Khyber Pass began life as a dirt track, during the early settlement of Auckland in the 1840s.

[7] The road was the southern border of the township of Auckland in 1852, so that an ordinance stopping loose cattle could be applied to a larger area.

[12][13] The area became a centre for brewers in the mid-19th century, due to the presence of a natural spring.

Originally brewing beer just for the tavern, by 1862 the brewery had become a commercial venture for Hancock.

[14] In 1872, the Auckland City Council purchased land on Khyber Pass, where water reservoirs and pumping stations were established.