These suburbs straddle the boundary between urban streets, rolling pasture and the bush-clad foothills of the Waitakere Ranges. This means that the suburban areas benefit from the close proximity of wide open and wild spaces, and those nestled in the country have easy access to urban amenities. A ride through Ranui shows wonderful splashes of colour: the beautiful Summerland Primary School or a green mural on the inside of a railway overpass. Waitakere township has all the charm of a country town. Massey North folk like to call their area Westgate, an area which is considered to be more modern, upmarket and urban than plain old Massey. More young adults are coming into “sleepytown” Swanson now, attracted by affordability, good schools, and the sense that it’s the gateway to the Waitakere Ranges and the western beaches.