Where is Forrest Hill?

Forrest Hill is on Auckland's North Shore, around 12 km from the CBD. It borders Takapuna (south), Milford (east), Sunnynook (north) and the Wairau Valley industrial area (west).

What is Westlake Boys High School?

Westlake Boys High School on Forrest Hill Road is one of New Zealand's largest secondary schools, a state boys' school for years 9 to 13 with a strong academic, music and sporting record.

Is Forrest Hill in the Westlake school zones?

Most of Forrest Hill falls within the zones for both Westlake Boys High School and Westlake Girls High School, which is a major driver of local property demand. Always confirm current zone boundaries with the schools.

What shops are in Forrest Hill?

Forrest Hill has a small local shopping strip on Forrest Hill Road with dairies, takeaways and services. The Wairau Valley big-box retail area and Milford and Takapuna centres are all within a few minutes' drive.

How do I get from Auckland CBD to Forrest Hill?

By car, around 15 to 25 minutes via the Harbour Bridge and Tristram Avenue or Forrest Hill Road exits. The Northern Busway from Sunnynook station takes around 25 minutes to the city.

Which schools are in zone for Forrest Hill?

Children living in Forrest Hill are in zone for Forrest Hill School, Takapuna Normal Intermediate, Wairau Intermediate, Westlake Boys High School, Westlake Girls' High School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Forrest Hill?

Use the School Zone Checker on this page. Enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Forrest Hill, Auckland | Postcode, Population & Property Values

Living in Forrest Hill

Forrest Hill sits on Auckland's North Shore between Takapuna, Milford and Sunnynook, around 12 km from the CBD. It's a suburb that most Aucklanders couldn't describe beyond "somewhere near Takapuna", and that vagueness is doing it a favour: the location is genuinely excellent and the prices, while hardly modest, sit a notch below the beach suburbs it borders.

Around 10,000 people live here, in a housing stock that started as 1960s and 70s brick-and-tile and is now intensifying fast, with townhouse developments replacing single houses on the main roads at a pace the original residents have feelings about.

The suburb's defining institution is Westlake Boys High School on Forrest Hill Road, one of the country's largest and most academically consistent secondary schools, whose zone props up local property values with the reliability of a utility stock. Westlake Girls High School sits just over the boundary in Takapuna, completing the double-zone pull.

Becroft Park covers the sports fields, the small Forrest Hill shops handle the dairy run, and the Wairau Valley big-box strip next door covers everything else. The Northern Busway at Sunnynook station puts the CBD around 25 minutes away. Forrest Hill is the Shore's quiet achiever: no beach, no village, no fuss, all zone.

Is Forrest Hill a good place to live?

Forrest Hill is home to roughly 10,053 people across 2.9 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Forrest Hill scores 53 out of 100, with a safety score of 46/100 and 9% green space.

Schools: Forrest Hill has 40 schools in or near the suburb, spanning early-childhood through to secondary education. See the Schools tab below for the full list.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $1.47M, and weekly rent typically sits around $623.

Lifestyle: Forrest Hill has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 13.7°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Forrest Hill is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety46
Amenities92
Schools94
Housing Affordability26
Green space31
Community33
Transport31

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $1.47M
Median Weekly Rent: $623/wk
Median HH Income: $133K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): +0.3%
Data Year: 2023

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.

