According to Professor Searle in his 1964 book "City of Volcanoes. A Geology of Auckland" the volcanic cone complex at Three Kings (which encompasses Winstone Aggregates land and adjoining properties) has been subjected to quarrying from about the time the Winstone brothers started horse and cart deliveries of coal from the Queen Street wharf, in the mid 1800's.

Historical records show that Governor Fitzroy granted the land to Messrs Hallimore and Polack in 1845. Winstone Ltd purchased the site in 1922 from a William Connelly who had acquired the fee simple in May 1884.

In the north-eastern corner of the 15 hectare site are buildings and industrial yards originally established in the 1950s when Winstone's developed New Zealand's first concrete masonry ('Vibrapac') manufacturing plant. Its products were made largely from the scoria available on the site taking advantage of the scoria's relatively light weight. A builders' supply yard then operated from these premises until 1997 but today these buildings are used either by the quarry or are tenanted by various lessees.

Quarry activity to the north of the Winstone Aggregates site ceased about 25 years ago, and has subsequently been filled and rehabilitated. A mix of light industrial and residential activities now exists.

To the south and southwest there is previously quarried reserve land. Last quarried under the direction of the Mt Roskill Borough Council, it ceased in the mid 1970s and in the amalgamation of local bodies in the late 1980s came under the jurisdiction of Auckland City Council.

Geological Outline