LIMEBURNERS BAY HISTORY
Limeburners Legacy
Steeped in history dating back to the mid-1800’s, Hobsonville holds a special place in the city’s past, and an equally important role as the redevelopment of the area takes home owners into the future of sustainable, thoughtfully-designed communities on the shores of the Waitemata Harbour.
The first European settler to the area, Rice Owen Clark embarked on an inspiring journey to develop one of the earliest clay and brickworks operations in the city.
The thriving industry in Limeburners Bay provided bricks, garden ornaments, glazed pottery and major piping production for the city centre. The iconic Crown Lynn and Ceramco ceramics were created at the brickworks, which was inherited by Tom Clark, great-grandson of Rice Owen Clark, cementing the legacy of the area in New Zealand history books.
Much-loved for many years as a notable local landmark before its closure, the brickworks remains close to the heart of the Limeburners Bay residential development, with the historical and archaeological aspects of the land being honoured in many ways, from the naming of roads and precincts, to the creation of a foreshore recreational area for everyone to enjoy this special part of Auckland
Today, as the legacy of brickmaking lives on in the memories of those who remember its heyday, the new development at Limeburners Bay seeks to honor this heritage. Amidst the modern architecture and contemporary amenities, echoes of the past will remain, with nods to the brickworks integrated into the fabric of the community.
