Story: Suburbs

Stuck in the suburbs

By 1965 the sprawling state-housing suburb of Cannons Creek, Porirua East, had been developed over what were formerly gorse-clad hills. In the 1960s the new suburbs sprawling across New Zealand's urban landscape came under attack for failing to provide a sense of community for many of their residents. People who did not fall into the ideal nuclear family pattern, such as teenagers, the elderly or single people, spoke of feeling isolated, bored or lonely in the suburbs. Listen to this clip from a 1966 radio documentary to hear what some of them thought.

Sound file from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives Ngā Taonga Kōrero. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. To request a copy of the recording, contact Sound Archives Ngā Taonga Kōrero (Living on the fringe – some comments on the suburban scene/Reference number T969).

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1965/3606

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Mark Derby, 'Suburbs - New suburbs, 1950s–1970s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/speech/25070/stuck-in-the-suburbs (accessed 28 March 2024)

Story by Mark Derby, published 11 Mar 2010