This is a timeline of the history of the city of Auckland in New Zealand.

13th century

c. 13th century – Estimated date for first Māori arrivals in the Auckland area. Oral histories tell of the legendary explorer Kupe visiting Paratutae Island.

14th century

c. 14th century Earliest known archaeological evidence of settlements around the Manukau Harbour, including Ihumātao and Puhinui. Estimated date for the arrival of the Tainui and Arawa migratory waka. The Tainui was hauled over Te Tō Waka, the portage at Ōtāhuhu between the east and west coasts. Rakataura, tohunga of the Tainui waka, travelled the area and named many of the features (including Karangahape Road).

16th century c. 1500 – Eruption of Rangitoto Island. This is the most recent volcanic activity seen in the Auckland volcanic field.Devora (2020). Rangitoto: Odd one out. The story of Auckland's largest volcano. Devora Fact Sheet 03.

17th century c. 1600 – The rangatira Maki migrates north from the Kawhia Harbour, assisting Ngāti Awa relatives to conquer and unify Tāmaki Māori peoples. Maki settles near the Kaipara River mouth, and his children settle along the west coast and northern Auckland, creating the tribal identities including Te Kawerau ā Maki, Ngāti Manuhiri and Ngāti Kahu. c. 1640 – Ngāti Whatua begin settling the south Kaipara Harbour area. c. 1650 – Three major Tāmaki Māori tribes, Ngā Iwi, Ngā Oho and Ngā Riki unify under rangatira Huakaiwaka, forming the Waiohua confederation. Waiohua develop the Auckland isthmus, creating gardens and large settlements, focused at Maungawhau and later Maungakiekie. c. 1680 – Waikato Tainui warrior Kawharu arrives in the Tāmaki area, raiding settlements on behalf of Ngāti Whatua, including West Auckland and South Auckland. Te Kawerau ā Maki refer to these events as ("The Stripping Conquest"). Peace is forged between Ngāti Whātua and Maki's grandson Te Au o Te Whenua.

18th century c. 1700 – Marutūāhu iwi including Ngāti Paoa expand their influence to include the islands of the Hauraki Gulf and the North Shore. c. 1741 Kiwi Tāmaki, paramount chief of Waiohua, is defeated in battle at Paruroa (Big Muddy Creek) by Ngāti Whatua, led by the hapū Te Taoū. Siege of Māngere Mountain. c. 1750 – Conflict arises between Ngāti Pāoa and the people of the northwestern Hauraki Gulf, in order to secure shark fishing rights along the Mahurangi coast. 1769 – Captain James Cook visits the Hauraki Gulf in November, during which he gifts some of the first potato plants grown in New Zealand while visiting the Wairoa River. c. 1780 – Te Tahuri, chieftainess of Te Taou, gifts land on the western shore of the Tāmaki River to Ngāti Pāoa, who settle at Mokoia (modern day Panmure). Within a generation, Ngāti Pāoa almost outnumber Ngāti Whātua living on the Auckland isthmus. c. 1790 Peace is reached between Ngāti Pāoa and other Tāmaki Māori, after numerous skirmishes to secure shark fishing rights. Ngāti Pāoa begin repairing European whaling ships on Waiheke Island. 1793 – Early European contact leads to an outbreak of respiratory diseases () among Tāmaki Māori, causing significant deaths. c. 1795 – Tuperiri, chief of Ngāti Whatua dies. after this point, Ngāti Whatua of the Auckland isthmus move their focus of settlement from Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill to the Onehunga and Māngere Mountain areas.

