From Earthy Cradle to Chip Pottle

The Birkdale and Beach Haven peninsula supported Māori with seasonal food from its bush and waters. In the early 20th century, the area became renowned for producing New Zealand's finest strawberries, and Birkdale was home to the first manufacture of wooden strawberry punnets—the cardboard-like chip containers that revolutionized fruit transport.

Author and historian Matt Elliott traces this cultural and agricultural heritage, revealing how innovation and hard work shaped the North Shore's identity a century ago.