1932: Styak-Lushington Park

August 18, 2025

By AHNZ

On 2 August, 1932, an old member of one of our pioneers families died; Sarah Jane Lushington.

As part of Sarah’s last will the estate of Greenmount would be given to the community for a public park to be called Styak-Lushington Park. Its most prominent scenic feature was the volcanic dome named Green Hill. The 100 acre park would pay for itself because it had been developed into substantial grazing.

Anarchists can already see the red flag here. Giving something to ‘the community’ is a beautiful thought but almost always ends up as ‘losing something to The State’.

The Government took the estate and made it into a dump. They quarried the little volcano down to nothing. They never created a park and the place is off-limits because fumes from the buried trash are not expected to settle until the mid-2040s.
Thanks again, The State.

“Under the will of the late Mrs. Sarah Jane Lushington, of Rangitoto Avenue, Remuera, who died on August 2, provision is made, after the satisfying of certain life interests, for the setting apart of a public park and recreation reserve of 100 acres from her Greenmount estate at East Tamaki. Mrs. Lushington, who died in her 87th year, had resided in the Auckland province since 1848, and the Greenmount estate was purchased by her father, the late Mr. Styak. Mrs. Lushington has left this 100-acre park to be administered ultimately by the Manukau County Council and her expressed wish is to have it laid out in playing areas and camping grounds for the benefit of the public.” PUBLIC PARK AT TAMAKI PROVISION FOR THE FUTURE GIFT TO JUBILEE INSTITUTE, New Zealand Herald (1932,) Papers Past

“The property passed to the local council and all revenues from leases from grazing or scoria deposits were to be used for the park…Lushington’s gift became first a quarry then a landfill for the city’s rubbish, which burps methane gas to this day. East Tamaki resident Doug Morton is wondering when – after 80 years of procrastination and exploitation – Mrs Lushington’s wishes will be honoured by civic leaders.” – Landowner’s gift languishing as landfill 80 years after bequest, NZ Herald (2012)

1932: gifted for public park.
1964: leased as a quarry.
1979: becomes regional landfill.
2005: rubbish dump closed.
2015: proposed landfill “cap”completion.
2040: possible developed park.
– ibid

“When plans for it to become a park seemed to waver, the family worried for its future. “A number of us had made it a point of getting in touch with the council and just reminding them how much we’re looking forward to having it,” Hawley says. “We were getting frustrated and very worried if it would ever happen in our lifetime, if it happened at all. “It looks like something is going to happen and we’re greatly relieved and delighted.” – Dump reverts to public park after decades, Stuff (2016)

“Far too many requests to the community are appropriated by the state and/or councils with no regard to the wishes of the benefactor and the benefit of the community. There is no justification for these abuses of others rights.” – Ted Sapien to AHNZ (2025)

“The proposed Styak-Lushington Park is on the site of a 60m-high volcanic cone, which was quarried from the 1870s. The land was gifted to the city of Auckland in 1932 by Sarah Jane Lushington, to be used as a public park. The site was instead used as a landfill until 2005. Following significant clean-fill and land remediation, the park site now has a 70m-high flat-topped hill resembling its origins as a volcanic cone, with panoramic views over the city and to Rangitoto from the highest point.” – East Tamaki site on doorstep of future park, NZ Herald (2019)

Styak-Lushington Park is still a long way off, if it ever happens. This is what comes of giving the things you love and treasure to The State to look after.

If government history had a way to spin this betrayal they would. As they don’t, it isn’t part of mainstream history at all but left to Anarchist History to observe and record.

An absolute betrayal and disgrace. Sarah could have made billions for her future family but instead thought of New Zealanders and of helping the blind. The time has long since passed when government, now the Auckland Supercity, should have apologised and returned the land. And, compensated the family for despoiling it and grinding up the volcano. Less pretense than this has been used for activists to occupy and demand the return of land before. If the Lushington family tree were of a different ethnicity they might have pursued this path. Instead, they patiently wait for The State to change its spots.

—
Image ref. Sarah Jane Lushington, Christmas 1920-1921, Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. AHNZ enhanced (2025)

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