Ngati Kahu had 5 settlements for protection along the Peninsula from the 15th to 19th century with one of these being West Pa Manly which is a Headland Pa (Maori hillfort) located above the west end of Big Manly Beach. The pa commanded a fine view of the coast to the east, west and north from where hostile canoes might come.

After the Peninsula was purchased by the Crown in the Mahurangi Purchase in 1854 one of the first European families to settle in this area was the Polkinghorne family in 1877. 

The bay was named Polkinghorne’s Bay. The name was changed to Manly in the 1920’s when two developers, Laurie Taylor and Bill Brown started sub-dividing the land and borrowed the name Manly from the bay in Sydney.

Waiau is the name for the combination of the 3 bays stretching from Swann Beach, Big Manly and Tindalls Bay and the names Big Manly and Little Manly began use as the areas started attracting visitors in the 1920’s. After an objection in the 1970’s however by a member of the Polkinghorne family the name Polkinghorne Bay was retained for the area of Waiau covering Big Manly and Swann Beach.

In 1859 William and Anne’s youngest son, William the younger was born. After his parents’ death William the younger remained in the area and in 1916 he built a cheese factory as well as the Post Office store. Unfortunately, the cheese factory was not a success and closed after 2 years of operation.

The Hopper family came to Whangaparaoa in 1927 and Ken and Edith took over the store built by William Polkinghorne on the hill between Manly and Arkles.