Waiatarua History

Have you ever wondered as you drive up West Coast Road what is the Burgin Field, situated on the site of the old Girl Guide stronghold, Otimai?

The symbol of guiding on the sign gives a clue. Burgin Field is named after Mona Burgin, one of the shapers of the Girl Guiding movement in New Zealand.

Born on the Isle of Man in 1903, Mona came to New Zealand as a six-year-old. She trained as a teacher, taught at Dilworth School for over 30 years and was headmistress of Hilltop, private girls’ school, when she retired in 1968.

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In the “swinging 60s”, the leafy hills of Waitakere were one of the few places Aucklanders could enjoy a wine or cocktail with a meal. Down in Oratia was the Harres’ Town & Coun- try Roadhouse located in the old Parr homestead, Albion Vale. Up West Coast Road was the Lanes’ Back o’ the Moon. And Rolf Feijen and his partner H Romyen ran one of the first licensed restaurants in Auckland when they converted the old Waiatarua Boarding House (then in flats) into the smart and fashionable Dutch Kiwi Restaurant

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