any thoughts on taupo?

[doc]

hello everyone,
does anyone have any experience or thoughts on the taupo area? my wife and i may have job opportunities there and would welcome any feelings people might have. thanks,
doc

[Duncan74]

Beautiful place, would sell a kidney to live / work there. Lovely atmosphere in town, and whilst there's not a huge selection of retail, then I could put up with it. Lots of tourists pass through, and it seems as though every week is a different event.

Was there for Ironman week a couple of years ago, and was great to see the community spirit get behind the event.

[Ana&Steve]

It's a very beautiful area. Because of tourism it's either very quiet of very busy depending on the time of year. Aucklanders, when you mention you're headed there, say something along the lines of how freezing cold it is. It does get cold as it's got a ring of snowy mountains and the wind off the lake. There are areas of the lake where the water is fed by hot springs, so you can have a nice soak. Huka Falls and Craters of the Moon are contrastingly beautiful places to walk. There are quite a lot of pubs. Jimmy's along the water has great food.
HTH

[busylizzie]

Hi
We lived in Taupo for nearly a year and its a very friendly place.
It does get cold in winter and rentals are quite expensive. We were paying $320 a week for 3bdrm in Acacia Bay. Really good spot, we had views of the lake and at night it was beautiful watching the tinkling lights of the town.
There is a paknsave and woolworths for grocery shopping.
There was always something going on in town and there is also a racetrack but it really doesn't get used much.
We are back in Scotland now and wish we had never left but hey ho.
Good luck with your move and if you have any specific questions just let us know and we will try to help.

[Manks]

You could try contacting forumite moses - he lives there

[catt]

forumite cathgates lives there as well ......

[moses]

Moses sure does live in Taupo. Been here since 2007 and love it.
The downside first. It gets really busy when there is a big event on and our winters are a tad colder than Wellington and Auckland.
The plus side: It is a really neat town, its just big enough for those who live here. We have Woolies and Pak n Save and of course the Warehouse.
The cost of housing is not that much higher than other places in North Island and it is cheaper than Auckland and Wellington.
Being central Nth Island its easier to travel from here. The only issue really is making sure you check the weather reports for the winter for Desert Road as that can be nasty when its icy.
Unemployment is not a huge issue here as we have two lots of seasonal work. Summer for the boaties (I do call them boaties now lol) and winter for the skiers.
If you are looking to live in Taupo you need to bear in mind that the town gets the sun much more than Acacia Bay.
Health-side we are well served by a local hospital which has a decent ED dept, maternity and the normal services you expect for a small town. Anything more complex is dealt with by Rotorua Hospital or Starship for children. We have heaps of really good GP's but dentists are thin on the ground and can be expensive.
Why do I love it: I love being able to walk along the lake front into town watching the ever changing views of the mountains. Knowing I can walk home from town at night and get home in one piece.
Let me know if you want specific details and will happily pass on any info as I can rattle on about the good points for ever.
PS - dont be misled by the piccie. Thats my son
Sue

[Ana&Steve]

You can find cheap rentals in Taupo if you don't mind a more...modest home. Our friends paid $145pw for a 2br1ba with great views and a big backyard on Elizabeth St, a bit of a walk to downtown.

[SueDonim]

The little town of Kinloch (about 10-15km west of Taupo) seems very nice. I drove through a few months ago to visit a friend who runs the Crouton Cafe there

[chocolate cake]

Beautiful place, would sell a kidney to live / work there. Lovely atmosphere in town, and whilst there's not a huge selection of retail, then I could put up with it. Lots of tourists pass through, and it seems as though every week is a different event.

Was there for Ironman week a couple of years ago, and was great to see the community spirit get behind the event.

Fully agree, a super place, would be a great place to live. Gets a tad cool in winter but could certainly put up with that.