Hillsborough

By CHARLOTTE COSSAR.

You know that suburb you drive through on your way to the airport? Yes, it's Hillsborough - and if you stop long enough, you will discover a pretty suburb with great sea views and a fabulous community feel.

With many properties looking across the Manukau Harbour, this area has always been popular with families. Far enough away from the buzz of the city but close enough to commute, Hillsborough is a peaceful haven with some pleasant tree-lined streets.

Settled around the Manukau Harbour in the 1930s and 1940s, Hillsborough became an area where people built small baches. This was mainly due to the Depression and people wanting a place to escape from the constant reminder of how bad life was in the city.

Now there is a range of dwellings developed mostly in the 1950s and 1960s - comprising a mix of homes, including weatherboard and brick and tile bungalows. Recently the area has also seen an infusion of townhouses as the once quarter-acre sections have been sliced up. However, if you do have a good poke around you may be able to find a full site, either ready to be subdivided or enjoyed by the family.

A leftover from past generations sees many churches bordering the area. This is also prevalent in nearby Mt Roskill, which practically has a church on every corner.

Luckily for residents, many Aucklanders are unaware that Hillsborough has superb coastal walking tracks with stands of native bush - a great place for weekend jaunts. In addition, many regional reserves provide safe picnic areas and children's play equipment.

In a great position, close to Auckland International Airport and near the motorways, it is an ideal place to access the wider region of Auckland and beyond. And many people are moving here, replicating their predecessors, to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern-day city noise. Moreover, who could blame them with the peaceful outlook to the harbour where yachts and boats weave casually in and out, small fishing boats set out to sea and large tankers negotiate the channel.

AMENITIES

There is an abundance of good schools in the area, including Lynfield College and Mt Roskill Grammar. For shopping, you are only minutes away from Royal Oak, Mt Eden, Three Kings, Dominion Rd, Lynfield and Blockhouse Bay shopping centres. As mentioned earlier, it is a tramper's paradise with many parks and reserves, and it is just a short drive to several golf courses.

WHO LIVES HERE?

Hillsborough attracts many professional couples and families who tend to work at the airport, in the city or in the industrial zones of Onehunga and New Lynn. Also moving to the area are immigrants looking for a friendly area to settle in.

HOUSE PRICES

On average, house prices start at around $260,000 for an older two-bedroom cottage and rise to the $1 million mark. If you want to buy a unit in a block of two or three, you can expect to pay between $200,000 and $300,000. For a 40-year-old, three-bedroom home you can expect to pay around $400,000 and for a modern townhouse around $500,000.

The most sought-after streets in Hillsborough are those near the sea, and homes with sea views are always snapped up quickly.