Avondale College’s site and original buildings were initially designed by New Zealanders and built by the Government during the Second World War as a hospital for American armed forces with a look to it becoming a school once the war was over. The military hospital site also included the adjacent Eastdale Park and fields.
The American forces moved out in May 1944, a year before the War in Europe ended and the site was transformed into classrooms and sports fields for both Avondale College and Intermediate with both schools opening in February 1945.
Avondale College remains one of Auckland’s largest secondary schools with just over 2800 students.

Photo credits
Then: Auckland War Memorial Museum Collection PH-NEG-C275 by A N Breckon
Now: Avondale College

Prior to moving into the purpose-built site in 1938, the Post Office operated out of general stores (from 1863), the railway station (until 1912) and in the former Avondale Hotel (1912-1938).
The Post office moving into this site changed the centre of Avondale to the intersection of Rosebank and Great North Roads, from the Five-Roads intersection at the roundabout further down Great North Rd.

Photo credits
Then: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 302B-042
Now: Katy Galo

This site has had an unfortunate run of fires. 
In 1884 a two-storey stables was built for Northern Omnibus Company and was used for horse-drawn buses and coaches travelling between Avondale and Henderson. In 1897, the original stables burned down.
In the early 1900s, stables were rebuilt and later included a motor garage before the buildings burned down again in 1924.Once again the site was rebuilt, this time as a depot for the Transport Bus Services company. In the 1950s the buildings were converted into shops before fire struck again in 2009.
It is now home to commercial premises.

Photo credits
Then: Keen family collection, donated to Avondale-Waterview Historical Society
Now: Katy Galo

Now a lodge accommodation, this site was home to Avondale Police Station from 1906 to 1996. Designed by Charles Ranken Vickerman, the district engineer, the site used to have a stable and lock up at the back, alongside horse paddocks that were used by both the Police Station and Page’s Store next door.

Photo credits
Then: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 302B-026
Now: Dom Matapo

Designed by John Currie, and completed in 1903, this was home to the Avondale branch of A.W.Page grocery and supply business based in Kingsland.
It was the beginning of the modern shopping centre and was the first purpose-built retail block in Avondale.

Photo credits
Then: Lisa Truttman
Now: Dom Matapo

Designed by local resident Mr Holloway and built by another local William Forsyth in 1867, the Public Hall was actually built next door where the Hollywood currently stands.
It was the second location for the district school until 1882 and held many parties and town meetings.
In 1868 it was home to the first district library before closing in 1880s. It reopened again 1931 as the Avondale Public Library, a branch of Auckland City Libraries and was there until 1973.
It has also been used as a Citizens Advice Bureau, and traffic department office.

Photo credits
Then: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 302B-045
Now: Dom Matapo

Before it was the beautiful grand building we know it as today, this site had the Public Hall (now next door) there from 1867 and in 1915 when the site was transferred from the Public Hall Trustees to the Avondale Road Board, it was decided to keep the old wooden hall but build an ornate brick front complete with wide stairs to the entrance, columns and a dome on the roof.
When Avondale became a borough in 1922, the Borough Council thought Avondale deserved a better Town Hall, not just an impressive frontage with a wooden building behind it so in 1924 the public hall was moved next door and the building as we know it was built and opened in October of that year.

Photo credits
Then: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 302B-006
Now: Dom Matapo

St Ninian’s Church was built in 1859 and is Avondale’s oldest surviving building. It was also home to Avondale’s first school and an early gathering place for community meetings and events before the Public hall opened across the road in 1867. The church closed in 1984 and was sold along with the cemetery to the Auckland City Council in 1988.

Photo credits
Then: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 302B-014
Now: Dom Matapo

The Unity building was completed in 1932, the same year that trams came to Avondale. Owned by William John Tait, it is the only major building in Avondale named as a result of a school competition.

Photo credits
Then: Avondale-Waterview Historical Society collection
Now: Katy Galo

Bluck building (foreground) was built in 1915 by Frederick Bluck and his son.
Across the road is Station Store (background) designed by architect Hugh Grierson and built in 1912 with the second storey added in 1913. At the back of the store was stables and a “high door, with a lifting beam for unloading items delivered by horse and cart.

Photo credits
Then: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 302B-041
Now: Dom Matapo

In 1904, this site was home to Avondale Methodist Church.
By 1972, both the local Methodist and Presbyterian churches numbers had declined so much that the Avondale and Waterview Methodist Churches, along with Avondale’s Presbyterians, who were based out of St Ninian’s and Victoria Hall on the corners of Orchard St and Rosebank Rd at the time, formed the Avondale Union Parish. 
In 1984, the structure was demolished and a new church built, with the adjacent hall eventually named Nafanua Community Hall in honour of the large population of Samoan Presbyterians in the parish.
The Church and Hall reopened in early 2026 after 5 years of renovations.

Photo credits
Then: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 302B-039
Now: Katy Galo

In 1928, this site looked nothing like it does now and was home to the Salvation Army.
In 1976 the building was sold and it spent some time as a paint and wallpaper store, a video store (who remembers Blue Knight?) and is now a laundromat.

Photo credits
Then: Damian DeJong
Now: Katy Galo