Where is Totara Vale?

Tōtara Vale is on Auckland's North Shore, around 12 km from the CBD, between Glenfield (west), Sunnynook (east) and the Wairau Valley (south).

What is near Totara Vale?

Glenfield Mall, the Wairau Valley retail strip and the Sunnynook busway station are all within minutes, with the Kaipātiki bush reserves threading the suburb's gullies.

What schools serve Totara Vale?

Target Road School is the local state primary. Most secondary students attend Glenfield College, with parts of the suburb reaching the Westlake school zones; confirm boundaries with the schools.

Is Totara Vale good for first-home buyers?

Tōtara Vale has long been one of the Shore's more accessible suburbs, with 1960s and 70s housing, bush surroundings and busway access at prices below the coastal suburbs nearby.

How do I get from Auckland CBD to Totara Vale?

By car, around 15 to 25 minutes via the Harbour Bridge and Tristram Avenue or Glenfield Road. Northern Busway services from Sunnynook station reach the city in around 20 minutes.

Which schools are in zone for Tōtara Vale?

Children living in Tōtara Vale are in zone for Glenfield Intermediate, Target Road School, Wairau Intermediate. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Tōtara Vale?

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.

Tōtara Vale, Auckland | Postcode, Population & Property Values

Living in Tōtara Vale

Tōtara Vale sits in the middle of Auckland's North Shore between Glenfield, Sunnynook and the Wairau Valley, around 12 km from the CBD, and it is the suburb equivalent of the dependable friend nobody thinks to photograph. Around 6,000 people live here, in 1960s and 70s housing threaded through bush gullies, and a growing number of them are first-home buyers who worked out the arithmetic: Shore address, Shore schools, Shore bush, minus the Shore beach premium.

The gullies are the underrated asset. The Kaipātiki area's native bush runs fingers through the suburb, putting tūī in the back gardens and walking tracks at the end of ordinary streets, a green network the flat suburbs would pay handsomely to import.

The practical map is strong: Glenfield Mall sits minutes west, the Wairau Valley's big-box sprawl minutes east, and the Sunnynook busway station within reach for the 20-minute express glide to the city. Nothing in Tōtara Vale is far from anything, which is the whole pitch.

Target Road School holds down the local primary years, with most secondary students heading to Glenfield College or into the Westlake zones at the margins. Tōtara Vale will never trend. The buyers who got in early consider this the entire point.

Is Tōtara Vale a good place to live?

Tōtara Vale is home to roughly 6,435 people across 1.7 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Tōtara Vale scores 42 out of 100, with a safety score of 40/100 and 11% green space.

Schools: Tōtara Vale has 53 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 $1.00M, and weekly rent typically sits around $552.

Lifestyle: Tōtara Vale has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 13.1°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Tōtara Vale 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

Safety40
Amenities48
Schools59
Housing Affordability37
Green space35
Community44
Transport31

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $1.00M
Median Weekly Rent: $552/wk
Median HH Income: $108K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): -2.3%
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 Totara Vale?: Tōtara Vale is on Auckland's North Shore, around 12 km from the CBD, between Glenfield (west), Sunnynook (east) and the Wairau Valley (south).
What is near Totara Vale?: Glenfield Mall, the Wairau Valley retail strip and the Sunnynook busway station are all within minutes, with the Kaipātiki bush reserves threading the suburb's gullies.
What schools serve Totara Vale?: Target Road School is the local state primary. Most secondary students attend Glenfield College, with parts of the suburb reaching the Westlake school zones; confirm boundaries with the schools.
Is Totara Vale good for first-home buyers?: Tōtara Vale has long been one of the Shore's more accessible suburbs, with 1960s and 70s housing, bush surroundings and busway access at prices below the coastal suburbs nearby.
How do I get from Auckland CBD to Totara Vale?: By car, around 15 to 25 minutes via the Harbour Bridge and Tristram Avenue or Glenfield Road. Northern Busway services from Sunnynook station reach the city in around 20 minutes.
Which schools are in zone for Tōtara Vale?: Children living in Tōtara Vale are in zone for Glenfield Intermediate, Target Road School, Wairau Intermediate. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.
How do I check my school zone in Tōtara Vale?: 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 Tōtara Vale

Schools in zone for Tōtara Vale

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

Glenfield Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 443 · decile 6
Target Road School
Contributing · roll 426 · decile 6
Wairau Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 338

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Enter your address to check your school zone in Tōtara Vale. 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 Tōtara Vale that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).

