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Hillary Square has long been at the heart of Ōrewa, a place where beachgoers and locals shopped, strolled and gathered. Its history stretches back more than a century, from farmland to seaside holiday homes, to the busy centre it is today.
But it started with humble beginnings. In 1923, the area that would later become Hillary Square began as a simple “windmill paddock” on the McCutcheon family farm. In the 1930s, the family of New Zealand’s most famous explorer, Sir Edmund Hillary, like many others, owned a holiday home in the area near the end of Florence Avenue. According to local legend, the Norfolk pines along Ōrewa’s beachfront were actually planted by Sir Ed’s father Percy.
By the 1950s, Hillary Square had become home to a theatre, the White Heron Dairy, and a growing number of permanent residents. The block of shops, bordering on the New World carpark began life as the White Heron Dairy in 1955, and is now a sushi bar. Over time, the square expanded to include a variety of local businesses: Phil Jenkins Butcher, Gaye’s Fashion House, Ken Eaves Accounting, Jim Hickey’s Cycle Shop, Merv Huxon’s Taxation Business, Boys Wear Shop, and Howzat Sports, among others.
One the Auckland Harbour Bridge opened in 1959, Aucklanders flowed northwards and Ōrewa developed into a popular holiday destination. In March 1971, seeking a unifying identity, local residents proposed a name that would capture the brightness, beaches, and holiday atmosphere of the district. They decided the hibiscus flower was just the thing and the Hibiscus Coast was born!
No square is complete without a statue so in 1983, a monument to Sir Edmund Hillary was erected in the square, the first of its kind in the country. It was later replaced in 1991.
Crafted to represent Sir Ed undertaking his charity work in Nepal, this three metre-high bronze statue was the work of Hangzhou-born sculptor Chen Weiming who emigrated to New Zealand from China in 1988.
As the area grew as both a holiday destination and a place to live, new roads, footpaths, and infrastructure steadily took shape, and Hillary Square now offers great food, coffee and op shops.
