History
Ngaio’s original name was Crofton after the house built there in the 1860s by Sir William Fox who was Premier for several weeks shortly after entering Parliament. Fox was Premier four times between 1856 and 1873 – a record that remains unbeaten. Officially part of ‘greater Ngaio’, Crofton Downs has grown dramatically as Wellington has spread into the farmlands of the western hills. Churchill Drive was opened in 1955, replacing the rural road which used to serve the area’s dairy farms.
Chartwell is South East facing and houses a major substation for the electrical power grid and its accompanying power pylons, making it less desirable as a suburb to live in and keeping prices more affordable. It’s an area favoured by young couples starting on the housing ladder, due to the accessibility of house prices and the number of new subdivisions.
The northern and southern branches of the Kaiwharawhara Stream join to flow down the Ngaio Gorge into the harbour. Crofton Downs lies above the stream’s forks. Settled from the 1960s, it is now the site of the (private) Bowen Hospital, which used to be in Bowen Street.
The Churchill Drive Shopping Mall opened in the mid 1970′s to provide locals with amenities without having to travel either to Karori or Johnsonville it has Woolworths as its anchor store and a variety of small businesses and professional services. Visit the link below for opening hours and contact details.
Link to Businesses and Facilities in Crofton Downs