These days, one of the saddest things you'll see Is the abject lack of activity On a harbour which is the eighth biggest on Earth And at a port which was once a haven and berth To a plethora of ships of all shapes and sizes Operated by a wide range of enterprises Who helped make Onehunga, 'twas once said, "The most successful secondary port in NZ".	Onehunga Port, Auckland. Whites Aviation Ltd :Photographs. Ref: WA-69491-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22512979
www.blockhousebayhistoricalsociety.com	Alas, those days are now long, long ago But the Manukau continues to ebb and flow. With nigh on 400 square kilometres of H2O Always on the move, forever on the go. When the tide goes out, sandbanks are revealed Which make navigating the harbour a potential minefield. If you don't know your way round the Wairopa Channel, You can end up high and dry, lock, stock and barrel!
More than the odd vessel has fallen foul Of these hidden menaces of the Manukau. But generally their passage was straight and true, To and from the wharf where they exchanged their cargo. Be it cement or containers, fish or molasses, Every item handled benefited the masses. Onehunga played host to many a fine ship. So let's embark on a memory lane trip.	JT Diamond collection, Auckland Libraries, JTD-19M-02355 - a 1920s shot alongside
	Rarawa was the most prolific visitor pre-war, While post it, Westport's calls amounted to 1104. Hauturu was the other ship to crack four figures, While MC2 topped the size charts - no vessel was bigger! Anchor Dorman and Northern Steam owned many a sound ship Which headed to Onehunga on their northbound trips. For the best part of a century, probably more, These companies' vessels were very much to the fore.
The sixties saw Holm and Milburn appear, With the latter's silos standing tall for over fifty years. In that time, ships called from foreign climes - Reef Shipping. Warner Pacific. Tasman Express Line. Sanford vessels frequented the fishing basin, While the annual tuna season brought an inshore invasion. For twenty years, Pacifica's red ships called, rain, hail or shine, But in 2012, after close calls at the Bar, they called time.	Contributed by Brent Chambers
NZ Commercial Fishing Photos Facebook page	Their departure, combined with Holcim's plans to move on, Meant by 2017, freight movements and the tug were gone. And with no dredging having taken place since 2002, The Port of Onehunga soon became the property of Panuku. Anatoki was the last cargo carrier to unload, Gravel from Greymouth was the final payload. Since Feb 2017, though, it's been quiet at Onehunga, Even the fishing fleet seems to have done a runner!
It's sad, knowing what this port was once like - A hive of activity, a cauldron of life - To see it sitting idle, forlorn, like a tomb, A derelict vessel's presence enhancing the sense of gloom. The odd trawler's visit aside, that's how it is most days. How I wish the Manukau could return to its busy, lively ways, With frequent shipping movements which would totally abort Onehunga's unwelcome reputation as Auckland's forgotten port.