Art & Shopping

The commercial area on lower Victoria Road was first established in response to the new ferry service that connected Devonport with the city in the 1860s. 20 years on Victoria Road had become the leading commercial centre of the North Shore and by the 1920s it was lined with fine Victorian and Edwardian commercial premises.

Today Victoria Road has one of the most intact collections of Victorian and Edwardian commercial buildings in

Auckland and several have been listed by Heritage New Zealand. Devonport is fortunate to boast unique boutique shops, high-end fashion retailers, gift sellers and tourist offerings.

Devonport is known as one of Auckland's premier art destinations with four iconic galleries, a writers' centre and 22 public art works that are connected on a walking art trail. The village also plays host to one of Auckland's most anticipated arts events, Glow@Artweek which is an annual weekend of architectural light installations erected on Windsor Reserve.

Many of Auckland's most noted writers and poets have resided in Devonport including Michael King, Kevin Ireland, Michele Leggott and Graeme Lay and on the slopes of Mount Victoria/Takarunga stands the Michael King Writers' Centre where writers' come from far and wide to work on their craft.