Мильфорд: Тарих, геология және мәдени мұрасы

The North Shore is primarily uplifted Waitemata Group sandstone, that was deposited on the sea floor during the Early Miocene, between 22 and 16 million years ago. Milford is home to Lake Pupuke, a volcanic maar which is one of the oldest known features of the Auckland volcanic field, erupting an estimated 193,200 years ago. During the eruption of Lake Pupuke, two lava flows travelled eastwards through the area, burning vegetation and encasing the lower 1–2 metres of the tree trunks in lava. The lava solidified into basalt rock, creating the Takapuna Fossil Forest, which was exposed an estimated 7,000 years ago due to coastal erosion. Prior to human settlement, pōhutukawa trees dominated the coastal margins of the North Shore. A rock formation called Black Rock is found at the eastern end of Milford Beach. Milford is surrounded by the suburbs of Takapuna, Wairau Valley, Forrest Hill and Castor Bay. The Wairau Creek flows through the North Shore, and enters the Rangitoto Channel of the Hauraki Gulf at Milford. The highest point in the suburb is above sea level, at the northwestern end of Belmont Terrace. The Devonport Takapuna area was one of the earliest settled in the region, known to be settled by the Tāmaki Māori ancestor Peretū. Toi te huatahi and his followers settled and interwed with these early peoples. The pā to the north of Milford at Castor Bay, Te Rahopara o Peretū, takes its name from Peretū. Milford Beach was traditionally known by the name Onemaewao ("The Beach of Maewao"), referring to supernatural beings who in traditional stories lived on the North Shore, Motutapu and Motuihe. Traditional stories tell of a party of Maewao, foraging for shellfish at the beach, perishing when the sun rose. After Maki's death, his sons settled different areas of his lands, creating new hapū. His younger son Maraeariki settled the North Shore and Hibiscus Coast, who based himself at the head of the Ōrewa River. Maraeariki's daughter Kahu succeeded him, and she is the namesake of the North Shore, Te Whenua Roa o Kahu ("The Greater Lands of Kahu"). Many of the iwi of the North Shore, including Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāti Maraeariki, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Poataniwha, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and Ngāti Whātua, can trace their lineage to Kahu. In the 17th century, Ngāti Pāoa attacked the settlements around the Waitematā Harbour, later intermarrying with the Te Kawerau ā Maki and Ngāi Tai people of the southern North Shore. During intertribal war with Ngāpuhi, the pā at Maungauika / North Head was sieged in 1793, leading Ngāti Pāoa to refocus their settlements on Waiheke Island until the 1830s. During the early 1820s, most Māori of the North Shore fled for the Waikato or Northland due to the threat of war parties during the Musket Wars.

The Milford area was purchased by the Crown on 13 April 1841 as a part of the Mahurangi Block. The first European farmers arrived in the area in 1847. Early European settlers were predominantly from England, Scotland and Ireland, and they established farms around the lake. Crops such as wheat, maize, barley, potatoes and kūmara were grown at these farms, and homesteads planted single acre orchards dominated by plums, apples and peaches. The Milford area was original known as Campbell's Bush, after John Logan Campbell, who had purchased vast tracts of the North Shore, including the location of modern Kitchener Road in Milford. By the late 1880s, Takapuna and Lake Pupuke had developed into a destination for tourists, with Lake Pupuke being the main attraction. The increase in tourists encouraged farmers to subdivide their lands. The Lake Hotel was constructed, and large summer residences were constructed on the shores of the lake. The Takapuna and Milford Beach areas, as well as the land surrounding Lake Pupuke soon became popular spots for wealthy businessmen building summer homes to entertain in a rural surrounding, and eventually, many moved here permanently, commuting to work in Auckland via ferry.

In 1910, a private tramway was established, which conveyed passengers from Milford to the ferry at Bayswater. The plan was a success, leading to rapid suburban development in Takapuna. and covers It consists of 757 carparks and 65 retailers, including The Warehouse and a Countdown supermarket. In December 2015, the Wairau Stream Pedestrian Bridge was opened.

The first local government in the area was the Lake Highway District, also known as the Takapuna Highway District, which began operating 1867. In June 1889 the road board was dissolved, in favour of Takapuna being under the direct control of the Waitemata County Council. North Shore City was amalgamated into Auckland Council in November 2010. Within the Auckland Council, Milford is a part of the Devonport Takapuna local government area governed by the Devonport Takapuna Local Board. It is a part of the North Shore ward, which elects two councillors to the Auckland Council. For national politics, Milford is part of the electorate, which is currently represented by National member of parliament Simon Watts.