Nearby Suburbs

Browse all suburbs in Auckland →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Forrest Hill?: Forrest Hill is on Auckland's North Shore, around 12 km from the CBD. It borders Takapuna (south), Milford (east), Sunnynook (north) and the Wairau Valley industrial area (west).
What is Westlake Boys High School?: Westlake Boys High School on Forrest Hill Road is one of New Zealand's largest secondary schools, a state boys' school for years 9 to 13 with a strong academic, music and sporting record.
Is Forrest Hill in the Westlake school zones?: Most of Forrest Hill falls within the zones for both Westlake Boys High School and Westlake Girls High School, which is a major driver of local property demand. Always confirm current zone boundaries with the schools.
What shops are in Forrest Hill?: Forrest Hill has a small local shopping strip on Forrest Hill Road with dairies, takeaways and services. The Wairau Valley big-box retail area and Milford and Takapuna centres are all within a few minutes' drive.
How do I get from Auckland CBD to Forrest Hill?: By car, around 15 to 25 minutes via the Harbour Bridge and Tristram Avenue or Forrest Hill Road exits. The Northern Busway from Sunnynook station takes around 25 minutes to the city.
Which schools are in zone for Forrest Hill?: Children living in Forrest Hill are in zone for Forrest Hill School, Takapuna Normal Intermediate, Wairau Intermediate, Westlake Boys High School, Westlake Girls' High School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.
How do I check my school zone in Forrest Hill?: Use the School Zone Checker on this page. Enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Forrest Hill

Schools in zone for Forrest Hill

Children living in Forrest Hill have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.

Forrest Hill School
Contributing · roll 467 · decile 9
Takapuna Normal Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 714 · decile 10
Wairau Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 338
Westlake Boys High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 2800 · decile 9
Westlake Girls' High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 2295 · decile 9

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Enter your address to check your school zone in Forrest Hill. School enrolment zones (home zones) decide which schools your child has a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Address matching is approximate and based on OpenStreetMap geocoding — confirm an exact result near a zone boundary directly with the school.

Other nearby schools

Schools close to Forrest Hill that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).

Target Road School
Contributing · roll 426 · decile 6 · 1.4 km away
Campbells Bay School
Contributing · roll 788 · decile 10 · 1.5 km away
Milford School (Auckland)
Contributing · roll 561 · decile 9 · 1.5 km away
Sunnynook School
Contributing · roll 495 · decile 8 · 1.6 km away
Carmel College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1107 · decile 9 · 1.7 km away
Wairau Valley Special School
Specialist School · roll 293 · decile 8 · 1.9 km away
Glenfield Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 443 · decile 6 · 2.2 km away
Mairangi Bay School
Contributing · roll 441 · decile 9 · 2.3 km away
Glenfield Primary School
Contributing · roll 295 · decile 7 · 2.4 km away
Sunnybrae Normal School
Contributing · roll 363 · decile 7 · 2.7 km away
Marlborough School
Contributing · roll 400 · decile 7 · 2.8 km away
TKKM o Te Raki Paewhenua
Composite · roll 146 · decile 6 · 2.9 km away
Manuka Primary School
Contributing · roll 232 · decile 6 · 3.0 km away
St John's School (Mairangi Bay)
Contributing · roll 297 · decile 10 · 3.0 km away
Summit Point School
Full Primary · roll 36 · decile 9 · 3.1 km away
St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)
Contributing · roll 414 · decile 9 · 3.1 km away
Takapuna School
Contributing · roll 357 · decile 10 · 3.1 km away
Rosmini College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1209 · decile 9 · 3.2 km away
Rangitoto College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 4172 · decile 9 · 3.3 km away
Glenfield College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 762 · decile 6 · 3.4 km away
Murrays Bay Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 1102 · decile 10 · 3.4 km away
Westminster Christian School
Full Primary · roll 359 · decile 8 · 3.5 km away
Future School
Composite · roll 70 · decile 7 · 3.6 km away
Murrays Bay School
Contributing · roll 707 · decile 10 · 3.6 km away
Onepoto School
Contributing · roll 153 · decile 1 · 3.6 km away
Bayview School
Contributing · roll 382 · decile 7 · 3.8 km away
Northcote Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 663 · decile 6 · 3.8 km away
Willow Park School
Contributing · roll 614 · decile 4 · 3.8 km away
Windy Ridge School
Contributing · roll 196 · decile 7 · 4.3 km away
Vanguard Military School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 169 · decile 3 · 4.7 km away
Browns Bay School
Contributing · roll 610 · decile 10 · 4.8 km away
Hauraki School
Contributing · roll 496 · decile 10 · 4.8 km away
St Mary's School (Northcote)
Contributing · roll 314 · 4.8 km away
Pinehurst School
Composite · roll 1137 · decile 10 · 4.9 km away
Northcote School (Auckland)
Contributing · roll 403 · decile 9 · 5.0 km away

Rubbish & Recycling

Rubbish collection: Monday (weekly)
Recycling & organics: Monday (fortnightly, varies by street)

Collection weeks vary by street in Forrest Hill — use the Auckland Council tool to confirm your exact schedule.

