Royal Oak

By CHARLOTTE COSSAR

Famous in Auckland for its roundabout, which according to proud locals is the second busiest in Auckland, Royal Oak is an established suburb centrally placed to access most areas of the city.

The roundabout, with its legendary Ollies ice cream parlour, acts like a compass - you can go north to Epsom, east to Onehunga, west to Mt Albert or south, although not directly, to the airport.

And the beauty of having so many arterial roads leading from one roundabout is that you don't have to use the motorway. Even though, it's still only a 10-minute drive to access it.

Being one of Auckland's smallest suburbs, it actually only comprises a handful of streets. Its village, which is quite large in comparison, is a thriving hub for the passionate locals.

Most of the major stores have residence, including Whitcoulls, Pak N Save, Hugh Wrights and Plastic Box. And you'll never go thirsty or hungry; cafes and restaurants, including many ethnic ones, have opened their doors in the past five years.

Established in the 1930s when neighbouring Onehunga, with its thriving port, became crowded, Royal Oak has many period bungalows now on half-size sections.

These tidy two- to three-bedroom homes range in price from $300,000 to $350,000. For an average house on a full section, you would be looking to pay anything from $350,000 to $400,000, and for top-of-the-range properties you could pay close to the million-dollar mark.

Although there are still some old homesteads around, many have been moved to make way for more contemporary abodes. The suburb now is a pleasant mix of modern and period architecture.

The established suburb also has a mix of residents. The flat nature of the area makes it ideal for the elderly and the popular primary and intermediate schools make it a draw card for young families. These families tend to use Royal Oak as a stepping stone to Epsom when their children reach secondary school age.

Another group who are now buying in this area are ex-Pakuranga and Howick residents who are tired of traffic hold-ups and keen to spend more time with their families.

Young professionals also make their home in Royal Oak because of its central location. It is only a 10 to 15-minute drive to the city, a 10-minute drive to the airport and south Auckland and a five-minute drive to Penrose's Industrial Edge.

However, the biggest attraction of the area is having Cornwall Park and One Tree Hill Domain at its doorstep. This expanse of country green in suburbia is too appealing for many to ignore. As one local said: "If you're thinking of buying elsewhere in Auckland, park your car and take a leisurely walk through our slice of heaven. You can't put a price on that."

Although busier than Queen St at peak-hour times, if you avoid the bumper-to-bumper power walkers, either pushing designer buggies full of enthusiast children or being dragged along by over-zealous canines, walking through this gorgeous park is wonderful. And the beauty of having this lush area over your back fence is that you can avoid non-locals by choosing to take your recreational activity outside peak times.