[12][13] The North Shore was settled by Tāmaki Māori, including people descended from the Tainui migratory canoe and ancestors of figures such as Taikehu and Peretū.

[15] While the poor soils around the East Coast Bays hindered dense settlement,[8] traditional resources in the area included fish, shellfish and marine birds.

[17][18] The warrior Maki migrated from the Kāwhia Harbour to his ancestral home in the Auckland Region, likely sometime in the 17th century.

His younger son Maraeariki settled the North Shore and Hibiscus Coast, who based himself at the head of the Ōrewa River.

[22][23] By the 18th century, the Marutūāhu iwi Ngāti Paoa had expanded their influence to include the islands of the Hauraki Gulf and the North Shore.

[25] The earliest contact with Europeans began in the late 18th century, which caused many Tāmaki Māori to die of rewharewha, respiratory diseases.

Alexander Mackay bought 60 acres of land from Campbell, to develop into a farm worked by his brother Donald.

[32][33][34] Around this period, one of the largest kauri gum diggers camps on the North Shore was established in the area.

[33] The Johnston family sold their milk to residents in Takapuna and the gum diggers who visited the area.

[32] In 1885, 70 hectares of scrubland was gazetted as a nature reserve called the Takapuna Domain (renamed Centennial Park in 1940), which overtime regenerated into native bush.

[32][38] In 1912, the farm was subdivided, and Campbells Bay became a popular spot for holidayers, due to its relative proximity to the terminus for the Milford to Bayswater tram.

[32][38] In 1914, a portion of the Takapuna Domain became the Pupuke Golf Club,[39] and from 1920 better roading in the area led to the construction of permanent homes.

[8] In 1940 to celebrate 100 years since the establishment of Auckland, Takapuna Domain was renamed Centennial Park, and extensive planting was done to create a native bush.