Last updated October 2026
Roys Hill is a rural locality in Hastings District, set on a low hill and the land around it to the west of Hastings.
State Highway 50 is the way through, running past vineyard country and open paddocks rather than a village street. The public stop is Roy’s Hill Reserve, an 11-hectare green space with picnic tables and tracks for walking and cycling.
The locality takes its name from the hill, which was named for the surveyor and engineer John Roy. It is not a township: everyday shops and schools are back in Hastings, while the hill itself is a place for a picnic, a short ride, or quiet rural living.
Official Locality Facts
- Population (2023 Census)
- About 160, up 15% since 2018
- Land area
- 19.67 km²
- Location
- 11.3 km west of central Hastings
- Council
- Hastings District Council
- Neighbouring suburbs
- Crownthorpe, Raukawa, Bridge Pa, Fernhill, Flaxmere, Maraekākaho
- Getting there
- By road on State Highway 50. The reserve entrance is off State Highway 50, between Gimblett Road and Mere Road. Council maps label the area Roys Hill 4175.
- Nearby landmarks
- Roy’s Hill Reserve; Gimblett Gravels wine district along State Highway 50
Who Lives in Roys Hill
About 160 residents in 50 households. From the 2023 Census, with the New Zealand figure alongside for comparison.
About Roys Hill
Roys Hill is rural Hastings District rather than a suburb of streets and shops. Properties sit along State Highway 50 and Gimblett Road, on and below the hill that gives the locality its name.
The postcode used on the council reserve map is 4175. Land use is a mix of vineyard blocks, lifestyle properties and the public reserve, with no town centre of its own.
The recorded name is European. Local historian Michael Fowler, writing in Hawke’s Bay Today, reports that the Roy’s Hill area takes its name from the hill named after surveyor and engineer John Roy (1823–1864). Roy came to New Zealand from England around 1851 and worked as a surveyor in Wellington.
In 1853 he was appointed Provincial Engineer for the Wellington province. A separate Māori name for this locality was not confirmed in council sources used here, so the guide keeps to the recorded name Roys Hill.
Much of the working land is tied to Hawke’s Bay wine country. Holdings addressed as Roys Hill on State Highway 50 sit in the Gimblett Gravels wine-growing district, a stretch of gravel and silt soils planted in grapes rather than a residential neighbourhood.
On the hill itself, news coverage has reported a 35-lot rural residential subdivision, Limestone Hills, laid out on former farmland, with views over Hawke’s Bay. That is a change in how parts of the hill are used, not a new town centre.
For a visitor, the reason to stop is the reserve. Hastings District Council describes it as popular for family sports, picnics and dogs, and as a place for flying kites.
Seating is provided. There are no public toilets, so bring water and plan accordingly. People who live here need a car: the highway connects the locality to Hastings, but this is open country, not a walkable shopping street.
Getting Around
State Highway 50 is the main road. The council places the reserve entrance between Gimblett Road and Mere Road, which is the practical landmark for finding the public land. Addresses in the locality are rural highway and side-road numbers, not a grid of suburban streets.
No local bus, train or ferry service was confirmed for Roys Hill, so plan to arrive by car. Hastings is the place for fuel, groceries and other daily needs. The drive is short enough for a reserve visit without making a day of it, and long enough that walking in from town is not a realistic option.
Getting Outdoors
Roy’s Hill Reserve is the standout public space. Hastings District Council lists it as an 11-hectare rural green space, with picnic tables and walking and cycling tracks. It is used for family sports and picnics, and the council notes it suits dogs and kite flying. The reserve page does not list an entry charge.
Facilities are basic. Seating is available. Public toilets are not. Maintenance sits under the council’s District Wide Reserve Management Plan. The tracks are a local walk and ride, not a back-country tramp, and the setting is open rural land beside the highway rather than bush reserve.
On the hill above, the outlook takes in the wider Hawke’s Bay landscape, which is part of why lifestyle sites have been created on former farmland there.
Near Roys Hill
Just outside Roys Hill, within 10 km of its centre, nearest first.
Places
Businesses
Where to Learn More
Hastings District Council: Roy’s Hill Reserve: Official notes on size, tracks, access from State Highway 50, seating and the lack of public toilets.
Hawke’s Bay Today: Michael Fowler on John Roy: Local history column on how surveyor John Roy gave his name to the hill and the area.
Hawke’s Bay Today: Limestone Hills on Roy’s Hill: News report on the 35-lot rural residential subdivision on former farmland on the hill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Roys Hill?
Roys Hill is a rural locality in Hastings District, west of Hastings, along State Highway 50. The council locates Roy’s Hill Reserve between Gimblett Road and Mere Road, and labels the area Roys Hill 4175.
Is Roy’s Hill Reserve open to visit?
Yes. It is a Hastings District Council reserve with an entrance off State Highway 50. The council page does not list an entry charge.
Are there public toilets at the reserve?
No. Hastings District Council lists public toilets as not available. Seating and picnic tables are provided, so bring water and plan a short visit.
Can I take a dog to Roy’s Hill Reserve?
The council describes the reserve as popular for dogs. Lead rules are not set out on the reserve page, so check Hastings District Council animal rules before you go.
What can I do there?
Use the walking and cycling tracks, have a picnic, or fly a kite. The council also notes it is popular for family sports. Facilities are limited to open space and seating.
Is there a shop or school in Roys Hill?
No shopping centre or school was identified in the locality. It is rural highway country. Everyday shopping and schooling are in Hastings and other established communities, not on the hill.
How did Roys Hill get its name?
The area takes its name from the hill named after surveyor and engineer John Roy (1823–1864), according to local historian Michael Fowler. He arrived from England around 1851 and was appointed Provincial Engineer for the Wellington province in 1853.
What is Roys Hill like as a place to live?
It suits people who want vineyard and hill country rather than a suburban centre. Homes and lifestyle sites sit along State Highway 50 and on the hill, including the Limestone Hills subdivision on former farmland. A car is essential, and daily services are in Hastings.
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Explore Hastings only lists suburbs officially recognised by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), and Roys Hill is one of them. Suburb boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.