Whau Brickworks

Whau Brickworks The Whau Brickworks is the collective name used by researchers to refer to the 19th Century Pollen Brickworks and Wright Pottery site located on Whau Creek in West Auckland. <googlemap lat="-36.862386" lon="174.658756" zoom="14"> -36.847385, 174.765735, Auckland, New Zealand -36.841163, 174.651783, Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland 0610, New Zealand -36.866918, 174.659872, approximation of site location </googlemap>

History

The brickworks is located on the Whau Peninsula which in prehistoric times was an important resource for the Maori providing them with fish, wildfowl and rich agricultural soil. There are five prehistoric Maori sites plus an additional shell midden known archaeologically on the west side of the peninsula.

Taking advantage of the rich Pleistocene clay, Dr. Daniel Pollen settled himself on the peninsula in the 1850s, building his home at the end of Rosebank Road and his brick and tile works a little further down the road. Eventually the area along the Whau inlet was the home to some 12 brick and tile manufacturers.