Bell Block

The suburb offers excellent amenities for families, including two primary schools catering for Years 1-8, along with a range of early childhood education options. Hickford Park is a major sporting hub, accommodating athletics, rugby league, rugby and cricket, as well as the BMX Club, velodrome and popular children’s bike and pump tracks.

Bell Block is currently the northern end of the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway, which stretches along the coastline from Port Taranaki, with plans to extend the route towards Waitara. New Plymouth Airport is conveniently located just 3.7km away, providing easy access for domestic travel and adding to Bell Block’s appeal as a well connected coastal suburb.

Residents are well served by two main shopping areas, including FreshChoice and The Warehouse, along with local eateries, services and a petrol station. The suburb is also home to a well-regarded golf course and is complemented by a significant and continually growing industrial precinct across State Highway 3.

History: Bell Block has a rich history, with strong connections to Te Āti Awa and European settlement dating from the 1850s. The area played a role in the Taranaki Wars of the 1860s, when the Bell Block Stockade was established. Once predominantly rural farmland, Bell Block later grew around New Plymouth Airport, which was used as an RNZAF training base during World War II, before developing into the thriving residential and industrial suburb it is today.