Profiles

Johnsonville

Johnsonville, New Zealand

 (Northern Suburbs)

Johnsonville is a large suburb in northern Wellington, New Zealand. It is seven kilometres north of the city centre, at the top of the Ngauranga Gorge, on the main route to Porirua (State Highway 1). The population of "J'ville" (as it is commonly known) was about 6,500 at the 2001 census.

Johnsonville is a reasonably large residential and commercial suburb. It is the northern terminus of the Tranz Metro dedicated electric passenger rail line to central Wellington, which supports the large commuter population. Housing is spread around the shopping hub in the centre and extends out to the base of Mt Kaukau to the west, and out across the hill towards the suburb of Newlands to the south-east.

Johnsonville has a large infrastructure and is self-sufficient; it has its own shopping mall, two supermarkets, a library and a good number of other retail outlets.

As a part of the Northern Growth Management Plan from Wellington City Council, there exists a proposal to redevelop Johnsonville's main precinct into the "Johnsonville Town Centre." This plan recognises Johnsonville as Wellington's most economically important commercial and population hub outside of the city's central business district. The plan recommends the creation of a unique and identifiable Johnsonville culture around the triangular precinct - bounded by Johnsonville Road to the east, Broderick Road to the south, and Moorefield Road to the West.

The residents of nearby suburbs such as Churton Park, Grenada Village, Newlands, Khandallah, Ngaio and Broadmeadows also utilise its facilities especially for shopping at the Johnsonville Shopping Centre and two supermarkets.

Johnsonville is home to Onslow College, a relatively large high decile co-educational high school, Raroa Normal Intermediate and several primary schools.

• A view of Johnsonville from the Cyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1897