Impact of Harbour Bridge explored
How the Harbour Bridge transformed the Hibiscus Coast is the focus of Silverdale Pioneer Village for the Auckland Heritage Festival.
The village’s Bridge to the Hibiscus display shows the impact the bridge had on the development of the Hibiscus Coast, Paul Maguiness of the Silverdale and Districts Historical Society said.
Showing the transformation of lifestyle from a typical bach environment to thriving Auckland suburbia, he said.
‘‘People came here for baches and camping, and when the Harbour Bridge was built, it opened up the area and developed it from a holiday resort and recreation area.’’
‘‘It changed it from baches and holiday camps to permanent dwellings.’’
Included in the displays of how people’s lives changed through the decades, is historical footage of the difference the Harbour Bridge made, and nods to memorable moments like school milk and having to get up to change television channels.
As historical interest is often lost on children, the society has also hidden teddy bears throughout its buildings to keep them entertained. Children can hunt through the displays and if they check them all off a list, they earn a prize.
‘‘The idea is to have something for the children to keep them occupied while the parents are enjoying the displays and looking around the buildings,’’ Maguiness said. There will also be Devonshire tea on offer, he said.
Historical society president Murray Sampson said the core of the heritage displayed in the village are the buildings themselves, which all come from parts of the district.
The oldest building is the Wesleyan Chapel, dating back to 1870. There’s also a bushman’s hut, pre-1900s milking shed, school house, Dairy Flat Post office and Upper Waiwera School.
The house of Henry Frith, which used to sit on what is now the Hibiscus Coast Highway, also sits on the site. Frith is credited for naming the area Silverdale.
It used to be known as the Wade, a bastardisation of Weiti, Sampson said. The Wade area had a bad name due to the way its bushmen behaved.
‘‘They decided they wanted to gentrify it a bit, so they changed the name,’’ he said.
The village is open on weekend days from 10am to 3pm at 15 Wainui Rd in Silverdale.