{{cite news|title=Newmarket Viaduct – Landscape & Urban Design Framework|newspaper=Transit New Zealand|date=7 November 2008|page=Section 5.3}}

Much of the road between Newmarket and Drury was laid in concrete in the 1920s, up to one foot thick. The road was later covered with asphalt.{{cite Q|Q117327773|page=6}} Originally, the road was marked by milestones, but these are now all believed lost, although there is a ‘22 mile’ milestone marker outside Drury School, in Drury. The Auckland Southern Motorway has largely superseded Great South Road as a through route, but many parts of the road are still in use, particularly the urban sections.

The road begins in the central Auckland suburb of Epsom, then passes through the suburbs of Greenlane, Penrose, Ōtāhuhu, Papatoetoe, Manukau, Manurewa and Papakura. Leaving the urban sprawl, it heads south through Drury before terminating at Mill Road in Bombay and merging with the Waikato Expressway. Historically it continued, over the Bombay Hills, and followed the east bank of the Waikato River until crossing it at Ngāruawāhia. A section of State Highway 3 through Ōhaupō retains the road's southernmost extension.

Along the 42 km of road, there are many instances of duplicate addresses. The address numbering restarts six times, being differentiated in Google Maps by suburb. For example there are five "1 Great South Road" addresses.{{cite web |last1=Sommerville |first1=Troels |title=The Auckland road that's longer than a marathon and has five number ones |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/301028248/the-auckland-road-thats-longer-than-a-marathon-and-has-five-number-ones |website=Stuff |publisher=Stuff |access-date=31 January 2024 |ref=8}}

• New Zealand state highway network

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.nzgeographic.co.nz/articles.php?ID=124 NZ Geographic article]
• [http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/default.asp?Find_Quick.asp?PersonEssay=1G1 Dominic Gamble] Soldier involved in road construction
• [http://www.manukau-libraries.govt.nz/whatwehave/Journey/1920to1929/p1920to1929sources.htm Manukau timeline] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040922044039/http://www.manukau-libraries.govt.nz/whatwehave/Journey/1920to1929/p1920to1929sources.htm |date=22 September 2004 }}

{{coord|-36.88016|174.78288|type:landmark_source:enwiki|display=title}}

{{Streets in Auckland}}

Category:Streets in Auckland

Category:Transport in the Auckland Region

Category:Transport in Waikato

Category:Roads in New Zealand