Moving to Welly later this year-any advice welcome

[Gingerpom]

I have been offered job in Welly this year and looking for somewhere nice to live, preferably with good biking roads nearby! Done some research (visited last year) and thinking maybe Raumati. Is it far to commute daily to Welly? Wife loves the area!! We're also considering Blue Mountains and between Days Bay and Eastbourne, also Moonshine Valley (too isolated?). We also liked it out in the sticks near Makura. We like being in the country/ near beach rather than city life but have 18m old so don't want to be too isolated. Bringing Aprilia RSVR in container. Can't wait! Any help/info/advice appreciated. Thanks.

[DMNTD:Me]

I have been offered job in Welly this year and looking for somewhere nice to live, preferably with good biking roads nearby! Done some research (visited last year) and thinking maybe Raumati. Is it far to commute daily to Welly? Wife loves the area!! We're also considering Blue Mountains and between Days Bay and Eastbourne, also Moonshine Valley (too isolated?). We also liked it out in the sticks near Makura. We like being in the country/ near beach rather than city life but have 18m old so don't want to be too isolated. Bringing Aprilia RSVR in container. Can't wait! Any help/info/advice appreciated. Thanks.

Yep...buy a wind breaker!

All BS aside, buy a wind breaker!

[TrentNz]

depends. if your jobs in the city and you live out in makara/the hutt or raumati your looking at more then an hour drive/ride into the city.

[MD]

I was going to say don't come to Wgtn, the weather is crap. But I see you are coming from the UK, so it shouldn't be a disappointment for you. I moved here from the warm and sunny South island years ago and have just got back from holidaying down south. Reminded me how summer should be.

We often think about moving up the coast to Raumati Beach area to escape this Siberia. Totally different climate i.e warmer and dryer and way less wind. It's about 30 to 45 minutes drive but seriously congested by commuters at peak hours. Reasonable train service though - so I believe.

THe Wgtn beach sites you mentioned will give nice sea views, but again it's cold most of the time so you really can't enjoy it much.

Wgtn does have some great motorcycling roads on it's doorstep and is central to the good touring spots

Edit- as said. Buy a windbreaker, forget the umbrella. The wind will destroy it first day.

[BMWST?]

depends. if your jobs in the city and you live out in makara/the hutt or raumati your looking at more then an hour drive/ride into the city.

Makara is very close to town you just have to get through Karori a big busy suburb with a one lane each way street to access town,traffic is very slow at peak times,made worse by the buses.Lower Hutt is also pretty close would prolly be 20 minutes if you split,two lanes eachway into town and a pretty good train service too.Blue Mountains- Whitemans valley would be 30-40 maybe-50 minutes,as would Moonshine depending on which end you go to.

[TrentNz]

oh durp. im an idiot. ive only lived in wellington for 16 years
i was thinking its far away for some reason

[BMWST?]

I was going to say don't come to Wgtn, the weather is crap. But I see you are coming from the UK, so it shouldn't be a disappointment for you. I moved here from the warm and sunny South island years ago and have just got back from holidaying down south. Reminded me how summer should be.

We often think about moving up the coast to Raumati Beach area to escape this Siberia. Totally different climate i.e warmer and dryer and way less wind. It's about 30 to 45 minutes drive but seriously congested by commuters at peak hours. Reasonable train service though - so I believe.

THe Wgtn beach sites you mentioned will give nice sea views, but again it's cold most of the time so you really can't enjoy it much.

Wgtn does have some great motorcycling roads on it's doorstep and is central to the good touring spots

Edit- as said. Buy a windbreaker, forget the umbrella. The wind will destroy it first day.

the weather aint so bad but we do get a lot of wind.. and combined with cold overcast days it can be tiresome!But then the nice days are all the better for it.Many houses are lacking decent insulation and decent heating

[Madness]

The western hill suburbs of Lower Hutt are nice, Korokoro & Maungaraki in particular. You can get some really fantastic views of the Harbour & it's entrance, relative peace & quiet but only minutes away from the city.

As for the wind - I'd happily trade it for the persistent rain we've had in Auckland for what seems like an eternity.

[TrentNz]

you guys make wellington sound sooooo bad. its not that windy you just get real bad days

[Bald Eagle]

Raumti would me my recommendation, but then I'm biased cos I live there, it's a good commute on the bike if you go early in the morning.

Train service is Ok when it works and the climate is better than the other options.

[Blackbird]

As a fairly impartial ex-Pom (1975) from further up the north island, I like Wellington. The climate seems a bit more benign up the Kapiti Coast and that's where I'd prefer to live. We have friends in Raumati and one of my riding partners is in Whitby which is a really nice place on the harbour and an easy commute into town.

[davebullet]

20 years in chch

20 years in wgtn

wgtn weather definitely = crap

[Crasherfromwayback]

The weather is fucking awesome. There's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. Rather live here and have to put another layer of clothing on to stay warm than live in Brisbane etc where you simply cannot escape the heat.

[TrentNz]

The weather is fucking awesome. There's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. Rather live here and have to put another layer of clothing on to stay warm than live in Brisbane etc where you simply cannot escape the heat.

Exactly! i had so much fun in the 16 years i was in wellington, i've been in chch for 4 months and its a boring shithole -_-

[Wannabiker]

I live in Upper Hutt and have commuted to Wellington City from both here (SH2) and Raumati (SH1). I would say the Hutt Valley commute would be a bit shorter and more pleasant. (my opinion). The SH1 has a couple of choke points for traffic (which do not pose too much of a problem on a bike).

Bear in mind, there is a planned express-way up that way, potentially through Raumati and beyond. I do not know what stage this is at, but something to bear in mind if looking at purchasing property....A bit controversial still, so perhaps one of the coast people can elaborate what stage this is at...or if it is to go ahead at all.

Days Bay, Eastbourne... the commute probably OK on a bike, but can be very slow along the Petone esplanade in the morning if stuck in a car. There is an option of taking a small ferry across to the city from Days Bay though.

Commute from Upper Hutt to city about 30 -35 mins on a bike in morning traffic. 20-25 mins in clear traffic.