Famous for being the first shopping centre in NZ to have Saturday morning shopping. Consequently, there has always been a special buzz about the “village”. The major attraction of the suburb is the safe swimming beach. The surf lifesaving club is a highly respected, award winning club. They patrol Mairangi Bay beach from Labour weekend to Easter and all major beaches from Long Bay to Takapuna over the main part of the summer. Membership draws on families from all over the North Shore and it’s a great social and community focus for local youth. The local council bought several waterfront properties a few years ago and converted them to public reserve – ideal for picnicking. You can have a swim, shower off and wander along to the village for an ice cream, a glass of wine or a meal.
What’s really great about this area is that you can walk to the beach, the shops, and the schools. In the village, there are some very good cafes and restaurants, a proliferation of boutique shops, as well as a supermarket, green grocer and florist. The local real estate agencies sponsor the regular Saturday morning Farmers’ Market. Mairangi Bay Arts Centre is a community based art gallery which also runs very popular and successful art classes. The tennis club and bowling club are well supported by the locals.
The area is zoned for Rangitoto College, which significantly adds to the demand on family homes. Mairangi Bay Primary, St John’s School, Murrays Bay Primary and Murrays Bay Intermediate are the local primary schools (all decile 10).
Developed in the 1960s and 70s, the houses are typically weatherboard bungalows or big solid affairs with concrete block base and clinker brick or vertical cedar cladding, on full sites. The odd bach still survives although many of these have been pulled down to make way for large, modern family homes. There are a few brick and tile home units near the village – very popular with retirees for the level access to shops and beach. Access to the motorway is pretty convenient and the trip to Auckland CBD takes approximately 15 minutes on a good run.
Property Prices: Rateable Values in Mairangi Bay: maximum $5 million; minimum $470,000. Beach front and clifftop properties typically sell between $2mill and $4mill. You can buy a home unit or 2 bedroom townhouse for $370-900k. A mid range home of 3 to 4 bedrooms costs anywhere from $750k to $1m. A large, modern home is likely to sell between $1-2mill.
Population:
According to the 2013 census, 5346 people live in Mairangi Bay
Culture:
80% are European, 17% Asian, nearly 6% Maori / Pacific Island
Education:
Over 91% have a formal qualification; over 31% have a bachelor’s degree or higher
Work/Income:
Most are professionals and managers, with over 36% earning over $50,000 pa
Families:
51% are couples with children, 36% are couples without children
Housing:
A very high percentage of homes are privately owned and occupied
Pre-Schools:
Mairangi Bay Playcentre, 112 Kowhai Road, Mairangi Bay Ph: 09.4783316
Rangitoto Kindergarten, 2a Hythe Terrace, Mairangi Bay 09. 4783355
Bearpark Preschool, 18 Apollo Drive, Mairangi Bay 09. 4793795
Schools:
This suburb is very well serviced for schools with lots of options within walking distance.
Mairangi Bay Primary School, Galaxy Drive, Mairangi Bay Ph: 09. 4788424
Murrays Bay Intermediate, 37 Sunrise Avenue, Murrays Bay Ph: 09.4772121
St. Johns School, 87a Penzance Road, Mairangi Bay Ph: 09. 4787734
Rangitoto College, 564 East Coast Road, Mairangi Bay Ph: 09.4770150
Parks:
Mairangi Bay Park – Tennis and Lawn bowls, a great place to run the dog
Windsor Park – Cricket, excellent place for a game of touch or family outing
Mairangi Bay Beach – A larger beach on the North Shore, the shops are handy so easy to get an ice-cream on a hot day!
Shopping:
Mairangi Bay shoops have everything you need with a supermarket and some great cafes. There is a gas station and some exclusive clothing boutiques. Bring your credit card.
Meanwhile up on East Coast Road is Windsor Park Shops – with fast food eateries and Wright Outdoor and Garden Centre.
Business:
Just to the west of Mairangi Bay is a light industrial area, including high tech businesses in Apollo Drive.
Sports:
Live in Mairangi Bay if you want to be fit!! There is no shortage of activities.
– Millenium Centre – Gym, Pool, Athletics training track
– Mairangi Bay Tennis Club
Transport:
Bus services on Beach Road and East Coast Road. Nearest bus shelter at Constellation Drive, plenty of parking. Easy access to motorway and points west on Constellation Drive.
