It is located approximately 20 kilometres southeast of the Auckland CBD; to the north of Totara Heights, east of Manukau Central and south of Chapel Downs.

Goodwood Heights is the location of St Johns Redoubt, a military camp established in 1863 during the Invasion of the Waikato.

[9] On 21 July 1863 during the Invasion of the Waikato, St John's Redoubt was constructed in modern-day Goodwood Heights.

[5] Dairy farmers Ransom and Ann Smyth began subdividing the Redoubt Road adjacent parts of their property in 1972.

[12] The name Goodwood Heights was first used as a name for an AGH Developments-constructed subdivision adjacent to Totara Park, which the company began work on shortly after completing work on the Totara Heights subdivision.

[13][14] In 1979, the Smyth family developed an area called Redoubt Park, in the vicinity of Everglade Drive.

[5] Over time, Goodwood Heights was adopted as a name to refer to the wider area.

[5] By 1984, Everglade Drive was extended south towards Totara Heights; the first time a road link was constructed between the two suburbs.

[24][25] Goodwood Heights was originally a part of Manukau City when the suburb was first established in the late 1970s.

The residents of Manurewa elect a local board, and two councillors from the Manurewa-Papakura ward to sit on the Auckland Council.