Flaxmere

Flaxmere is a satellite suburb of Hastings city in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand.

Understand

Flaxmere has a population of 10,000. It was originally intended as a housing development area so Hastings could continue to grow without damaging the valuable horticultural land of the Heretaunga Plains, although it is still technically built on the Heretaunga Plains. Because of this Flaxmere is built on poor soil, and not much grows there. In recent times the value of the gravel-filled soil that Flaxmere is built around has been recognized, leading to a proliferation of vineyards. These vineyards produce some of the best wine in the world.

Get in

• Turn left at the huge roundabout where Omahu road leaves Hastings and crosses State Highway 2a
• Enter near Flaxmere from the Bridge Pa aerodrome

See

Being a suburb that was planned with modern town planning knowledge (about 1964) Flaxmere has many large and varied green spaces that are good value to explore.

• Flaxmere Park. This huge park has very nice rose gardens and is interesting to explore.
• Flaxmere Avenue. Travels the length of Flaxmere from one end to the other.

Do

• Flaxmere is surrounded by many of Hawke's Bay's more famous wineries and vineyards
• Flaxmere Waterworld, Swansea Rd, +64 6 8797676. A large heated indoor swimming pool. Cost $1 to get into the heated pools. They have huge inflatable toys for the kids to play on.
• Flax Rock Adventure Centre, 8 Swansea Rd. Indoor rock climbing and other activities. 

Buy

• Most of Flaxmere's CBD is on a long strip along Swansea Road.
• Rural roads leading into Flaxmere offer roadside produce stalls and shops

Drink

Like most of Hastings, Flaxmere is surrounded by a number of wineries. All are excellent places to eat and drink. All of the hours presented here are cellar door hours (eg when one can look around and purchase) – restaurant hours are probably different, best to check

• Crossroads Winery, 1747 Korokipo Rd, State Highway 50 (between Fernhill and Taradale), ☎ +64 6 879 9737. Daily 11AM-4:30PM.  

• Trinity Hill Winery, 2396 State Highway 50, RD 5, Fernhill, ☎ +64 6 879 7778. Daily 10AM-5PM.  

• Te Awa Winery, 2375 State Highway 50, RD 5, ☎ +64 6 879 7602. Daily 10AM-4PM. Quite nice. Offers a la carte dining noon-2:30PM 

• Unison Vineyards, 2163 State Highway 50, ☎ +64 6 877 7913. M-Sa 9AM-5PM.  

• Hatton Estate Vineyard & Winery, 124 Gimblett Rd (off State Highway 50), ☎ +64 6 870 4777. Daily 10AM-5PM.  

• Matariki Wines, 52 Kirkwood Rd (off Omahu Rd), ☎ +64 6 879 6226. Daily 10AM-5PM. Groups and tours by arrangement. Has cheese boards. 

Sleep

Flaxmere itself has little accommodation, most local lodging being in the rest of Hastings.

• Flaxmere Tavern, Swansea Rd, ☎ +64 6 873 9027.