Shiel Hill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shiel Hill
Suburb
Shiel Hill Location in New Zealand
Country	New Zealand
Local authority	Dunedin
Area
• Land	137 ha (339 acre)
Population  (June 2022)
• Total	1,800

Shiel Hill is a neighborhood in Dunedin, a city in New Zealand. It's located on the southeastern side of the city, about 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) southeast of the city center. Shiel Hill is at the start of the Otago Peninsula, near where it connects to the mainland.

The name "Shiel Hill" tells you a lot about it. It's built on the side of a hill, which is the beginning of a long ridge that runs along the peninsula. The higher parts of these slopes are often called Highcliff. This name is also used for the last parts of Dunedin's urban area before the land becomes more rural. However, the name "Highcliff" actually refers to a specific cliff on the Pacific Ocean coast, about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) east of Shiel Hill.

Shiel Hill is mostly a place where people live. There are a few shops on its main road, Highcliff Road. These shops are found where Shiel Hill meets the nearby neighborhood of Andersons Bay. At this spot, several roads meet, including Silverton Street (which goes down to Andersons Bay and is the main way to central Dunedin) and Tomahawk Road (which leads to Dunedin's coastal areas like Tahuna and Ocean Grove).

Exploring Shiel Hill's Landmarks

One cool place in Shiel Hill is Rotary Park. It's a small public park that surrounds some water reservoirs. These reservoirs hold water for the homes on the peninsula's hills. The park is located high above the Otago Harbour, with steep slopes dropping 166 meters (545 feet) down to the water near a place called The Cove.

From Rotary Park, you can see amazing views! You can look across the harbor to central Dunedin in the northwest, Signal Hill to the north, and Port Chalmers to the northeast. It's a great spot to take in the scenery.

In 1995, Shiel Hill was in the news because of a sad event that happened nearby on Every Street. This event led to a very famous legal case in New Zealand, which involved the Bain family.

Highcliff Road and Beyond

East of Shiel Hill, Highcliff Road meets McKerrow Street, which connects Shiel Hill to the neighborhood of Waverley. Highcliff Road then continues along the top of the peninsula, eventually going down to Portobello. Many places on the peninsula between central Dunedin and Portobello, especially those not right on the Otago Harbour coast, can be reached from this road. These include places like Sandfly Bay, Pukehiki, Boulder Beach, and Hoopers Inlet.

Another road to Ocean Grove, called Centre Road, joins Highcliff Road about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) east of Shiel Hill. Even though Highcliff Road can be winding and narrow, it's very popular with tourists. Its high location offers fantastic views across the peninsula and the harbor.

Arthur's Seat and the War Memorial

A significant landmark near Shiel Hill on Highcliff Road is the Otago Peninsula Fallen Soldiers' Memorial. This war memorial sits on top of a 225-meter (738-foot) peak called Arthur's Seat. This name comes from a similar hill in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The monument is 10 meters (33 feet) tall and was designed by E. H. Walden and R.A. Hosie. It stands on a rocky point known as Cadzow Rock and was officially opened in March 1923. Because of its high location at the western end of the peninsula, you can see it from many parts of central Dunedin.

Who Lives in Shiel Hill?

Shiel Hill covers an area of 1.37 square kilometers (0.53 square miles). In 2018, it had an estimated population of 1,701 people. This means about 1,242 people live in each square kilometer.

According to the 2018 New Zealand census, Shiel Hill had 1,701 residents. This was an increase of 102 people (6.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 165 people (10.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 618 households in the area.

There were slightly more females (861) than males (840). The average age of people living in Shiel Hill was 40.7 years. About 20.3% of the residents were under 15 years old, and 14.6% were 65 or older.

Most people in Shiel Hill (81.1%) identified as European/Pākehā. Other groups included Māori (6.9%), Pacific peoples (2.1%), and Asian (15.0%). Some people identified with more than one ethnic group. About 26.3% of the residents were born outside New Zealand.

When it came to religion, 54.5% of people said they had no religion. About 35.3% were Christian. Other religions included Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist.

Many adults in Shiel Hill have a good education. About 36.3% of people aged 15 or older had a bachelor's degree or higher. Most adults were employed, with 51.5% working full-time and 18.4% working part-time.

Images for kids

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  The small settlement of Challis sits at the harbour's edge below the Otago Peninsula Fallen Soldiers' Memorial, a major local landmark.