Birkenhead is a suburb of Auckland on the North Shore, 4 km northwest of the central city across the Waitematā Harbour. It borders Northcote, Glenfield, Beach Haven and Chatswood.

How was Birkenhead named?

Real estate agent Samuel Cochrane named the area in 1863 after his English hometown of Birkenhead, near Liverpool. The name stuck even as the suburb developed in waves: ferry village, sugar town, then Harbour Bridge commuter suburb after 1959.

Is the Chelsea Sugar Refinery still operating?

Yes. Chelsea Sugar Refinery on Beach Haven Road has been operating since 1884 and is still New Zealand's only sugar refinery. It runs factory tours (booking essential) and has a café on the harbour waterfront with public access to the surrounding parkland.

How do I get from Auckland CBD to Birkenhead?

The Fullers ferry from Pier 1 at the downtown ferry terminal takes about 15 minutes, via Bayswater and Northcote Point. By car, take the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Onewa Road off-ramp; allow 10 to 25 minutes depending on traffic.

What is Le Roys Bush?

Le Roys Bush is a native bush reserve in central Birkenhead, the largest stand of native forest on the North Shore after Titirangi. It includes walking tracks down to Little Shoal Bay through kauri, nikau and totara, with multiple access points off Onewa Road.

Which schools are in zone for Birkenhead?

Children living in Birkenhead are in zone for Birkenhead School, Northcote Intermediate, Northcote College. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Birkenhead?

Use the School Zone Checker on this page — enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Birkenhead, Auckland | Schools, Lifestyle & Local Guide

Living in Birkenhead

Birkenhead sits on the North Shore, 4 km northwest of central Auckland across the Waitematā Harbour. Named in 1863 by real estate agent Samuel Cochrane after his hometown near Liverpool. Pre-Harbour Bridge (built 1959), it was a ferry suburb, marketed in 1913 as "Auckland's most healthful marine suburb". Some of the original villas still hold up.

The Chelsea Sugar Refinery opened in 1884 and turned Birkenhead from rural to suburban almost overnight. Workers and families settled around the factory village, which was named Chelsea after the customs officer's English hometown. The refinery is still working, still the country's only sugar refinery, and runs factory tours and a waterfront café.

Highbury is the central shopping area, around the corner of Mokoia Road and Birkenhead Avenue: Highbury Shopping Centre with a Countdown, plus a strip of cafés, bakeries and the Birkenhead Library. The Sunday night food market has become a Highbury fixture.

Le Roys Bush is the local secret: a sizeable native bush reserve right behind the village, the largest stand of bush on the Shore after Titirangi. The Birkenhead ferry from Pier 1 takes 15 minutes to the city, which is sometimes faster than the bridge.

Is Birkenhead a good place to live?

Birkenhead is home to roughly 10,344 people. On Suburb's overall livability scale, Birkenhead scores 70 out of 100, with a safety score of 65/100 and 40% green space.

Schools: Birkenhead has 48 schools in or near the suburb, spanning early-childhood through to secondary education. See the Schools tab below for the full list.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $1.32M, and weekly rent typically sits around $550.

Lifestyle: Birkenhead has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. Public transport stops are within easy reach. The current temperature is 10.8°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Birkenhead is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety65
Amenities100
Schools75
Housing Affordability28
Green space100
Community100
Transport10

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $1.32M
Median Weekly Rent: $550/wk
Median HH Income: $141K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): +1.3%
Data Year: 2023

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.

