Waiuku
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Waiuku is a small country town in the Franklin district, in the North Island of New Zealand.
The town is located at the southern end of the Waiuku River which is in fact an estuarial arm of the Manukau Harbour. It is 40 kilometres southeast of Auckland city centre, and 12 kilometres north of the mouth of the Waikato River.
The town serves to support local farming, and is the residence of many employees of New Zealand Steel at Glenbrook, which is four kilometres to the northeast.
The Maori word wai-uku means “water mud”, or muddy waters. Waiuku has quite a few historical treasures (http://www.historic.org.nz/magazinefeatures/2001august/2001_08b_single.htm). The local pub, The Kentish Hotel is reputed to be New Zealand's longest continuously licenced hotel.
Waiuku is the hometown of Stumpy Holmes (http://www.stumpyholmes.co.nz/), a national rally car driver.