looking for sunny rural area

[guzzis3]

Hi,

I am sorry to be launching another thread in this section. I have been reading back through the threads but haven't really found what I'm after.

I live in Brisbane now. I'm wanting to come to NZ to have a look for somewhere to move to. Time in the first trip will be limited so I need to choose a small number of places to check out.

The criteria is: Warm, sunny, preferably elevated (no ditches or floods), rural, no crowds/traffic, little crime as possible (I have read here that crime in some places is a problem), as few earthquakes as possible (), a couple of hours drive to population centre for those occasional medical and other needs. Work is not a consideration, I'll be retiring (again). I would prefer not to live right on the coast, 10 - 20 kms inland would be nice. I'm looking for about a hectare that I can put in an orchard and veg garden, and some chooks, and a cat, and a big big shed....

I first thought Northlands (Dargaville etc) or Coromandel/Thames would be the ticket, but I'm wondering if I should have a look at Nelson etc or other places.

My partner (we've only been together 12 years so clearly too soon to get married) has a cronic illness so we can't move round that fast, so I have to develop a short list.

Sorry for the bother. Any thoughts most appreciated. Pointers to threads or websites also most appreciated.

[Jo Jo]

The Coromandel peninsula does sound ideal, especially if work is not a consideration. There are loads of places here that meet your criteria... well, loads may be pushing it, but a few, anyway. As well as Thames and Coromandel, check out Whitianga and Tairua, and some of the villages along the coast road. If you really want to be 10 to 20 km away from the coast, then your choice is going to be a bit more limited because most of the settlements here are along the coast road and the interior is mainly forest and hills, but I know there are places available to buy outside Tairua which are elevated, plus there are lifestyle blocks on the 309 road between Whitianga and Coromandel, and along the Tapu-Coroglen road which goes between, er, Tapu and Coroglen (Tapu is just outside Thames and Coroglen is a few kms from Whitianga).

Have you looked at lifestyle blocks on http://www.realestate.co.nz/?

[Ally Bally Bee]

Kauaeranga Valley, Thames or the Maratoto Valley just 20km out of Thames are two suggestions. Former Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons lives up the Kauaeranga Valley and is off the grid. My sister-in-law lives up Maratoto - nice river to swim in, close enough to town but far enough away.
Both are on the edges of the Coromandel Forest Park.

Or how about somewhere in Eastern Bay of Plenty? Opotiki, Whakatane that general area? Yes there are earthquakes but nothing too extreme.\

Good luck with your recce.

Alison

[Ally Bally Bee]

Jo Jo we cross posted! How could I have forgotten the Tapu Coroglen? Absolutely gorgeous!

I saw an amazing house for sale up there once but it was waaaay out of our price range.

Also Hikuai could suit, not too far from Tairua.

[guzzis3]

Have you looked at lifestyle blocks on http://www.realestate.co.nz/?

I think I may well have looked at EVERY lifestyle block on that site! Unfortunately you can only glean so much by remote control. I need to be "on the ground" to get a feel for a place and unfortunately I will have only a few weeks initially and hope to use it for best results.

SWMBO suggested Coromandel area early on.

Thank you both very much for the responses. I probably don't need specific roads, just areas to look in, but thanks for the recommendations

[Jo Jo]

I think I may well have looked at EVERY lifestyle block on that site!

Ha ha, me too!

Thank you both very much for the responses. I probably don't need specific roads, just areas to look in, but thanks for the recommendations

You're welcome. You'll find when you come on your recce that a lot of people on the Coromandel will refer to specific roads in lieu of places - I think it's because there are so few roads outside the towns, and so few towns as well, that the roads are referred to as places in themselves, if you see what I mean.

Hopefully someone will be along to fill you in on Nelson and other similar places soon.

[alldone]

My parents had a holiday house on the Tapu-Coroglen road (about 2km from the Tapu side). I now live in Nelson. Both are nice areas but quite different in style. It may be worth seeing both.

In terms of sun, Nelson/Tasman (other side of the bay) and Blenheim have an edge over the Coromandel, although are colder in winter being further south (and less overcast). I suspect that around Nelson property prices are likely to be more than in the non-coastal parts of the Coromandel.

Hard to live >10km from the sea in either of these areas although up towards Wakefield away from Nelson would fulfill that. However you get elevated very quickly even quite near the sea and there is some advantage in temperature eveness of living relatively close to the sea. Also with the number of hills around you wouldn't know you were near the sea even if only a couple of km away (either area).

If there is a need to attend hospitals fairly regularly you should possibly consider living closer to a centre than 2 hours - likewise 2 hours to hospital is a long time in an emergency and the helicopters don't always get there that quickly.

[Kanga]

Coming from Brissie I don't suppose the humidity of Northland would bother you, so it's worth putting it on your list as real estate is much cheaper there than on the coromandel.

[Sam B]

From what I've observed, it rains a lot in Northland, even though it is warmer. Hawkes Bay or Nelson may be more suitable.

[Duncan74]

(we loved the Coromandel when we were there. Even to the point of going back for a second visit on our recce in preference to visiting some other places at all).