Pukerua Bay/Plimmerton questions

[chillimacadamia]

Hi all

We are narrowing down areas after visiting Wellington last week and loving it! We are going to move, it's just a question of figuring out whether to buy first and move without jobs, or hope that my husband can get a permanent job first and then move. Our goal is to be there in July this year.

However, one area that I loved was Pukerua Bay (we went up to the train station only!) but Plimmerton also looks good from the train and from investigation on the map.

I have looked through the forum but have some specific questions regarding the area from someone who might live there currently?

1. Does either one have a strong sense of community? or is one more than the other? I would really like to live somewhere where people know each other, where people drop in on each other, organise community events together, stay for the long term.

2. Pukerua Bay - is the motorway through the middle a problem for people living there?

3. Any thoughts on the primary schools in both place? (I currently have a kid who likes doing tests and worksheets more than going out and getting grubby in the outdoors! I know...)

4. Does one have a more easily accessible beach? ie I need flat path due to ankle injury. steep hills/rocks/sand are out of bounds for me as it causes a lot of pain afterwards. But I love to go to the beach if it is accessible.

5. If you have high school age kids, where do you send them to school - it's a few years off for us but I'm planning obviously.

6. Does anyone commute daily into Wellington city? It seems totally fine to me but wondering how people find the trains.

7. Is either one better for biking around locally? in terms of flatness and not being at risk of being hit by cars.

Thanks so much!

[chillimacadamia]

Bump. Anyone around this area?

[chillimacadamia]

Anyone? I'm still hoping for an answer from someone who knows something about either/both areas...

[Ansistent]

Hi chillimacadamia,

Sorry I haven't been able to help you out. It has been a while since I was last on here It seems not many people here live in either suburb. I can give you the best advice I can from someone who doesn't live there, but still knows a fair bit about both areas. Anyways,

1. People in NZ are generally pretty reserved (especially in cities) and tend not to be as community minded as many overseas countries (in general), however both suburbs have residents' association groups and the like, as well as a pretty close knit feel. I think Plimmerton might slightly edge Pukerua Bay here, but both seem good in this department.

2. I don't live in Pukerua Bay, so can't really answer for the residents who live there. However I can imagine the motorway to be very annoying for the residents, especially at peak times, since it is generally always busy during the day which would make it hard to cross and merge into (especially if you are turning right onto it).

3. Again hard to answer (I haven't had any experience with either school), but both schools are decile 10. Pukerua Bay School has ~170 students, Plimmerton School has ~ 520 students. The ERO website (http://www.ero.govt.nz) is very good for finding detailed information about schools. They update every few years.

4. Both suburbs have very small beaches. Plimmerton's beach is very accessible but a bit rough, Pukerua Bay's beach is down a steep, windy road, however it is a more pleasant beach (in my opinion) with a beautiful view out towards Kapiti Island. Many houses in both suburbs are on steep hills, so walking to the beach may not be too easy from certain houses in either suburb though, so be aware of that

5. Many kids in these suburbs go to either Kapiti College, Aotea College, or one of the high schools in Wellington (or private ones in Porirua such as Samuel Marsden in Whitby). Not having a really local secondary school would be a little annoying, but Aotea College (the closest one) is about a 7-15 min drive depending on where you live in the respective suburbs.

6. The train network is pretty reliable (they are generally always on time, and consistent). It takes about 50-60mins during peak times to commute in by car (on average), however I believe the train takes about 29 mins from Plimmerton, and about 36 mins from Pukerua Bay. Traffic on the road is pretty heavy, since there is only one feasible way into Wellington CBD from Porirua.

7. Plimmerton has a few flat roads next to the beach, but other than that, it is very steep and hilly. Pukerua Bay is very hilly, but most hills are not too steep. I would dread crossing SH1 on a bike there... Neither are ideal biking locations really.

Overall, Pukerua Bay is a solid, quiet (when you leave SH1) middle-class area, although it is isolated from the rest of Porirua. Plimmerton is a very upmarket and expensive area to live, with beautiful large homes and a very quiet, relaxed atmosphere, however, it is also pretty isolated from the rest of Porirua, and the only road out of Plimmerton can get busy in peak times. Both suburbs have very small shopping areas (basically just a corner dairy and a few other specialty stores).

I certainly hope this is helpful. I don't live in either area, so can only speculate through educated knowledge from the outside Feel free to ask for help if you have any more questions. I'm happy to help.

Ansistent

[chillimacadamia]

Hi Ansistent, thanks so much for your reply - I only just noticed it today as I may not have set up my notifications properly. I have since decided to take the plunge and go and rent in Plimmerton and see how it goes. I think it might have the edge in terms of facilities which would make my life easier. If we rent, we can always change in a couple of years if it s not the fit I'm after. Thanks so much for replying.