Nearby Suburbs

Browse all suburbs in Auckland →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Birkenhead?: Birkenhead is a suburb of Auckland on the North Shore, 4 km northwest of the central city across the Waitematā Harbour. It borders Northcote, Glenfield, Beach Haven and Chatswood.
How was Birkenhead named?: Real estate agent Samuel Cochrane named the area in 1863 after his English hometown of Birkenhead, near Liverpool. The name stuck even as the suburb developed in waves: ferry village, sugar town, then Harbour Bridge commuter suburb after 1959.
Is the Chelsea Sugar Refinery still operating?: Yes. Chelsea Sugar Refinery on Beach Haven Road has been operating since 1884 and is still New Zealand's only sugar refinery. It runs factory tours (booking essential) and has a café on the harbour waterfront with public access to the surrounding parkland.
How do I get from Auckland CBD to Birkenhead?: The Fullers ferry from Pier 1 at the downtown ferry terminal takes about 15 minutes, via Bayswater and Northcote Point. By car, take the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Onewa Road off-ramp; allow 10 to 25 minutes depending on traffic.
What is Le Roys Bush?: Le Roys Bush is a native bush reserve in central Birkenhead, the largest stand of native forest on the North Shore after Titirangi. It includes walking tracks down to Little Shoal Bay through kauri, nikau and totara, with multiple access points off Onewa Road.

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Birkenhead

Schools in zone for Birkenhead

Children living in Birkenhead have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.

Birkenhead School
Contributing · roll 446 · decile 9
Northcote Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 663 · decile 6
Northcote College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1618

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Enter your address to check your school zone in Birkenhead. School enrolment zones (home zones) decide which schools your child has a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Address matching is approximate and based on OpenStreetMap geocoding — confirm an exact result near a zone boundary directly with the school.

Other nearby schools

Schools close to Birkenhead that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).

Northcote School (Auckland)
Contributing · roll 403 · decile 9 · 1.4 km away
St Mary's School (Northcote)
Contributing · roll 314 · 1.4 km away
Chelsea School
Contributing · roll 377 · decile 10 · 2.0 km away
Verran Primary School
Contributing · roll 208 · decile 8 · 2.2 km away
Willow Park School
Contributing · roll 614 · decile 4 · 2.3 km away
Onepoto School
Contributing · roll 153 · decile 1 · 2.7 km away
Ponsonby Primary School
Contributing · roll 298 · decile 10 · 2.8 km away
Birkdale Primary School
Contributing · roll 190 · decile 5 · 3.1 km away
Kauri Park School
Contributing · roll 352 · decile 7 · 3.1 km away
Birkenhead College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 489 · decile 6 · 3.3 km away
Bayfield School
Contributing · roll 352 · decile 10 · 3.3 km away
Sunnybrae Normal School
Contributing · roll 363 · decile 7 · 3.4 km away
Auckland Secondary Schools' Centre
Activity Centre · decile 10 · 3.4 km away
St Mary's College (Ponsonby)
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1000 · decile 8 · 3.5 km away
Birkdale Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 229 · decile 6 · 3.5 km away
Marlborough School
Contributing · roll 400 · decile 7 · 3.5 km away
Ponsonby Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 589 · decile 8 · 3.5 km away
Windy Ridge School
Contributing · roll 196 · decile 7 · 3.5 km away
Marist Catholic School (Herne Bay)
Contributing · roll 116 · decile 7 · 3.8 km away
Rosmini College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1209 · decile 9 · 3.9 km away
Birkdale North School
Contributing · roll 142 · decile 5 · 3.9 km away
Aotearoa Infinite Academy
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 4.0 km away
St Paul's College (Ponsonby)
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 392 · 4.1 km away
Summit Point School
Full Primary · roll 36 · decile 9 · 4.1 km away
St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)
Contributing · roll 414 · decile 9 · 4.1 km away
Takapuna Normal Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 714 · decile 10 · 4.1 km away
Glenfield Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 443 · decile 6 · 4.2 km away
Glenfield Primary School
Contributing · roll 295 · decile 7 · 4.2 km away
Hauraki School
Contributing · roll 496 · decile 10 · 4.2 km away
Freemans Bay School
Contributing · roll 590 · decile 6 · 4.3 km away
Glenfield College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 762 · decile 6 · 4.4 km away
Westlake Girls' High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 2295 · decile 9 · 4.4 km away
Beach Haven School
Contributing · roll 416 · decile 4 · 4.4 km away
Richmond Road School
Contributing · roll 276 · decile 7 · 4.4 km away
Wairau Valley Special School
Specialist School · roll 293 · decile 8 · 4.4 km away
Westmere School (Auckland)
Contributing · roll 355 · decile 10 · 4.7 km away
Westlake Boys High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 2800 · decile 9 · 4.8 km away
Auckland Girls' Grammar School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1197 · decile 4 · 4.8 km away
Takapuna School
Contributing · roll 357 · decile 10 · 4.8 km away
Carmel College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1107 · decile 9 · 4.9 km away
Future School
Composite · roll 70 · decile 7 · 4.9 km away
Manuka Primary School
Contributing · roll 232 · decile 6 · 4.9 km away
Stanley Bay School
Contributing · roll 166 · decile 9 · 5.0 km away
UP International College New Zealand
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 348 · 5.0 km away
City 0-10
Composite · 5.0 km away

