Paul’s personal tour of Hamilton
Hi, I’m Paul Miller, RMO Unit manager at Waikato DHB.
Here’s a quick intro to Hamilton. It’s a city that’s really grown up in the past 10 years.
It’s got the buzz of Auckland without the traffic jams and queues.
You can get lost in Auckland, but you can find yourself in Hamilton. There’s a great mix of things to do, depending on what you like.
A short walk from Waikato Hospital gets you to a lake with rowing club, jogging/walking track and ten million pukekos. This lake and the Waikato River are icons of Hamilton. There's something sane and soothing about water that balances the hustle and bustle of the hospital.
That’s Waikato Hospital in the background, on the hill.
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If you want restaurants, nightclubs and pubs then we have one of the best party precincts in the Hood Street/Victoria Street area. On Friday and Saturday nights this place is revved up and heaps of fun.
But if you just want a meal with friends or family, or cafes that offer a relaxed brunch and a decent coffee, then stroll all the way up Victoria Street. You'll find Thai, Middle Eastern, regional Indian, authentic Chinese, eclectic vegetarian, sushi, steak and chips or gourmet hamburgers.
All in easy walking distance. |
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This is late morning in Hood Street. Nice and easy, cafe style.
The guys who run this place also own Momento, the cafe just across the road from Waikato Hospital and very popular with docs.
Behind me, that brick building is ArtsPost, which is a hub for Waikato artists and you can dabble in some great night classes there if you want to discover your inner Van Gogh.
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 And just along from there is the Waikato Museum. Very cool exhibitions.
If you're into music (from classical to musicals to live bands) we've got that too. There's an excellent summer arts festival based at Hamilton Gardens every year - jazz, Shakespeare, stand-up comedy in wonderful parks and pavillions on the edge of the mighty Waikato River.
Every other year staff from all over the Waikato DHB put on a Hospital Revue with skits and musical items. It raises thousands of dollars for a nominated health charity. |
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G8 2 whr?
Into the Waikato Westpac Stadium – home to the Waikato provincial rugby team and the Chiefs Super 14 team – they’ve got a strong connection with Waikato Hospital and often come up to visit the kids wards.
OK, they're not the top NZ team, but "Mooloo fever" is something special. We've even been known to hang the Waikato rugby colours from the top of the Menzies block at the hospital. |
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Hamiltonians love sporting events. This stadium is the place to be for the big games.
Fans ringing cowbells, some crazy guy called Possum up a crane revving a chainsaw... I kid you not.
In 2011 we’re hosting three pool games for the World Cup Rugby matches here. It’ll be brilliant. |
Just around the corner from the stadium and I’m right in the middle of the V8 home straight.
This is where Hamilton streets get a quick makeover and are transformed into a top quality international V8 street racing circuit for a week each year. It's one of the biggest events in New Zealand's sporting calendar in terms of the numbers of people who pour into this city to watch it.
Become an honorary petrolhead and get into it!
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Complete contrast – just down the road. Frankton markets early on a Saturday morning. This market is a Hamilton institution. A real mixing pot of ethnicities. Great bargains. Food, veges, clothes, music, books, toys...
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I just couldn't resist these!
There’s a Hamilton Farmers Market too if you love slow food and talking to the person who grew it!
And some great market days and second-hand shops in the smaller towns around the Waikato.
| Ideal thing is this: in Hamilton it takes less than 20 minutes to get right across town – that’s in peak times. You can park and walk without hassles. You can jog along the mighty Waikato River, catch a zany photography exhibition, lunch at a café and then drive five minutes up the road to start an afternoon shift at the hospital. Everything’s here, from shopping malls to cutting edge fashion designers, intimate movie theatres to the full-on 3D experience, from backyard BBQs to the amazing Hamilton Gardens….and I still haven’t told you about weekends over at Raglan’s surf beach or going skiing at Mt Ruapehu. Don’t get me started! You can even head up to Auckland for a change – it’s only an hour and a half by car - but allow time for the traffic jams when you get there... We’ve got it. Come and share it. You’re welcome.
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