DGH

Hi all,

Anybody know anything about Governors Bay - i.e. how far commute from Christchurch central? local amenities? What it's like to live there?

We are possibly moving to the Christchurch area in January and would like to be out of the city but close enough to commute in. We'd really like a sea view and some local shops.

We made it to Lyttleton Harbour this August but didn't get as far round the bay as Governors so any advice would be greatly appreciated!

zummerzet_lou

My colleague commutes from Cass Bay daily, and think he said takes about 30-40 mins. He loves living there. Governors Bay is a little further along though .. so you'll need to add a bit more.

Jan n Neil

I think Governors Bay suffers from lack of direct sunlight during the later part of the day in wintertime. You might want to check on that. Also, it really isn't a commute I would like to do on dark, potentially snowy, frosty mornings. When it's dark here, it's REALLY dark


Jan

kiwinow

It's a cute little arty community, very pretty in spring and summer anyway - more of a village really and not that many shops. Great if you love fishing and boating and some nice little swimming inlets, but it is about 40 - 50 mins drive I'd say. Cass Bay's nice too. Lyttleton's a bit of a dump, but ChCh has plenty of nice shops.

Kiwi-Irish

yeah Lyttleton is just a shipping port - not nice

Black Sheep

Interesting comment - I don't know anyone who lives in Lyttelton who doesn't absolutely love it! It's about the community spirit they say, and they love their views too. Plus the older Victorian homes there are so much nicer than the more typicaI 'bungalows' and 'villas' elsewhere in Christchurch, and the most modern houses there are also just more interesting too. Lyttelton is particularly appealing to the 'alternative lifestyle' or 'artsy' crowd, or has been so anyway - it will no doubt become 'yuppified', as do all interesting and quaint 'alternative' communities eventually. Certainly the house prices shot up more drastically there in the boom a few years back than in most other Christchurch suburbs. The extremely amusing British writer/columnist Joe Bennett chooses to live there. If it wasn't quite so hilly (which wouldn't bother me as much, I think, if I didn't have kids), if the houses generally got more sun (probably not such a problem higher up the hill) and if I hadn't heard that the air, especially nearer the water, is not so healthy from some kind of port activity (can't remember what exactly), I reckon I'd be happier living there than anywhere else in Chch....

http://www.lyttelton.net.nz/

Re Governors Bay - I know people who are happy living there, and wouldn't live anywhere else. Again, there is the problem (and it's a BIG problem as far as I'm concerned) as mentioned with 'losing' quite a few hours of sun in wintertime. And there's also often the problem of wind (though houses closer to the water tend to be more sheltered from wind). Me personally, I'd hate to have to do that drive over Dyers Pass Road every day. You get used to it, but it's still somewhat dangerous because of the many blind bends in the road, and I can't even imagine trying to drive on it in icy conditions! I've timed it many times by the way, and it takes exactly ten minutes (without traffic) to drive from the start of Dyers Pass Road in Gov's Bay to Cashmere roundabout (junction of Colombo St and Centaurus/Cashmere Rd). Outside of rush hour, you can make it in to town from Cashmere roundabout in as little as 8-10 minutes or so. So it COULD be done in 18-20 minutes, but best to assume up to 30 minutes.

TeamEmbo

I would look around New Brighton and South Brighton areas if its sea views you're after - some bits not as nice as others - you'll see when you drive around it but ok commute into CBD, sea views, some fab and quirky houses and shops.