RobClubley

After livinig here for 15 months and doing some exploring I'd still choose Welly as the place to be. I work in IT so that narrows the choices to the big population centres but I love Wellington - the scenery, culture, size, houses. It's all good!

Batty

Well Soulflour will be able to tell you a lot more than I can but I do know a little (very little). My best friend is from Whangarei so when I go up there with her it's different than just seeing it with a tourist's eyes. It's a town of about 46,000 people and has all the shops that you'd get in most NZ malls. It's less than 2 hours from Auckland so it's easy to get a big city fix if you need/want it. The property is a lot cheaper than Auckland. But for me, the big draw is the Basin. It's the waterfront area and one of my favourite places to visit. Shops, cafes/restaurants, marina - it's just lovely.

We got it into our heads (after one of my visits) that we'd like to live up there so we went one day as potential house hunters and tbh we wouldn't like to live in the town/city. There's lots of areas outside it though that look like really good value for money. And their speedway track is not as good as Auckland's so it'll take a lot to get Mr B to move But, I'm nothing if not determined so..... we'll see

Here's a few pics of the Basin area to whet your appetite (for Georgina too) (sorry, I don't know how to make them thumbnails).

pixi-dust

Whangarei is our nearest big city - I go there about 3 times a month - not cos I have to but cos I just fancy a day out or something! I can't say what it would be like to live there as I don't, but i do like it. Batty is right the basin is really lovely - last time I was there there were street shows on - juggling and stuff.

But Soulflour is your woman, she lives about 20 minutes away.

Enfield

Hi Guys
We have lived in Whangarei for 4 years now and love it. For us there is a good mix of town and country, with about 60,000 people living in the Whangarei district it is not the one shop village that some people think with all the big stores now moving to town you don't have to go to Auckland for anthing (unless you want to get stuck in traffic of breath exhaust ha ha).

However that said it is still enough of a small town that you will get to know people in shops - many times I have taken an item home and they have said pay next time you are in town.

I have found that Northland has a more laid back feel which leads to a better lifestyle. I have not found any great difference in the prices up here and in some cases it is cheaper if you go to local growers and look for deals - we recently got 1/4 of a cow for $200 and now have the freezer full of Angus steak.

Houses are getting more expensive here starting with about $270 for a nice place in town - we have a big old villa on 2 acres 10K north of the town centre that is worth around $600 now

I must say however that I worked in Welly for a time as we have an office down there and I like the place but it is much colder that up here - I quite often phone the Welly office with a weather report just to p#@s them off ha ha.

What Co. do you have a job offer with ?

If you have any more specific info you want just ask

Cheers

Darren

Batty

Hi Darren - 60,000? Cool. Thanks for that.

Jack The Lad

And a very nice place is it too

How's my Orchard growing?

Enfield

Hi Jack
Your orchard is going just great, the peaches have gone and so have the plums now but the limes are starting to come back and of course we have loads of lemons. However I did get in trouble with Rachel for shooting lemons of the trees the other day ! - you know what it's like you have a gun you get bored so the lemon gets it ha ha

Jack The Lad

Well they proberly deserved it. Naughty lemons

Amber and Chris

hey thanks for the Whangerai info (NZ family have also now helped us with how to say it properly - feel like an idiot foreigner). You all are so great. Multi-karma.

It does look rather nice from those piccies. What do you know about the libraries there? (OH is a librarian). Any good?

I don't like to say who contacted me re: a job in case i jinx it!! But if they want to interview me after seeing my CV etc then I will want all the info you can find. By my spy!

OOOh I am jumpy waiting to hear about the job poss. Fidget fidget. At least Sunday here is Monday there so I could potentially hear from them tomorrow!

Hasn't anyone chosen Invercargill yet?!

Enfield

Hi
Glad the info helped, re the library they have just built a brand new one and have the following website www.whangarei-libraries.com

Cheers

Darren

Squidge

Tried Tauranga, difficult to find work and low pay, now in AKL, more job prospects better pay. Some lovely rural areas to live or town life if you prefer. If you are used to commuting in the UK anywhere in AKL would be okay as the motorway is always a nightmare !!