The area is a part of the Oakley Creek catchment, and in the 19th and early 20th centuries was primarily swampland owned by the Weslayan Mission.

[5] The Oakley Creek, traditionally known as Te Auaunga,[6] was a crayfish, eels and weka for Tāmaki Māori.

Harakeke (New Zealand flax) and raupō, which grew along the banks of the creek, were harvested here to create Māori traditional textiles.

[9] In 1944, the New Zealand Government purchased a large section of land known as the Lower Wesley Block, and developed the area as state housing in the mid to late 1940s.

Because of this, the Mount Roskill Borough Council invested substantial money into anti-flooding measures around the creek.

[22] Wesley was a part of the Mt Roskill Borough between 1947 and 1989, after which it was amalgamated into Auckland City.

On 1 November 2010, the Auckland Council was formed as a unitary authority governing the entire Auckland Region,[23] and Wesley become a part of the Puketāpapa local board area, administered by the Puketāpapa Local Board.

The Puketāpapa local board area forms a part of the Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward, which votes for two members of the Auckland Council.

The Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward is represented by counsellors Christine Fletcher and Julie Fairey.