A rural place beside streams in the folds of hills.
The green space between Johnsonville and Tawa along the old Porirua Road
The Glenside Heritage Gardeners are an Accredited Award Provider (AAP) with The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Aotearoa New Zealand | Hillary Award. Click the image above to learn more.
Wild places to explore
Stream sounds
Moonlight
Good neighbours
History and heritage
Enjoying the birds and wildlife
A short guide to Glenside
Glenside is a suburb located between Wellington and Porirua, centrally located at the southern end of New Zealand's North Island. It is mainly rural zoned and is between the neighbouring communities of Johnsonville and Tawa on the old Porirua Road. Hills, streams and rural landscape characterise the area. The resident population is 345 (NZ Statistics, 2013 Census).
Popular places to walk from Thyme Cafe or Glenside Reserve
Glenside Reserve is on the north side of Thyme Cafe. During the week, the No. 60 bus stops outside Thyme Cafe every 20 minutes minutes between Porirua and Johnsonville in both directions. It's hourly in the weekend. There is a small carpark at the historic Halfway House on Glenside Reserve.
Glenside Road - Stebbings Road to Stebbings Dam loop
Walk from Thyme Cafe or Glenside Reserve up historic Glenside Road and the old Stebbings Road to Stebbings dam. Glenside residents have been planting and maintaining the stream sides and natural environment along here every year since 2002. A beautiful walk. Do the loop down Westchester Drive past the early settler memorial back to the Cafe or return down Stebbings road back to the Cafe.
Glenside Reserve loop tracks - 10 or 20 minute loop tracks
At the driveway entrance to Glenside Reserve, turn sharp left in front of the Glenside Reserve sign and take a short ten minute loop walk in Glenside Reserve. Halfway along the route is another ten minute loop. This is an easy grade walk designed for older people and little children. It is an excellent walk during a work break or for a short stroll. No bikes. Dogs on leads.
Historic Halfway House and Heritage Garden 5 mins
Park at Glenside Reserve or walk 5 minutes from Thyme Cafe to the historic Halfway House and heritage garden in Glenside Reserve. The heritage garden is maintained by volunteers. There are park benches to sit on, large lawns and flowers. The house is privately tenanted.
Glenside village area
Glenside Village is built around the streams. The main streams of Belmont Gully, Paparangi, Churton Park and Stebbings Valley converge here. The village area consists of:
Monterey Apartments – there are 91.
A small settlement of about 36 houses.
An economic hub.
Glenside Village is the economic hub of the suburb and is where the popular Café Thyme is, adjacent to the Glenside Reserve and historic Halfway House.
Rural sector
The rural sector has eighteen rural landowners with 21 rural titles.
Glenside Reserves
The largest reserve, of about 12 hectares, was purchased by the Wellington City Council in 1951 with money paid in compensation by Victoria University, then Victoria College, for encroaching on the Wellington Town Belt. Some of it is leased for horse grazing however parts of the reserve are accessible, such as the historic Halfway House and garden and the Glenside Reserve loop tracks.
The regenerating bush on the corner of Middleton Road and Westchester Drive began life as a reserve contribution when the Glenside village was sub-divided and developed in 1930.
History
European settlement dates back to 1840 when the area was called Halfway House and later The Halfway. It is located halfway between Wellington and Porirua.
It was renamed Glenside in 1928 when a Post Office was opened in the community. At the time it was thought the postal service would confuse the name The Halfway with Halfway Bush near Dunedin.
Ngati Toa are the mana whenua.
