liamhere

whats it like as a place to live
any info would be good

Celticknight

Hi,

We live just outside Whangarei, near Parua Bay abt 20min away.

I work in Whangarei, while the OH works in Kamo.


Been here 6months.

So, are you coming here with a job? I had job offer, OH found work after 2months of applying for every admin position going. Couldn't even get foot in the door for an interview, despite having excellent management qualifications, since found out it is a very strange town to get employment as they employ friends of friends, so its who you know not how good at the job you are.

We have noticed a difference in town more shops and business moving out of town, a lot of empty shops, even the shopping mall is up for a new buyer, shops close at midday on a Saturday so if wants proper shopping you have to visit Albany in Auckland. Nice places to eat, don't know what the night life is like we avoid going into town at night. Weve heard about the gangs and robberies but haven't seen anything, just make sure you get a house with an alarm fitted and heating. We are in a rental that is rural doesn't have any fire or heating and its freezing despite the kiwis saying it doesn't get cold.

Its a couple of hours drive to Auckland which we don't mind and have gone down once a month while we have been here. Its a nice area for scenery, lots of beaches, walking etc. A lot of the seaside places that the kiwis like are up here, Paihi, Russell, Keri Keri are about 1 hrs drive and a nice day out, Weekly farmers markets in town and Keri Keri are good, supermarkets are good and a choice of all 3 main ones, pak n save, countdown and new world. We have all fast food places, department stores not like the ones in the Uk but you can get what you need, try to visit when they have a sale which appears to be most weeks, everyone says don't pay full price wait for the sales.

Got our fair share of idiot drivers, they like to overtake on blind bends and double yellow lines. Couple of areas to avoid living in is Raumanga, tikipunga, parts of Onerahi, East Kamo, so do research first on areas to live. Town and surrounding areas are always clean and tidy they call it a city but its more like a large town compared to what we are used to in the UK, the biggest employer is the hospital, not too sure about schools we don't have kids. They seem to like just working week days and having weekends off which is good and not much overtime. Plenty of time to do fishing and boating which is what everyone up here seems to do. Lots of new houses going into Waipu and One tree point which is the up and coming area to live and work, but we have been informed to be careful of the area as a lot of Chinese investments is moving in there for the planned deep water port, but there some good bargains with houses depending on what you like.
weather when we got here in Jan 2013 was never below 25 degrees every day and we had a drought, middle of winter now and its around 14-16 each day, night times have been cold at around 4 degrees. But we have noticed the weather is better than the UK, we get sun, but we get rain also but it doesn't seem to rain for days. They tell us they don't earthquakes up here and we haven't felt any yet, but with it being so close to the sea we are prone to Tsunami.

If we can help with anything just drop us a PM.

Ian

kiwigeordie

Ian. I don't live there but visit often. Another big employer is the NZ Refining Company in Ruakaka about 40 mins drive south.

As I said, I don't live there but I like the place a lot. Good weather (at least it seems so whenever I've been there) good restaurants around the harbour. It gets quite international touristy when the yachties get in. They sail down from the Islands and coast hop down NZ. Very handy for the 'winterless North' including the Bay of Islands.

I'm not sure about the statement 'prone to tsunamis'. To the best of my knowledge they've never had one yet

Pete

liamhere

thanks for the info guys
partner has been offered job @ the hospital
i have to find work when i get there
Liam

Celticknight

Hi,

The Hospital is BIG, the biggest Employer in the North. Very clean and busy, theres always job vacancies advertised. I visit there for work most days, IT support.

Have you signed up to Seek.co.nz also Trademe.co.nz for jobs.

If your partner is the main Visa applicant, you don't necessary have to get a job in your Field.

The other main employer is Frontera Dairy, Milk producers. Loads of Car garages, tyre outlets etc... many small engineering firms also the Oil Refinery and with the future deep water port planned....


happy to help if you need.


Ian.

Celticknight

Hi Pete,

we get the occasional Tsunami Warning Siren tests. Parua Bay gets some really high tides, comes pretty close to the main road. So there may be a possibility of one, one day.... got some frost the past week. 5*c up here on the hills but frost in the valley below when going to work.

Ian.

kiwigeordie

Hi Ian,

5 deg! You poor bloke
We live at the foot of the Rimutakas so plenty of frosty mornings. Had a shaker this morning but we're too far inland and high up to worry about tsunamis.
Don't know about the weather where you are at the moment but we're having a very mild winter so far.
Pete

kpalm24

hi Liam
What is your wifes job at the hospital? I have also been offered a job there, and hoping to go asap, but realistically sept/oct!