Check your exact collection days on the Auckland Council tool →

Rubbish bin

Non-recyclable general waste. Put out every Monday.

Recycling bin

Paper, cardboard, glass bottles & jars, metal cans, rigid plastic containers. Put out every second Monday.

Food scraps bin

All food scraps and garden organics. Collected every second Monday alongside recycling.

Bin lid colours may vary in some older North Shore and Waitakere properties. The identifying colour is on the lid: rubbish (red), recycling (yellow), food scraps (green).

Collection data sourced from Auckland Council.

Explore Forrest Hill

Things to do(10)

Takapuna Badminton Club

Becroft Park

Becroft Park Tennis Club

North Harbour Badminton Centre

Toddler Toes

GKR Karate

Greville Reserve

Forrest Hill Reservoir

JustWorkout Forrest Hill

Studio 246

Parks & green spaces(3)

Becroft Park

Greville Reserve

Forrest Hill Reservoir

Healthcare(3)

Forrest Hill Family Medical Centre

Forrest Hill Pharmacy

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	23.15	17.1	145.8	10.73
☀️ Feb	23.2	16.73	150.23	10.42
🍂 Mar	21.44	14.74	71.67	10.28
🍂 Apr	19.8	14.34	93.77	8.68
🍂 May	17.29	11.78	114.07	7.73
❄️ Jun	15.42	10.57	115.23	7.12
❄️ Jul	14.69	9.37	173.9	6.87
❄️ Aug	14.74	8.12	106.63	8.04
🌸 Sep	16.08	9.91	112.63	9.34
🌸 Oct	17.31	11.35	126.93	10.08
🌸 Nov	19.34	12.79	135.63	10.87
☀️ Dec	21.79	15.24	144.07	11.11

Living in Forrest Hill

Is Forrest Hill a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Forrest Hill

Schools in zone for Forrest Hill

Forrest Hill School

Takapuna Normal Intermediate

Wairau Intermediate

Westlake Boys High School

Westlake Girls' High School

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

Target Road School

Campbells Bay School

Milford School (Auckland)

Sunnynook School

Carmel College

Wairau Valley Special School

Glenfield Intermediate

Mairangi Bay School

Glenfield Primary School

Sunnybrae Normal School

Marlborough School

TKKM o Te Raki Paewhenua

Manuka Primary School

St John's School (Mairangi Bay)

Summit Point School

St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)

Takapuna School

Rosmini College

Rangitoto College

Glenfield College

Murrays Bay Intermediate

Westminster Christian School

Future School

Murrays Bay School

Onepoto School

Bayview School

Northcote Intermediate

Willow Park School

Windy Ridge School

Vanguard Military School

Browns Bay School

Hauraki School

St Mary's School (Northcote)

Pinehurst School

Northcote School (Auckland)

Rubbish & Recycling

Rubbish bin

Recycling bin

Food scraps bin

Explore Forrest Hill

🎯Things to do(10)

Takapuna Badminton Club

Becroft Park

Becroft Park Tennis Club

North Harbour Badminton Centre

Toddler Toes

GKR Karate

Greville Reserve

Forrest Hill Reservoir

JustWorkout Forrest Hill

Studio 246

🌳Parks & green spaces(3)

Becroft Park

Greville Reserve

Forrest Hill Reservoir

🏥Healthcare(3)

Forrest Hill Family Medical Centre

Forrest Hill Pharmacy

Sunnynook Medical Centre

Eat & Drink in Forrest Hill

🍽️Places to eat & drink(8)

Q Kebab

Things to do(10)

Parks & green spaces(3)

Healthcare(3)

Places to eat & drink(8)

Tradies & services(10)

Shops(3)

Beauty & fitness(13)

Professional services(5)

Places to stay(1)