Hamilton: Better suburbs

[mmm]

Hi possible move to Hamilton next year,to those that live or have lived in Hamilton which suburbs are considered the better ones for a young family(kids under 5) or are there any suburbs to avoid?Schooling obviously important for the kids,reasonably close to shops a bonus,the houses in the new sub-divisions around Rototuna look ok looking on trademe??I know the roads are good so that's me sorted.Any advice most appreciated.

[slofox]

Used to live up that end of town myself - been out of there four and a half years now.

Rototuna is new and fresh and has a new school and another on the way. It is a little trendy still and you will see lots of major mortgage holders there....that said, there are plenty of good shops and the schools are good too. Traffic to and from city centre is thick morning and evening.
There are plenty of other areas that are also good - other side of the river - St Andrews, Pukete are also OK. Hamilton East is older but fine and closer to centre of town.
On the other hand, probably Melville and Nawton are lower decile areas but even there, there are pockets of pretty reasonable housing etc. If you go beyond Melville, into Glenview (where I live now) there is also some nice housing. Shops are fewer but traffic in and out of town is less than from the Northeast. And there's some choice riding out southwest of the city....Choice of schools is more limited, although I have taught at Hamilton West and really enjoyed that school.
To the west is Dinsdale which is mostly OK but you need to look more closely to find an area you like. Fraser High is out that way - the principal is something of a 'local focal point'......if you get my meaning.......
You really need to come have a look yourself to know where you feel comfortable.....please feel free to pm me if you want more detailed info......

[Hitcher]

Since when has the Tron had "suburbs"?

[wysper]

Not long after we got that new fangled 'lectricity all you fancy folks been jabbering about.

[mmm]

Thanks slofox,your info has given us a good starting point,will definitely pm you when we get serious about finding a home.Any general comments about living in the Waikato,good or bad,we would like to hear them.cheers

[MIXONE]

I hope you like fog!!!

[Kevnz]

Rototuna/Flagstaff is the newer part of town. There is a new primary school out this way called Te Totara primary. As your kids are young it would be best to get into this school zone. A new high school is being built in a couple or so years over here and a library, swimming pool and shopping centre. As for the traffic, ride your bike, to easy.If your down this way let me know and I'll give you a tour. May take a while we have traffic lights now, oh and the V8 Supercars for another 6 years :laugh:

[Tank]

Best 'burb in Hamilton?

Simple - Cambridge!

[Kevnz]

Best 'burb in Hamilton?

Simple - Cambridge!

If your over 60 :2thumbsup

[RC1]

were out the back of gordonton, couple of good schools out this way not that close to the shops, but its only 20mins to rototuna 20mins to hunlty and 20mins from morrinsville, decided we didnt want to live in the neighbours pocket so got out of the city a bit and paid less out here for 1900sqm then you could get a 600sqm in any area, only downfall is shops not 5mins up road but partner works in te rapa and if anything is needed its not a hassle for her to get before heading home, you working down here or commuting to akld?

[DMNTD]

I hope you like fog!!!

....and bogans :mellow:

[wysper]

....and bogans :mellow:

We are proud of our bogans down here.

We are out on the Hillcrest side of Hammy. Just a bit out of town. Good schools near by. Not too far from shops and the like. Out where we are, broadband is patchy to say the least. Even by NZ standards.

I like living in the Waikato. Not a bad pace of life. You can choose rat race or a little more laid back if you like. Hammy has got good cafes, resturants and the like. Attract the odd international performers.

V8's as mentioned, Crusty Demons, Symphony Orchestras even that damn oval ball game gets played round here. We have a lovely cricket ground (Seddon Park), if we didnt stink so much at it it would be a good day out, also you might very well be riding. Good days for cricket and good days for riding are remarkably similar.

[Mully]

Once we've discussed Hamilton's best suburbs, can we please discuss:
Best STDs &
Best Dictator

[vifferman]

I lived in Hamilton from 1977 till 1994. Yes, I know - shocking, but true. I lived firstly in Hillcrest, then Hamilton East, then fFrom '84 till '94, we lived in Pukete. It was pretty good living there, apart from the occasional whiff of the poo ponds when the weather conditions were right.:eek:
Asamatteroffact, all my mutant spawn are Hamiltronians by birth.

[PirateJafa]

Whatever that suburb is to the left just as you enter the hole. Quasi's zone.

No idea about the area, besides the fact that it has a metric fuckton of roundabouts and lovely sweepy corners.

[slofox]

We are out on the Hillcrest side of Hammy. Just a bit out of town. Good schools near by. Not too far from shops and the like. Out where we are, broadband is patchy to say the least. Even by NZ standards.