19th century 1810 – Respiratory disease outbreak among Tāmaki Māori. 1820 – Missionary Samuel Marsden visits the Auckland area. Marsden climbed Mount Wellington / Maungarei in July 1820, and visited the Manukau Harbour in November. 1821 Missionary William Colenso visits the Auckland area in late 1821 / early 1842. During the Musket Wars, a Ngāpuhi war party led by Hongi Hika attacks the Tāmaki settlements including Mokoia village on the Tāmaki River. c. 1821 – During the Musket Wars, most Tāmaki Māori flee the Auckland area, seeking temporary refuge in the northern Waikato and Northland. Small numbers of warriors remain to maintain ahi kaa (claim to land). 1825 – the battle at Te Ika a Ranganui during the Musket Wars causes numerous deaths. 1827 – Explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville visits the Auckland area, surveying the Hauraki Gulf. d'Urville anchors the Astrolabe at Torpedo Bay, Devonport. 1832 – Gordon Browne establishes the kauri spar station on the Pukapuka Peninsula of the Mahurangi Harbour. c. 1835 – Tāmaki Māori resettle the area. 1835 – Thomas Mitchell settles at Cornwallis, first European settlement on the Manukau Harbour. By 1839 land plots for the settlement are being sold, and the first settlers arrive on the Brilliant circa 1840. The settlement collapsed by 1843, with many people moving to Onehunga. 1836 – William Thomas Fairburn organises the Fairburn purchase, a private land sale covering the area between Ōtāhuhu, Papakura and the Wairoa River. 1837 – Fairburn establishes the Maraetai Mission Station. 1840 Ngāti Whātua chief Apihai Te Kawau signs the Treaty of Waitangi at Ōrua Bay on the Manukau Harbour on 20 March 1840. Apihai Te Kawau moves the majority of Ngāti Whātua of the Tāmaki area from Onehunga-Māngere to Remuera-Ōrākei in the winter of 1840. Auckland founded. 1841 St Paul's founded, Auckland's first church. Mr Powell's School founded, Auckland's first school. 1842 Auckland designated capital of New Zealand. Immigrant ships Duchess of Argyle and Jane Gifford arrive from Greenock, Scotland. Mechanics' Institute and Library opens. Population: 2,895. 1843 Southern Cross newspaper begins publication. Queen Street gravelled. Auckland Domain laid out. The New Zeland Orange Order holds their first meeting in the Osprey Inn. 1844 – May: Maori Festival held. 1846 – The Ihumātao Mission Station is established by the Wesleyan Methodist Church. 1847 – First fencible settlers arrive. 1848 – St Patrick's Cathedral built. 1849 – St Barnabas Church built, Auckland's first Māori church. 1850 – St Andrew's Church built. 1855 – Auckland Choral Society founded. 1857 – St Peter's School established. 1860 – Old St Mary's built. 1861 Population: 7,989. Great South Road construction commenced. 1863 The New Zealand Herald begins publication. Invasion of the Waikato commenced. Governor Grey's 9 July 1863 proclamation that all South Auckland Māori are required to leave or swear loyalty to the Queen causes a mass exodus of Māori to the Waikato. 1864 – Population: 12,423. 1865 New Zealand capital relocated from Auckland to Wellington. Original St Sepulchre's built. 1868 – Auckland Institute incorporated. 1869 – First Royal Tour – the Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh. 1870 – Evening Star newspaper begins publication. 1871 Auckland City Council established. Philip Philips becomes first mayor. Auckland Harbour Board established. 1873 Onehunga Branch railway begins operating. New City Markets opens. 1874 – Ellerslie Racecourse laid out. 1880 Church of the Holy Sepulchre founded. 1881 Population: 16,664. Auckland Teachers' Training College established. 1883 – Auckland University College founded. 1884 – Horse-drawn trams begin operating. 1885 – Newmarket becomes a borough. 1885 – Old St Paul's Church demolished. 1886 Population: 33,161. Devonport becomes a borough. 1887 Public Library opens. Auckland Sailors' Home built. 1888 St Mary's Cathedral built. Art Gallery opens. Birkenhead, New Zealand becomes a borough. 1890 – Elam School of Fine Arts founded. 1894 – Current St Paul's Church dedicated. 1895 – Auckland Technical School founded. 1896 – 13 October: First motion pictures screened in New Zealand shown at the Wellesley Street Opera House as part of Charles Godfrey's Vaudeville. 1898 – Old Colonists' Association meetings begin. 1899 – Great Barrier Island–Auckland pigeon post begins operating.