Explore Birkenhead

Things to do(40)

Club Physical

Fitness Now

JustWorkout

BodyFitTraining

City Fitness Brikenhead

Reform

Koryo taekwondo Auckland

Birkenhead Pool and Leisure Centre

Icarus Pole Fitness

Urban Sport Gym

Livdance

F45 Training Birkenhead

Black Knights Jiu Jitsu

CityFitness

Alkor Dance

Etk Kids

D128

Krav Maga Global - North Shore Auckland

Birkenhead City Cricket Club

MakeMeFit

Calliope Junior Athletics Club

Kyokushin Karate - North Harbour

CrossFit Birkenhead

Birkenhead Bowling Club

Shuriken Mixed

Shore Dance

Jetts Remuera

Chelsea Estate Heritage Park

Birkenhead Pump Track

Birkenhead Tennis Club

Northcote Birkenhead Rugby Union

babyballet Albany & Wairau Valley

Northcote Tigers Rugby League Club

JustWorkout Birkenhead

Abbraccia School of Belly Dance

A.K Boxing

Fitness Now Birkenhead

Birkenhead War Memorial Park

Curves

Wai Manawa

Parks & green spaces(4)

Chelsea Estate Heritage Park

Birkenhead Pump Track

Birkenhead War Memorial Park

Wai Manawa

Healthcare(5)

Birkenhead Health Plus

Life Pharmacy

Chemist Warehouse

VECA Medical Health Centre Onewa

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	22.75	16.8	6.53	10.12
☀️ Feb	22.91	15.59	5.73	10.39
🍂 Mar	20.84	13.37	2.22	10.13
🍂 Apr	19.54	13.63	3.45	8.49
🍂 May	16.85	10.93	4.53	7.69
❄️ Jun	15.39	9.76	3.52	7.31
❄️ Jul	14.43	8.29	3.81	7.25
❄️ Aug	14.56	6.91	2.5	8.22
🌸 Sep	16.18	9.87	3.35	9.38
🌸 Oct	17.49	10.85	4.05	10.25
🌸 Nov	19.45	12.04	3.35	11.03
☀️ Dec	22.33	14.96	4.01	11.35

Living in Birkenhead

Is Birkenhead a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Birkenhead

Schools in zone for Birkenhead

Birkenhead School

Northcote Intermediate

Northcote College

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

Northcote School (Auckland)

St Mary's School (Northcote)

Chelsea School

Verran Primary School

Willow Park School

Onepoto School

Ponsonby Primary School

Birkdale Primary School

Kauri Park School

Birkenhead College

Bayfield School

Sunnybrae Normal School

Auckland Secondary Schools' Centre

St Mary's College (Ponsonby)

Birkdale Intermediate

Marlborough School

Ponsonby Intermediate

Windy Ridge School

Marist Catholic School (Herne Bay)

Rosmini College

Birkdale North School

Aotearoa Infinite Academy

St Paul's College (Ponsonby)

Summit Point School

St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)

Takapuna Normal Intermediate

Glenfield Intermediate

Glenfield Primary School

Hauraki School

Freemans Bay School

Glenfield College

Westlake Girls' High School

Beach Haven School

Richmond Road School

Wairau Valley Special School

Westmere School (Auckland)

Westlake Boys High School

Auckland Girls' Grammar School

Takapuna School

Carmel College

Future School

Manuka Primary School

Stanley Bay School

UP International College New Zealand

City 0-10