Halfway Bush is the most inland of the suburbs which comprise Dunedin's main urban area, and is at an altitude of 280 metres (920 ft).

From Wakari, the road rises to pass under the Roslyn Overbridge before descending into the centre of the city as Stuart Street.

To the southwest lies Fraser's Gully, a scenic reserve, which separates Halfway Bush from the suburb of Brockville.

A popular alternative route to central Dunedin is via Maori Hill and Drivers Road to George Street.

Halfway Bush mainly consists of Taieri Road and a series of crescents which branch from it.

Prominent buildings in the Halfway Bush area include Halfway Bush School, the local primary school, and two health facilities; Wakari Hospital, which is located at the eastern end of the suburb, and Ashburn Hall, a private psychiatric clinic, at the point where Taieri Road becomes Three Mile Hill Road, close to the suburb's western end.