20th century

1901 – Grand Hotel Fire. 1901 – Royal Tour – The Duke & Duchess of Cornwall. The Mayor, Dr John Logan Campbell donates Cornwall Park to the city. 1902 – Electric tram system installed. 1905 – Victoria Park opens. 1906 – Mount Eden becomes a borough 1908 – St Patrick's Cathedral dedicated. North Island Main Trunk railway opened. Northcote becomes a borough. 1909 – Auckland Girl's Grammar School moves to Howe Street, Freeman's Bay. 1910 – Grafton Bridge and Kings Theatre built. 1911 – Mount Albert becomes a borough Auckland Town Hall built. Population: 40,536. 1912 – Auckland Ferry Terminal built. Otahuhu becomes a borough 1913 – 1913 Great Strike. Takapuna becomes a borough. Municipal Coal fired Electricity Power Station on King's Wharf completed and opened February. Auckland Industrial Exhibition held in Auckland Domain over summer 1913/1914. 1914 – Start of World War I 1915 – Auckland Presbyterian College for Ladies established in Epsom 1915 – Myers Park opened. 1916 – Myers Free Kindergarten building opened. Auckland grammar School moves to Mt Eden. Old Colonists' Museum opens. Population: 64,951. 1917 – Mount Eden Prison completed 1918 – End of World War I 1920 – Auckland City Mission established. 1920 – Royal Tour – the Prince Edward, Prince of Wales. 1921 – Population: 83,467. 1922 – Auckland Zoo opens. 1923 – Underground railway proposed. 1925 – North Auckland Line opened 1925 – Royal Tour – The Duke & Duchess of York. 1927 – Dilworth Building constructed. 1927 – Underground Railway project announced. 1928 – St. James Theatre opens. 1929 – Auckland Civic Theatre and Auckland War Memorial Museum inaugurated. 1930 Auckland Railway Station opens. One Tree Hill becomes a borough Eastern Line railway begins operating. 1932 – Unemployed riot on Queen Street. 1938 – Royal Tour, the Duke & Duchess of Gloucester. 1939 – St Peter's College established in Grafton. World War II started. 1944 – New Central Fire Station opened. 1945 – World War II ended 1947 – Mount Roskill becomes a borough 1949 – First trolley bus services ran 1950 – February: 1950 British Empire Games held. 1951 – 1951 New Zealand waterfront dispute 1952 – Mount Wellington becomes a borough. First section of Northwestern Motorway opened 1953 – First royal visit by a monarch – Queen Elizabeth II – Xmas broadcast from Government House Auckland. 1953 – First section of Auckland Southern Motorway opened from Ellerslie-Panmure highway to Mount Wellington Highway. Hunua dams completed 1954 – East Coast Bays becomes a borough 1955 – Auckland Southern Motorway opened to Wiri 1956 – Last tram ran in Auckland 1959 – Auckland Harbour Bridge built. First section of Auckland Northern Motorway opened 1960 – Mangere sewage treatment plant opened 1961 – Alcan Industries aluminium plant and Vibrapac concrete block plant both established at Wiri 1962 – Victoria Park Viaduct opens. Nestleinstant coffee factory opened in South Auckland 1963 – Auckland Southern Motorway opened to Takanini 1964 – Auckland Regional Authority founded. The Beatles played a concert at Auckland 1965 – Manurewa Borough amalgamated with Manukau County to form Manukau City. Fibremakers nylon yarn factory opened in South Auckland 1966 – Auckland Airport and Newmarket Viaduct open. 1967 Auckland Observatory founded. Mount Smart Stadium opens in Penrose. 1968 – Auckland InterContinental hotel opened. Paremoremo Prison opened. 1969 – Auckland Rapid Rail Transit proposed 1970 – Auckland Opera founded. 1971 – Sister city relationship established with Los Angeles, USA. 1972 – Air New Zealand House (now HSBC Building) opened. Dalgety's wool store (the largest in the Southern Hemisphere) opened in South Auckland 1973 – Ford car assembly plant opened in Wiri 1974 – National Mutual (now Axa) West Plaza opened. First Manukau City Centre building, the Wiri Trust Hotel opened 1976 – Auckland Rapid Rail Transit proposal abandoned. Manukau City Centre Mall's first stage opened. NZ Labour Department office opened in Manukau City Centre 1977 – Manukau City Council administration building opened