Hillcrest is also cool, older but graceful - great wine shop by the cycle track...run by a biker!! (Not mentioning any names y'know...nudgenudgewinkwink.......)

[wysper]

Hillcrest is also cool, older but graceful - great wine shop by the cycle track...run by a biker!! (Not mentioning any names y'know...nudgenudgewinkwink.......)

Does s/he do any top shelf? Or is it only wine?

[wysper]

(Not mentioning any names y'know...nudgenudgewinkwink.......)

:doh: Sorry - bit slow on the uptake there LOL

[slofox]

Does s/he do any top shelf? Or is it only wine?

Yes...single malts a speciality - also imported and local boutique beers - belgian and UK - lots of good stuff......:drinknsin

[vifferman]

Yes...single malts a speciality - also imported and local boutique beers - belgian and UK - lots of good stuff......:drinknsin
Please tell me about the Belgian beers - do you have any?

[freddy72]

I would recomend rototuna, its close to the shops the school is supposed to be good as well. I would avoid enderley and the start of the chartwell where it joins with enderly, I lived their for 18 months and had a lot of teenage gang fights happening ended up with little fuckers bleeding on our door step one night. One plus is the cops did turn up armed a couple of times.

In terms of traffic take your bike to work and its not a problem

[slofox]

Please tell me about the Belgian beers - do you have any?

Yes - several top fermented golden ales - Brigand Piraat and Augustijn, Rochefort 6 and Rochefort 8, Westmalle, Chimay range and Leffe Range, Gouden Carolus, Grimbergen Optimo Bruno, Duvel, Corsondonk and Timmermann's lambics....they come in about six times a year - currently stocks are lowish but more on order...they arrive irregularly (at best!!)....labels change from time to time....hope this helps!

[bungbung]

Best 'burb in Hamilton?

Simple - Cambridge!

If you're a horse botherer

[vifferman]

...hope this helps!
Yes. :niceone:
I'm struggling to find places in D'Auckland that stock decent beers. I've been ruined by my time in Yurp, especially wandering into the equivalent of a corner dairy in some town near Brussels, and buying some very nice beers (including Duvel) for about 1.30 to 1.70 Euro each. My wife also developed a taste for fruit-flavoured Belgian beers (gurrrrlie drinks).
Our local supermarket did sell La Trappe for a while but now it's only in those 500ml ceramic crocks, for $9.95 each. The they had Leffe for a while, but not anymore. The local liquor store has a pretty pathetic stock of imported beers, and they're rather expensive (and stored too cold, so it means waiting to drink them...)

[Lias]

What an area is called varies quite alot depending on what map your looking at I've found. The part of Hamilton I live in in is variously called Dinsdale, Frankton, or Livingstone depending on the map! For clarity I'm using http://www.smaps.co.nz/nz/hamilton/ for this post.

St Andrew's/Pukete/Flagstaff/Rototuna are generally more upmarket, as has been mentioned Rototuna is the "boom" part of town, lots of new houses, lots of new subdivisions etc. Western Heights (not on map, but basically the western edge of town near dinsdale/nawton is also reasonably new and flash.

Areas to probably avoid are: Peachgrove, Bader, Enderly & fairly large chunks of Fairfield.

The rest of the city is pretty much alright, but as always there are pockets of less than desireable areas etc.

[mmm]

Thanks for all the info,will start our search around the Rototuna/Flagstaff area since sounds ok and as will have to do about a weekly trip to Auckland these areas are on the northern side of town.A good place to buy some ales though could definitely impact on the final area of choice to live.To those who offered some assistance in the search thanks will take you up on that when the time comes...

[vinnieh]

If you are going to work on the western side of the river, I'd suggest living on the western side. Maybe Western Heights?

If you insist on living on the nicer side of the river (Eastern) I would definitly suggest Queenwood (Close to Chartwell Square shopping centre and you have two bridges close by) or yeah Pukete is nice, close to Te Rapa and The Base as well. DON'T live in Enderley, Nawton, Fairfield or Hamilton East - Ham East is nice and old but has one of the highest burglary rates out of all the suburbs. Chartwell is OK though.

I personally think Rototuna is a shite hole, all the houses look the same... just looks nasty in my opinion. Not enough trees or something. Looks like something out of The Stanford Wives :wacko:

[Timber020]

H town has a unique grading system for its suburbs, so to decide how good or bad this easy to apply system should be used to decide if the part of hamilton your traveling through is on the 1 (great) or 10 (bad) suburb scale/

1) Grandamas tend there rose gardens happily, students walk about dressed tidily, your neighbour has 2 nice kids and a mint 996 ducati that the are able to park infront of there house. All cars on the street are clean, new and the corner dairy carrys flowers and fresh fruit. Cops smile and wave as they slowly cruise the quiet streets.

