A Quick Escape Down Centennial Drive

Highschool comes with it’s fair share of stress, what students need is a place to escape to in between studies.

Centennial Drive, located a short walk from Matamata College, is a well-known walkway and picnic area for the Matamata residents, particularly students.  

Despite being only one kilometre long (or a 20-minute walk), it holds many memories and juicy secrets that are held dear by Matamata residents and students alike.  

With a variety of different features along the drive, ‘Centennial’ as the locals call it, really has something for everyone. On sunny days it is an ideal people watching spot. 

Having an area like this so close to the local high school has created a vital addition to many teenagers’ daily routines. When stuck in a crowded classroom for over 5 hours daily, it is important to have an area for students to be able to chill out and reconnect with nature. For Matamata College students, Centennial drive is that place. 

Rhiannon Floyd-Crabbe (18), a former student of Matamata College, is a frequent visitor to Centennial Drive. She says “Centennial Drive is a special place to me. The atmosphere is very inviting and there is much to do in the span of a twenty-minute walk,”.  

Rhiannon said that different areas in Centennial were especially special to her, such as the many picnic areas she sat in during her study breaks and the nature reserve walk she took advantage of almost daily.  

Having a few secrets of her own she admitted, it’s no surprise to many Matamata locals why this area is such a building block to the teenage adventure.  

The teenage experience looks different to all individuals, but the most common patterns are connecting with others on a range of levels, seeking a bit of rebellion and looking to escape mundane classes on particular days. 

“Whether it be evading your mother, so she won’t see you illegally driving passengers or running away from French class, Centennial is the place to be.”

Rhiannon Floyd-Crabbe

While these are some of the uses at the forefront of Centennial Drive for high school students, Rhiannon said that it is also a great place of relaxation with two different fountain areas and a nature reserve walk. “In between the chaos there is an amazing peaceful and natural atmosphere.”  

If you fancy a wander down Centennial Drive, find out more here.