Campbells Bay

The first European owner of large tract of land on the North Shore was John Logan Campbell ("The Father of Auckland"). In 1850 the Mackay brothers bought a large block from Mr Campbell and begin to establish a farm. They bred cattle to provide meat for the growing population of Auckland city. 
 
In 1882 the Irish Johnston family  purchased the land (then called Donalds Bay) - they improved and expanded the farm and began to sell farm produce to the hungry hordes of local gum-diggers and as well as residents and businesses in a growing Takapuna. Now named Johnstons Bay the beach soon became a favourite picnic place for daytrippers from Takapuna and Albany. 
 
In 1887/8 a  Mr Cave purchased the farm which he operated until 1894/5 when he sold the property to Duncan Campbell of Campbell's shoe store in Auckland. At this point the the bay finally became known as Campbells Bay. 1902 the original Mackay family bought the farm back at auction which they worked until 1912 when  developers purchased the area, built roads and subdivided the bay into residential sections. By this time Beach Road provided access from busy Milford where the steam tramway from Bayswater terminated. Campbells Bay thus became increasingly popular and scores of batches were built up until 1914 when the events of the Great War over-took the business of property development.



Below - Campbells Bay in 1984 WA-77485:

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