Think Botany and one word comes to mind: “shopping”.

One of Auckland’s newest suburbs, Botany is very much defined by its shopping centre – one of the biggest in New Zealand.

Botany Town Centre has about 200 shops spread across three complexes and includes restaurants, services, cinemas and an ultra-modern public library. It is situated at the corner of Ti Rakau Drive and Chapel Road and was opened in 2001.

The Centre has been much lauded for its design and the shopping experience it offers. Unlike conventional all-under-one-roof shopping malls, Botany is a genuine town centre with various shopping precincts both indoor and outdoor. There’s heaps of parking and road access through the middle of the centre (although pedestrians have priority!).  It is also a major public transport hub.

In a 2008 rating of New Zealand shopping centres by a retail expert group, Botany Town Centre received three-and-a-half stars, just under the maximum rating of four stars, based on the criteria of amount of shopping area, economic performance, amenity and appeal as well as future growth prospects.  Not resting on its laurels it has recently had a a major re-development and extension 

Opposite the town centre are three busy hubs which offer a collection of specialty stores, family activities and entertainment as well as an array of fast food restaurants.

The surrounding residential areas include examples of modern Kiwi urban architecture ranging from palatial two storey homes to small apartments and home units – all built within the past 30 years.

Botany borders the new and rapidly developing areas of Flat Bush and Ormiston.

Botany Town Centre is found at a major junction with shops on all corners. Botany Town Centre is a large shopping complex of around   200 shops, including chain stores, boutiques, restaurants and a cinema complex.

A major bus station is located here. On opposite sides of the junction are other shops as well as family activities including the Paradise Ice Skating, Laser Tag, and Breakout, the Xtreme bowling alley complex, and various food outlets. 

After the hustle and bustle of a day’s shopping enjoy a quiet stroll in Logan Carr Reserve immediately across the road from the centre. Follow the pathways through to the Kellaway Reserve. Next to the reserve is Botany Downs Secondary College with its ground-breaking design that incorporates a range of environmentally sustainable features to reduce the college’s energy use.  

The centre has a strong community focus with a Public Library, Night Markets, activities for pre-schoolers and various workshops and one-off events.  www.botanytowncentre.co.nz

The Pakuranga Golf Club is situated close by.  

Hawthorn Dene Country Cottage Cafe is an historic home only a short walk up Botany Road.  This is a hidden gem. 

Enter the gates, travel slowly down the treelined driveway and enjoy the peaceful ambiance and country garden.  The cottage is lovingly maintained.  During summer months on sunny Sunday's there is a market held in the garden.  Check their Facebook page for updates.

There is plenty to keep the family busy in the area.

Botany Downs was developed from the late 1990s by the Manukau City Council and private enterprise. At the intersection of two arterial roads – linking Manukau City and central Auckland – it has a mix of medium- and low-density housing, including gated communities.

Rapid suburban development continues in Dannemora and East Tamaki Heights. The district has attracted people from elsewhere in Auckland, as well as new migrants from Asia, South Africa and the Middle East.

Hawthorn Dene Country Cafe can be found on Botany Road in historic grounds and still using the original homestead.