Franklin is still primarily rural and we are proud of our country feel.  Saying this, Pukekohe has three major supermarkets, some "big box" shopping and a lively main street with many restaurants and cafes.  We have beautiful coasts on both sides including the black sand beach of Karioitahi, and the beaches of Port Waikato and the Awhitu Peninsula.  Franklin is only approximately 30 minutes from Manukau City Centre, 50 minutes from downtown Auckland and approximately an hour from Hamilton.  A vibrant town just far enough removed from the bustle of Auckland City to have its own identity but close enough to commute for work and entertainment.  Pukekohe is well known as the vegetable basket of the nation with some well established market garden families calling the Franklin region their home for many generations.  Newcomers to the Franklin area have come from as far away as South Africa and the UK to settle here and add an international flavour to the local community.  Pukekohe racetracks, both horse racing and petrol burning, brings visitors from far and wide injecting the region with excitement and boosting the local economy.