Ken Tugby

My question is for anyone currently residing in New Zealand. My family has decided to relocate from our home in Northern Ontario, Canada, to New Zealand. Employment won't be a problem (my wife is a teacher and I'm an Audiologist - both in short supply in New Zealand at present), so we will quite likely find work in any major center. My question is: given the chance to live anywhere in New Zealand, where would you live and why? Keep in mind that we have two young children so schools, safe communities, etc., are all a factor. Thanks in advance for your reply.

petrice

I envy you - my husband and I honeymooned in NZ and fell in love with it. I don't know what it is like to live there, but if I were to move, I'd probably go to Auckland. It's the most modern and sophisticated, easy to fly to and from - plus the Bay of Islands is so close for getaways. Christchurch was actually my favorite city in NZ and is a gateway to the great outdoors, but I don't know about many good jobs there outside of tourism - the city itself is rather small. Congratulations on a big move and good luck.

Alison Taylor

Auckland is the biggest city, but the traffic and humidity can both be problems compared with spots further South.
I think you need to set yourself some criteria about what is important to you eg:
Climate: Relatively warm all year + humidity %3DAuckland
Temperate climate + some wind %3D Wellington
Warm summers frost winters+smog: Christchurch
Mild summers, dampish winters + Dunedin

Safety: alll the cities have lots of nice safe middle class suburbs with sound schools - it is not which city but which suburb.

What is key?
Watersports %3D Auckland
Skiing %3D probably Christchurch
Theatre, music, opera, ballet %3D Wellington

Size and facilities: how important is an internatonal airport and night clubs - if city things are not vital there are heaps of laid back secondary centres with good access to beaches, small town values and nice climates: Nelson, Napier, Blenheim, Tauranga..

Melissa

I have lived in both Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand for an overall period of 3 years (have now returned to Sydney) and they are both great places to live but very different from each other.
Wellington, which is my favorite city, is much smaller than Auckland and has a greater sense of commmunity if you know what I mean.
You are always running in to people that you know.
Wellington also has a real cafe culture with fantastic cafes, restaurants,bars and nightclubs.
The weather ,however ,can be very windy and rainy but on a clear, sunny day it is beautiful.
The houses in Wellington remind me of the type found in San Fransico as it is also very hilly there.
The people are also very friendly and there are some good schools.
Auckland is a bigger more cosmopolitan city much more like Sydney.
If you are in to sailing this is the place to be.
Everyone owns a boat in Auckland as it is built around a beautiful harbour (as is Wellington).
The weather here is still not ideal but better than Wellington.
Both cities are safe and clean and gateways to exploring more of N.Z
Good Luck!!

Susan Moore

Initially, an ideal city to relocate in is Wellington. In February of 95, I arrived after departing Chicago & I fell in love with it. For cost of living, accesibility to both islands, and picturesque beautiful weather days - absolutely positively Wellington!

george

I suggest Tauranga.Best place in NZ.

Sue

I have always thougth I would love to live in Dunedin. NOt too big, not too small. A lovely city built on hills overlooking the sea. A univeristy town with restaurants and shopping and good nightlife. Beatufiful gardens everywhere. A little cottage on a cliff would be just the ticket....

George

Winters in Dunedin can be a bit too cold for my liking.

Ken

Ken,<BR><BR>We were relocated to New Zealand for a three year period with my job. We have been here for 2.5 years upto now and I am in no hurry to leave. The job is in Auckland so that is where we live. It is fantastic city. We have two kids and there are endless things for them to do. The climate is ok, warm and humid in summer (although we were in Brisbane before Auckland so the humidity has never concerned us) and cool and wet in winter. I travell alot and really would not be wanting to do that from other major NZ centres as it is often necessary to enter and depart through Auckland. That is often, but not always.<BR><BR>I also travell regularly around NZ, mainly to Wellington and Christchurch. They are both beautifull cities and as the posters have said, all have there attractions.<BR><BR>I agree with Alison. If you could say what is important to you from a work and life perpsective then that my make a decision for you easier. It would be easy to come to Auckland, but you may prefer it elsewhere depending on your lifestyle decision. There are some great regional area's that offer an alternative to the major centre's. It really does depend on what things are most imprtant to your family.<BR><BR>David

Christa

There are also numerous smaller cities to choose from. It all depends on the lifestyle you envisage.<BR><BR>~ I can't speak for the South Island as I'm not so familiar with it. <BR><BR>If you want to keep with the big city feel, head to Auckland...<BR><BR>Wellington still has the big city feel but it is a more intimate experience.<BR><BR>The provincial cities can provide a whole different experiance, the pace of life is easier and more relaxed.<BR>No huge traffic snarl ups to deal with either.<BR>All cities and some small towns are serviced with a good air service so accessing International flights isn't an issue.<BR><BR>My pick would be the coastal towns of the eastern coast...Tauranga, Whakatane, Gisborne.<BR> Great weather, great beaches, great surfing and such a relaxed way of life that you will wonder why you took so long to move there in the first place.

Bill

For anyone interested in immigrating to NZ, I'd suggest you visit the message boards at BritishExpats.com. There are over 40,000 messages regarding immigrating to AU and NZ. The actual address is:<BR>http://britishexpats.com/forum/index...3f50e21e6dbaba