Kaukapakapa, New Zealand

Kaukapakapa is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated in the Rodney district and is around 50 kilometres (31 miles) northwest of Auckland. State Highway 16 passes through the town, connecting it to Helensville about 12 km (7.5 miles) to the south-west, and Araparera about 14 km to the north. The North Auckland Line also passes through Kaukapakapa. The Kaukapakapa River flows from the town to the Kaipara Harbour to the west."Kaukapakapa" is a Māori name meaning "to swim with much splashing". The town is commonly known to the locals in its shortened form "Kaukap".The population of Kaukapakapa and the surrounding district was 2,979 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 711 from 2001.HistoryEuropean settlement of the area began in 1860, when the Government bought land from local Māori. A small number of settlers arrived from England and Scotland, and a Methodist church was built in 1872. A monthly boat service operated between Kaukapakapa and the northern Kaipara from 1863. The population of the area was 311 in 1881. The town developed split between the northern and southern banks of the river. Although roads connected the town to Riverhead, Tauhoa and Helensville by the early 1880s, they were of poor quality, and most access was by the river. The roads were still mostly unmetalled in 1920.