Poole Crescent connects to both Homedale Road and Hine Road, with a reserve situated behind.
History & naming
Before the street was established, a man named Jim Burrow bought a 65-acre plot in Wainuiomata, which now encompasses Homedale Road, Hine Road, and Poole Crescent. He constructed a house called Pinewood ,where he and his wife Mary (née Pedersen) lived and farmed. Built around 1915, the house is still there today, located at 10 Poole Crescent. The name Pinewood reflects the pine trees on the hills behind, that were planted by the Sinclair family in the 1860s. After the Burrow family vacated the property, Jim and Mary relocated to the Waterworks. There, Jim worked with a Jack Drummond helping with maintenance of the new Morton Dam and Orongorongo Tunnels.
The Twomey family then took over the property. Francis Bernard (Bronc) Twomey (1891–1977), who trained trotting horses, where he utilized what was called, Bottom Field now called Poole Crescent Reserve, for training his horses. The flat, firm land was made so, by the use of sand. Another building near Pinewood, known as Coachibondu Cottage, was located on the property. The name “Coachibondu” translates to “coach in the sand”. The building was used for storing coaches and farm materials and existed from the 1890s to the 1950s.
There were also fishermen cottages in the area, but they have all since disappeared. These cottages were still present when Hine Road, Homedale Road, and Poole Crescent, were constructed in the mid-1940s.
The name Poole Crescent pays homage to Henry James Poole (1855–1947) and his son Herbert John Poole (1899–1989). Both were influential bondholders in the Wainuiomata Development Company, with one also assuming the role of director.
In the late 1950s, the Wainuiomata River from the Poole Crescent Reserve to Richard Prouse Park was diverted away from Pool Crescent and Hine Road property boundaries. In some of the photos below, you can see the original course of the river.
Street trees & garden
The Sinclair family logged the area in the 1860s, after which it was turned into farmland. The surrounding hills were later reforested with Pinus Radiata and other tree species. The street itself is adorned with deciduous trees that provide a beautiful display in both spring and autumn. Homedale Reserve, established in 2019, is located on the corner of Poole Crescent and Homedale Road. It is home to a Community Garden called the Mervyn Dudley Johnson Memorial Garden. Mervyn (1953–2022), an avid gardener, played a significant role in the development of the Community Garden.
Poole Crescent Reserve
Bottom Field located behind Poole Crescent is now part Poole Crescent Reserve, extending along the Wainuiomata River. It is bordered by Main Road on the west, Richard Prouse Park on the east, Wainuiomata River to the north, and properties on Poole Crescent and Hine Road to the south. The reserve is part of a green belt that extends through to Wainuiomata Regional Park and Hine Road Recreation Area, via Richard Prouse Park. It makes for a pleasant riverside walk.
