Junior Member
Where to live near Dunedin
Hi
Hubby had job interview today for prison officer and has been told that if he gets job then he will be at Dunedin prison....not bad only 59 inmates!!!
Anyway does anyone know of nice areas to live within 30 mins drive of Dunedin...we have 2 children aged 7 and 11 so somewhere not too remote but not actually in Dunedin itself.
Thanks
Laura
Member
Dunedin is a tiny city more like a medium size UK town. The various different suburbs range from very urban, (modern and 'value properties') to old style country living and everything inbetween.
But if you don't want to live here try the following:
Mosgiel - small settlement out side Dunedin (30 mins out) thinks its fairly self contained (has some of its own shops / supermarkets and resturants, might even have is own seconday school)
Brighton - small beach community excellent surfing conditions but no supermakret, cafe or pub and one small diary (20 mins)
Portabellow - small fishing village (30 mins)
McAndrew Bay / Broad bay settlements - one diary between both no other utilities. Great view s (20 mins)
Saywers bay, Ravensbourne same but smaller that McAndrew
Port Chalmers - 30 - 35 mins out, one small supermarket and a few amenities.
You would have to drive everywhere to get anything as the bus services is a little limited.
None of the above have ATM. Some have a small primary schoole but I don't they have seconday schools all would be in dunedin itself.
Also try Palmerston which is about 45 mins to and hour drive away which is a little bit more self contained. Although the road from Palmerton & Dunners can get cut off in the winter due to snow / bad ice.
Personally I'd rent somewhere in town first so you can get the feel of the place and then once you know the place you can get somewhere out of town if thats where you still want to be.
Rentals in the above places don't come up that often and they are very very isolated thinik of the little hamlets on NE scotland.
One thing I wold stress on is getting a house down here is you have to get one that has all day sun. due to the hills around the town some places don't get sun in the winter and the are cold damp places. Nice big houses and cheap rent but miserable to be in dark, damp and a nightmare to heat up up as they'll only be one wood burner. These are the houses you here about being under the recomended temperature set by the WHO.
We paid a little bit more and got a lovely house (wood burner AND heat pump) that has all day sun. Still chilli first thing in the morning but warmed up for the evening by mother nature.
Overall the weathers pretty good, and so far since I've been here I've had more sunny days with blue skies than I did in all of 2004 summer
Any other questions about Dunners let me know as I'll be happy to share what I can about my new home
Junior Member
Hi Miffy
Thanks for that...can I ask you what you like about Dunedin and also what you don't like.
Paul is eventually going to working at the new prison in milton so we are maybe looking at mosgiel
laura
Member
What do I like?
After nearly 3 months my impressions are:
I like that it is a small city and doesn’t have to much of a traffic problem. In rush hour from one end to the other takes about 20 mins or so bit longer if the traffice lights work against you).
It has a good centre and soul (the octogan) and a very scotish feel about it. Its also very porad of its sothern man hereitage (home of speight which is another good thing
I like that it is hilly so there are great views and interesting landscaped houses. Its going to be good for biking (but a bit cold for now) and only 4 hours away from queenstown means we’ve already gone snowboarding for 2 weekends this season.
I’ve always lived near the sea and being on the door step of the pacific is awe inspiring. And looking forward to learning how to surf in the summer.
Everyone is super friendly and once you get used to the ‘pommie bashing’ most seem to have a great sense of humour and are very welcoming.
Although cold the winter is not wet which is good, and there are loads of clear blue sunny days, like today for instance. but it does get frosty and there are loads of black ice spots (they don't slat the roads)
(I’m at work at the mo, but when I get home I’ll post some piccies up of view and such like)
Most of the things I dislike or annoy are things that are common across NZ and they are mainly things that are different from the UK so I’ve not got used to them (yet).
These are mainly the silly give way to those turning left on a junction, it just seems wrong and I keep forgetting about it and causing confusion.
Bank charges really get my goat up, (they charge for everything, putting money in, taking money out, either by eftpos, other banks ATMs your own banks ATM or via an cashier – the most expensive option…) but again this is a nz thing and nothing I can do about.
Doing a double winter and not having a warm house to come home to and having to work at getting the place warm and snug for the evening is not that much fun but its only for a couple of months (I hope)
I’m not used to driving in, I used to always commute via train back in the UK. I would ideally like to bike in (too cold at the mo hopefully can do this in the summer) or get the bus. But the public transport here is pitiful (don’t know if that’s the same all around NZ) so its not really an option. I just dislike searching for a park evey day and if I want to go out afterwork I can't drink or have to find another park .. not a biggie but make me sigh on a friday night....
Shopping is a bit limited compared to similar size town in the UK. Not much in general colthes along the high street, but there are loads of outdoors type shops so its not all bad. Local friends say they often plan a weekend away to Chch for a big shopping spend out!
oh and the nz keyboards are slightly different the @ and the " are in oposite places there is no pound sign , I mean why would they need one ??? and the enter / carriage return key is alot smaller.... but thats not really a duendin thing so .....
Member
on the whole I love it here and am please we came to this part of NZ.
Senior Member
Now that is so sad...Originally Posted by Miffy
Member
Mosgiel is a little closer than that, probably more like 20min to the CBD, and does have a school and ATMs.
We've been here (in Roslyn, one of the inner suburbs) for a couple of years and really enjoying it. Like Miffy said there are plenty of hills, and the views can take your breath away. Population is about 120k, and we typically find the amenities pretty damn good for the size of the place. Excellent museum, pools, art galleries, etc.
Love the beaches around here. You can take the kids to a different one each weekend if you want, and in the middle of winter too if you get weather like we've been having.
Al the best with your move....
Junior Member
Hi Macs Gold
Thanks for the above..out of interest what has the weather been like?!!
Laura
Member
Its been sunny and warm for the past few days. Temps getting up to 13 - 15 degress, but at times windy.
Yesterday was miserabe, cold wet and windy, rained all day, but today looks like another bright winters days.
Cold frost first thing today (around 1degree) but clear skies so the sun is coming up which will warm everything up. I'll find a sunny sheltered spot at lunch time and bask in the sunshine.
Member
as Miffy said was a lovely day today, had lunch al fresco in the Octagon (central plaza), very pleasant.
Don't get me wrong, the winter weather here can be antarctic and chill you to the bone. But just as often its stunning!
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