Auckland Literary Trail

The Auckland Literary Trail has been updated and is available for download.The guide from Auckland Libraries and Auckland Council covers a selection of Auckland landmarks that have inspired many great writers and featured in their literary creations.

The Auckland Literary Trail guide

This includes Waiuku in the South, which was the setting for one of Elsie Locke’s well known children’s novels, 'The End of the Harbour'. The novel features locations such as the Kentish Hotel, which is still standing today. Copies of this novel along with reference notes are held in the heritage collections at Auckland Libraries.

Ref: Footprints 04734, Kentish Hotel, 1911, photograph reproduced by courtesy of Waiuku Museum Society, 2621, South Auckland Research Centre

Another example includes the Falls Hotel out West, which Maurice Gee featured in his novel 'The Fat Man'. In this story the main character lived at the hotel. In general, Gee used his childhood home of Henderson to inspire many of his novels.

Ref: JTD-14A-04766, Falls Hotel, c.1910, West Auckland Research Centre

Poet Sam Hunt was born in Castor Bay and used locations such as Milford in his poems. A wide variety of his poetry can be found in the heritage collections at the library.

Ref: T7046, Milford Beach Reserve, c.1960s, North Auckland Research Centre

So what are you waiting for? Grab the guide and get exploring and remember that there are other guides that you can use in your heritage literary adventures around the region.You can also find out about other famous Aucklanders from the West and South through the local history page on the Auckland Libraries website.