Henderson's Mill and the Ongoing Impact

Henderson's Mill was a kauri mill located in current day Henderson. Founded by Thomas Henderson in 1849 to fell Kauri in Henderson Valley and the eastern flanks of the Waitakere Ranges. By 1864 it had felled most of the accessible trees on its land resulting in its closure In 1868. In the 15 years of operation almost every Kauri from the area was gone!

During the years that the timber mill was operational it caused extensive damage to the land of those who lived downstream of the dams, causing downstream landowners to petition for help from the government. This resulted in legislation that provided compensation to those who were negatively affected by upstream activity. This legislation was the precursor to much of the environmental legislation that we have today including the Resource Management Act.

The felling of the Kauri trees had a significant and lasting impact on West Auckland and over 150 years later and we are still feeling the loss of these towering trees which once stood over the forests and provided habitat and food to our birds and bats. Our forests have been drastically changed by the loss of these giants many of whom were over a thousand years old.

Another impact of the Kauri logging operation in West Auckland was that it sent huge amounts of sedimentation down the streams, into the rivers smothering the active shell banks that were once thriving habitats for shellfish. From there, the brown stream of sediment spread out into the Waitematā Harbour. We still live with the effects of this silting today.

You can read more about Henderson's Mill and Kauri logging on our website (link below)

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