What's so horrible about Palmy?

[TexastoNZ]

Hi Everyone, I posted a while back that we thought we were going to be deciding between Tauranga and Hawkes Bay for our family of four to move over from America. Now it looks like our best option is potentially Palmerston North. From everything I can find on the internet and this forum, Palmerston North gets almost no love from native New Zealanders. (Or anyone else, for that matter.)

I've read it's boring and flat and windy. And maybe rainy too. And landlocked. So, there are no beaches, nothing exciting about it - it seems universally disliked. Based on those descriptions, I can't say I'm really looking forward to the move! We so want to come to NZ, but I'm wary of uprooting our life here to end up in a place we just wish we could leave.

Can anyone tell me Palmy is actually nice? Are there any forumites who live there, with young children, and aren't, to paraphrase John Cleese, just too cowardly to off themselves?

Help!

[JandM]

I expect you'll get some direct responses when NZ wakes up, but meantime, here are some forumites reacting to Palmerston North.

http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15721
http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38749
http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=28751
http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=37926
http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=37255

[TexastoNZ]

Thanks, JandM!

[TexastoNZ]

I guess I could add that our other option is probably Dunedin, but I had previously ruled it out because I worry the South Island is going to feel pretty remote . . . But if it's a nicer place than Palmerston North, maybe I should reconsider the option?

Not intending to derail any basic info about Palmy, but I thought I might as well ask about Dunedin too. (Started looking online and the South Island is definitely breathtaking scenery-wise.). I will mention my OH is from South Africa and really, really doesn't like being cold . . .

[TJH]

We lived there for a few years and found it to be pretty good. It gets a rather undeserved bad reputation in my opinion. Beaches are only about 30 minutes away, Wellington is about an hour, and lots of tramping close in both the Ruahines and Tararuas. Nice parks along the river as well. Cost of living is pretty good compared to most other urban areas of NZ.

It is a rather unexciting place and is not a top tourist destination by any means, but it is a pretty nice place to live overall. If you are looking for a rural lifestyle there are lots of options for that in the surrounding communities.

If you have any specific questions about the town or living there, just ask.

[TexastoNZ]

Thanks, TJH - I really appreciate the response and the honesty. I get the feeling maybe if we go with lowered expectations, we may be pleasantly surprised. I do like the idea that even though it's inland, the beach is only 30 minutes away and Wellington isn't far either - it seems well located for many things and excursions. As we get closer to signing on the dotted line, I'll check back in and see if I have any specific questions.

For now, if you have any idea where people with children in primary school prefer to live, that would be great to know about just to get me started. . .

[TJH]

No idea about primary schools as we have no children, but the nicer areas of Palmy were probably Hokowhitu, Terrace End, and Milson.

Part of the reason Palmy gets a bad rap is that there are some absolutely awesome places to live in NZ and relatively speaking Palmy is just an average place compared to them. Coming from the US, it will seem like a very nice place to live most likely.

It is a good sized city that has virtually everything you could need but not so big it feels like a big city.

[72andsunny]

Part of the reason Palmy gets a bad rap is that there are some absolutely awesome places to live in NZ and relatively speaking Palmy is just an average place compared to them.

I will second that (though I have not lived in Palmy, we are relatively close). I would say the best thing it has going for it is its proximity to other places. I read a "things to do" guide once, and it had the (then) International Airport listed as a tourist destination.

Coming from the US, it will seem like a very nice place to live most likely.

I think that depends on what part of the US you are from. Shortly after moving here, we were feeling a little civilization starved, so we drove to the mall (the closest one being in Palmerston). It is a new mall, and in relatively good condition, but it is constructed in a style that makes it feel like it was built in Indiana in 1980: Low ceilings, narrow corridors, fluorescent lighting. Not to say anyone should move to NZ for the shopping, even Auckland's malls will pale in comparison to something you would find in a small city in the US.

[dharder]

For now, if you have any idea where people with children in primary school prefer to live, that would be great to know about just to get me started. . .

Our friends live pretty close to Palmerston North Boys' High School, which seems a reasonable area. There are primary schools that seem fine, don't know the name, and one mixed and one boys' secondary school.

One of my sons went to a private boys' primary school close-ish by (as a boarder), which seemed to have a lot of PN boys. It is a lovely school.

Daniela

[TexastoNZ]

Thanks, Everyone - I think I'm getting a better sense of the place.

TJH: I agree that it's likely NZlanders are just spoiled for stunning and don't like to settle for just pretty.

72andsunny, thanks for the heads up on feeling civilization starved - I'm trying to prepare myself for that and am planning to adopt a 'who needs civilization?' approach. Not sure how successful I'll be since I'm more of a city person, but I'm willing to give it a try.

Daniela, thanks for the input - do you know the name of the area near the High School where your friends are? Do you or did you spend any time in PN? If so, what was your take?