The suburb was designed in 1920 by Samuel Hurst Seager as a garden suburb based on garden-city planning principles. It was designed with curvilinear streets, reserves, croquet lawns and tennis courts.[3]
The Durie Hill Elevator connects the suburb with Anzac Parade.[4] The elevator and tunnel were proposed by Wanganui Chronicle editor John Ball and Technical School engineering instructor Edward Crow, but most residents of the new suburb refused to fund it.[5][6]
A revitalisation programme was launched in 2019, including the introduction of planter boxes and the founding of a village market.[7]
Demographics
Bastia-Durie Hill statistical area covers 2.57 km2 (0.99 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 2,220 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 864 people per km2.
Bastia-Durie Hill had a population of 2,130 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 18 people (0.9%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 9 people (−0.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 900 households, comprising 1,041 males and 1,089 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female. The median age was 46.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 375 people (17.6%) aged under 15 years, 297 (13.9%) aged 15 to 29, 1,011 (47.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 447 (21.0%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 89.0% European/Pākehā, 17.2% Māori, 1.7% Pacific peoples, 3.4% Asian, and 2.0% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 16.2, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.5% had no religion, 35.9% were Christian, 1.8% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% were Hindu, 0.7% were Muslim, 0.6% were Buddhist and 1.8% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 420 (23.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 264 (15.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $33,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 267 people (15.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 879 (50.1%) people were employed full-time, 267 (15.2%) were part-time, and 48 (2.7%) were unemployed.[8]
Education
Durie Hill School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[9] with a roll of 194 as of August 2024.[10]
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