Living in Porirua

Nau mai, haere mai ki Porirua.

We love living in Porirua and you will too.

We’ve got a great lifestyle here with beaches, forests, and shopping all right on our doorstep.

Porirua has over 100 km of tracks available for walkers, cyclists, and mountain bikers, 950 hectares of parks and reserves and 7 beaches!

Our bustling city centre is a great place to shop. The North City Shopping Centre boasts over 90 stores and the Mega Centre really is mega with 12 hectares of shopping.

We have easy access to Wellington City through public transport and the Kāpiti Coast is only a short drive away.

Haere mai ki tō mātou kainga

Porirua has multiple villages all connected by our beautiful harbour, inlet, walkways, and parks.

We try to keep our homestays within our usual school zone, and our usually within these suburbs.

Aotea is Porirua's newest purpose built neighbourhood with it's oldest houses being built in just 2005. Aotea is a new suburb very close to the College consisting mostly of young families. There is a small shopping centre, and a supermarket within walking distance. It is possible to walk into Porirua, and there are also buses that go into the city.

Ascot Park enjoys proximity near a park of the same name, perfect for walks with beautiful views. The park also contains a large sports field.

Mana is a pretty seaside suburb, with a large main road going directly through the middle of it. In the immediate area there is a supermarket, cafes and takeaway shops. The sea borders the suburb on two sides. It has a train station giving easy access to Porirua and Wellington.

Papakowhai backs onto bush-clad hills. Houses in Papakowhai (Māori for "land covered by kowhai trees") command beautiful harbour views. It is considered one of the safest suburbs as the NZ Police College is located here.

Paremata is a small area in between Papakowhai and Mana. It is close to the main train line into Wellington city and a short walk to the local Pauatahanui Inlet.

Pauatahanui has a relaxed rural feel. It is situated about 10-15 mins drive from Aotea College and has a small village consisting of a cinema, cafe, church, service station and local primary school.

Plimmerton is a close knit seaside community with cafes and small shops. Many teenagers spend a lot of time on the beach in the summer months. There is a train station nearby so you can get to Wellington, and many shops to buy snacks and necessities.

Pukerua Bay is surrounded by native bush and has two sandy beaches that are popular for everything from relaxing walks to swimming, kayaking and fishing.

Titahi Bay is a popular beach community that sits between Titahi Bay beach and the Porirua Harbor. Titahi Bay beach is a popular spot to learn to surf due to it's safe conditions. The beach has a surf lifesaving club and the community has several walking tracks that abut the waterfront.

Waitangirua is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and strongly Pacific community. In front of the mall sits Waitangirua Community Park with basketball courts and a bustling farmers market that runs on Saturday mornings.

Whitby has quiet, tree-lined streets and cul-de sacs with nautical names like The Anchor, The Mainsail and Longitude Place - and the water views to match. Whitby started as a planned community in the 60's and has been continuously developed since with new houses being built.