• Registered Office 33 Marine Parade, Herne Bay, Auckland
• Membership 14 Esperanto Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland
• General Enquiries 47 Mariri Road, Onehunga, Auckland

The bach communities on Rangitoto Island were established in the 1920's and 30's and consist of private holiday dwellings and boatsheds as well as communal facilities such as paths, swimming pool, community hall and tennis courts. As such they are part of local history involving typical New Zealanders in a unique set of circumstances. The communities form a ribbon of small dwellings in the three distinct precincts nestled in the pohutukawa trees facing the sea.

They were built by working class families in the period after World War 1 and reflect the optimism for the future in the use of scarce resources demonstrating the `kiwi` do-it-yourself, jack-of-all trades and help-your-mate attitudes that prevailed during the hard times of the Depression.

As a result of a prohibition order on further building in 1937, the remnants of the communities reflect this specific time in Auckland's development. Other bach communities which existed around Auckland - Browns Bay, Mission Bay and Piha for example, have been enveloped by the expanding city. As the bach communities are on public land, which cannot be used for development, they remain as artefacts of our local history and are therefore important beyond their historic association with an individual or family.

Since 1957 site leases have been extinguished upon the death of the lessee and the bach either removed or demolished. From the original 120 baches there now remain 37. Increasing interest in the preservation of some baches lead the Department of Conservation to temporarily halt the removal of baches in 1991. Late 1996 DoC notified bach owners whose lease had expired that a decision had been made to preserve three of the baches and that removal of others would proceed.

The leaseholders formed a group to explore the possibility of preserving as many baches as possible and make them available for public use as each lease expired. An approach was made to the Minister of Conservation who agreed to consider a proposal. This has now been done. The Trust has been established and during preliminary discussions with the Auckland Conservancy it has been agreed that no bach will be demolished until a full historic and architectural evaluation survey has been completed. Participants in this evaluation will include DoC, Historic Places Trust, Auckland City Council, the Trust and a heritage planner.

Applications for funds are now being made

1. to continue the oral history research,
2. to complete the architectural survey and
3. ensure that baches presently under DoC care do not deteriorate further while the evaluations are completed.

The Trust historian is interested to hear from anyone who has had association with the bach communities who would like to add their story. Membership is open to all interested.