2) Grandma trys to keep her clematis well cut on a trellis fence, Some students skate or cycle to uni. your neighbour has 3 good kids and a great Busa that he keeps out front in view from his house. Nice modern cars on street. Corner dairy sells nice veges. Cops patrol comfortably

3) Grandma is fighting back the aliagnus,Students randomly wander past.
Neighbour has 4 boisterous kids and a nice fireblade that he keeps parked in his driveway. Cars are well kept. Corner dairy sells biscuit assortments. Cops keep windows up and try not to stop

4) Grandma has lost the garden to blackberry and gorse. Neighbour has 5 spirited kids and an R6 that he has dynabolted to his driveway. Students stumble around.Cars on street are in average condition. Corner dairy sells some beer and wine. Cops do drive through

5) Grandma clears broken beer bottles from her front yard, Students often wander around drunk. Neighbour has 6 noisey kids and a average VFR400 that he keeps in a garage, cars are rough. Corner dairy sells RTDs and spirits. Cops only occationally visit

6) Grandma breaks up more bottles to keep the fuckin kids out. Students out of there tree all the time. Neighbour has 7 brats that tag everything including grandma and a rough RG150 which is chained inside his garage. Cars very rough and in various stages of disrepair. Corner dairy sells alot of spray cans. Cops avoid area

7) Grandma stays on porch screaming "get off my land" and waves a pitchfork around. Students beg for coins, cigs and food and are refered to by cops as non combatants. The neighbour has 8 out of control rats that have nicked half the cars on the street and a rough GN250 that is kept in whats left of the house. Cars all wrecked and used as housing by some. Corner dairy sells meths and raro by the case. Cops drive through by armoured car to keep quota up

8) Grandma only seen inside poking shotgun from barred windows. students prostitute themselves for drugs. Neighbour thinks he had 9 violent deliquents but would have to ask the parole officer for an accurate count. His honda stepthrough is kept chained to him. All cars burned out. Sandbagged Corner Dairy sells alot of glue and needles through shuttered windows. Students everywhere with needles in arms, some dead.And the cops only come through to count bodies and get street fighting experience.

9) Grandma isnt seen but sells smack from out the back while exchanging shots with the 10 gang bangers that recently gunned down your neighbour and flogged his vespa that was kept in a concrete encampment. Nothing left to burn. Razor wire covered Corner dairy takes kidneys and blood as payment for molotovs,guns and P. Students are dead and dying. Cops hire blackwater to work the area.

10) Your in auckland, sucker.

[Timber020]

I lived in fairfield for a while, wasnt bad.

[Lias]

I lived in fairfield for a while, wasnt bad.

So you'd be a black gang member then? :-P

[Timber020]

So you'd be a black gang member then? :-P

We prefer to be called the itchy finga triga nigaz

[Lias]

We prefer to be called the itchy finga triga nigaz

My bad :Police:

[marty]

Best 'burb in Hamilton?

Simple - Cambridge!


Yup- Cambridge. Fantastic place to bring children up. We've been here 11 years now, kids are 13 and 16, are never far from home, everyone in town knows everyone else, theres about 2 pieces of tagging in town (probably less actually), and it takes 11 minutes to drive to Hamilton if we really need to go there (once a week if we're unlucky). We ride the bikes down to the golf course with golf bags over our shoulders - my son is a member ($5 a week for full student membership). He neded a ride home from a party that was getting a bit stupid the other night - I had the truck at work, so I rang the Cambridge taxis - they picked him up, delivered him home, and I went and paid the $14 the following day. Try doing that in Hams!

There is over 250 houses for sale in the north east corner of Hamilton at the moment - there's a reason for that!

What line of work are you in?

[TerminalAddict]

Rototuna/Flagstaff is the newer part of town. There is a new primary school out this way called Te Totara primary. As your kids are young it would be best to get into this school zone. A new high school is being built in a couple or so years over here and a library, swimming pool and shopping centre. As for the traffic, ride your bike, to easy.If your down this way let me know and I'll give you a tour. May take a while we have traffic lights now, oh and the V8 Supercars for another 6 years :laugh:

Personally I HATE the area .. its like suburban hell to me .. I like to have distance between me and the neighbours, and room out the back for the horse to roam around in :D

However .. I can vouch for Te Totara.
I got an invite from the the BOT chair to spend an evening there.
Last night I spent 3 hours with Brian the Principal, Neil the BOT Chair, and a couple of people from the School trustees assoc.
Its a nice set up .. I'd send my kids their.

but vote for high schools goes to Fraser :D