Wairau Valley Special School
Specialist School · roll 293 · decile 8 · 1.5 km away
Glenfield Primary School
Contributing · roll 295 · decile 7 · 1.6 km away
Manuka Primary School
Contributing · roll 232 · decile 6 · 1.6 km away
Westminster Christian School
Full Primary · roll 359 · decile 8 · 1.8 km away
Sunnynook School
Contributing · roll 495 · decile 8 · 1.8 km away
Forrest Hill School
Contributing · roll 467 · decile 9 · 1.9 km away
Glenfield College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 762 · decile 6 · 2.1 km away
Westlake Boys High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 2800 · decile 9 · 2.2 km away
Bayview School
Contributing · roll 382 · decile 7 · 2.2 km away
Marlborough School
Contributing · roll 400 · decile 7 · 2.3 km away
TKKM o Te Raki Paewhenua
Composite · roll 146 · decile 6 · 2.4 km away
Westlake Girls' High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 2295 · decile 9 · 2.7 km away
Mairangi Bay School
Contributing · roll 441 · decile 9 · 2.7 km away
Campbells Bay School
Contributing · roll 788 · decile 10 · 2.8 km away
Carmel College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1107 · decile 9 · 2.9 km away
Milford School (Auckland)
Contributing · roll 561 · decile 9 · 3.0 km away
Sunnybrae Normal School
Contributing · roll 363 · decile 7 · 3.0 km away
Vanguard Military School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 169 · decile 3 · 3.1 km away
Rangitoto College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 4172 · decile 9 · 3.2 km away
St John's School (Mairangi Bay)
Contributing · roll 297 · decile 10 · 3.2 km away
Windy Ridge School
Contributing · roll 196 · decile 7 · 3.2 km away
Takapuna Normal Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 714 · decile 10 · 3.4 km away
Murrays Bay Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 1102 · decile 10 · 3.6 km away
Willow Park School
Contributing · roll 614 · decile 4 · 3.6 km away
Pinehurst School
Composite · roll 1137 · decile 10 · 3.7 km away
Albany Junior High School
Secondary (Year 7-10) · roll 1127 · decile 9 · 3.7 km away
Birkdale North School
Contributing · roll 142 · decile 5 · 3.8 km away
Upper Harbour Primary School
Contributing · roll 348 · decile 10 · 3.8 km away
Murrays Bay School
Contributing · roll 707 · decile 10 · 3.9 km away
Rosmini College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1209 · decile 9 · 4.0 km away
Summit Point School
Full Primary · roll 36 · decile 9 · 4.0 km away
Northcote Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 663 · decile 6 · 4.0 km away
Onepoto School
Contributing · roll 153 · decile 1 · 4.0 km away
St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)
Contributing · roll 414 · decile 9 · 4.1 km away
Kristin School
Composite · roll 1745 · decile 10 · 4.2 km away
Birkdale Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 229 · decile 6 · 4.3 km away
Takapuna School
Contributing · roll 357 · decile 10 · 4.3 km away
Verran Primary School
Contributing · roll 208 · decile 8 · 4.4 km away
Pinehill School (Browns Bay)
Contributing · roll 384 · decile 8 · 4.4 km away
Birkenhead College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 489 · decile 6 · 4.6 km away
Birkdale Primary School
Contributing · roll 190 · decile 5 · 4.6 km away
Albany School
Contributing · roll 622 · decile 9 · 4.7 km away
Beach Haven School
Contributing · roll 416 · decile 4 · 4.7 km away
City Impact Church School
Composite · roll 353 · 4.8 km away
St Mary's School (Northcote)
Contributing · roll 314 · 4.8 km away
Northcote College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1618 · 4.9 km away
Albany Senior High School
Secondary (Year 11-15) · roll 786 · decile 9 · 4.9 km away
Future School
Composite · roll 70 · decile 7 · 4.9 km away
Browns Bay School
Contributing · roll 610 · decile 10 · 5.0 km away
Greenhithe School
Contributing · roll 458 · decile 10 · 5.0 km away

Rubbish & Recycling

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

Collection weeks vary by street in Tōtara Vale — 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 Friday.

Recycling bin

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

Food scraps bin

All food scraps and garden organics. Collected every second Friday 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 Tōtara Vale

Things to do

Attractions and activities for this area haven’t been catalogued yet.

Parks & green spaces

Parks and reserves for this area haven’t been catalogued yet.

Healthcare(1)

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	22.71	17.02	6.35	10.03
☀️ Feb	22.83	15.95	5.81	10.36
🍂 Mar	20.86	13.63	2.25	10.1
🍂 Apr	19.54	14.06	3.17	8.51
🍂 May	16.92	11.31	4.2	7.73
❄️ Jun	15.41	10.29	3.72	7.36
❄️ Jul	14.43	8.71	4.27	7.27
❄️ Aug	14.53	7.37	2.52	8.17
🌸 Sep	16.13	10.23	3.32	9.36
🌸 Oct	17.43	11.25	3.42	10.19
🌸 Nov	19.25	12.36	2.93	11.03
☀️ Dec	22.07	15.15	4.28	11.34

Living in Tōtara Vale

Is Tōtara Vale a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Tōtara Vale

Schools in zone for Tōtara Vale

Glenfield Intermediate

Target Road School

Wairau Intermediate

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

Wairau Valley Special School

Glenfield Primary School

Manuka Primary School

Westminster Christian School

Sunnynook School

Forrest Hill School

Glenfield College

Westlake Boys High School

Bayview School

Marlborough School

TKKM o Te Raki Paewhenua

Westlake Girls' High School

Mairangi Bay School

Campbells Bay School

Carmel College

Milford School (Auckland)

Sunnybrae Normal School

Vanguard Military School

Rangitoto College

St John's School (Mairangi Bay)

Windy Ridge School

Takapuna Normal Intermediate

Murrays Bay Intermediate

Willow Park School

Pinehurst School

Albany Junior High School

Birkdale North School

Upper Harbour Primary School

Murrays Bay School

Rosmini College

Summit Point School

Northcote Intermediate

Onepoto School

St Joseph's Catholic School (Takapuna)

Kristin School

Birkdale Intermediate

Takapuna School

Verran Primary School

Pinehill School (Browns Bay)

Birkenhead College

Birkdale Primary School

Albany School

Beach Haven School

City Impact Church School

St Mary's School (Northcote)

Northcote College

Albany Senior High School

Future School

Browns Bay School

Greenhithe School

Rubbish & Recycling

Rubbish bin

Recycling bin

Food scraps bin

Explore Tōtara Vale

🎯Things to do

🌳Parks & green spaces

🏥Healthcare(1)

Foot Mechanics Wairau Valley

Eat & Drink in Tōtara Vale

🍽️Places to eat & drink(4)

SG Coffee

La Petite Noix Vegan Cake Shop

Target Road Bakery

Things to do

Parks & green spaces

Healthcare(1)

Places to eat & drink(4)

Tradies & services(11)

Shops(4)

Beauty & fitness(3)

Professional services(1)

Places to stay(1)