Best place in NZ for a biker to live?

**dipshit** · 13th February 2009, 19:35

Originally Posted by 98tls

My pick would be West Coast of the South Isle .... People seem keen on Nelson

At least from Nelson you can set off down the west coast when the weather is good over there... or head into the Marlborough sounds... or down to Kaikoura... or back across Lewis pass towards Westport enjoying awesome roads and country without having to put up with long straight boring bits first.

**Pedrostt500** · 13th February 2009, 20:19

Try this on for size, Buy / build a house bus, with a towbar get a large covered trailer, for bikes, tour the country for a few years, get to see the whole country, and then worry about setteling down in one spot.

**McJim** · 13th February 2009, 20:39

I moved from Auckland to Invercargill and I ain't moving back. Mind you I'm from Scotland so Invercargill feels hot to me.....in the winter.

**southernmike** · 13th February 2009, 21:05

North Otago - known for it's droughts (hence great for bike riders)
Rivers, lakes, and sea are all good for swimming in summer.
Schools have classes of less than 20 kids per teacher.

How do I know? Did they same thing four years ago. Left Auckland and ended up here.

**Dean** · 13th February 2009, 21:18

Originally Posted by southernmike

North Otago - known for it's droughts (hence great for bike riders)
Rivers, lakes, and sea are all good for swimming in summer.
Schools have classes of less than 20 kids per teacher.

How do I know? Did they same thing four years ago. Left Auckland and ended up here.

Yes North Otago sounds like the best place to be, As he said schools have classes of less than 20 kids per teacher which means your little one will grow up getting more direct teaching from the teachers instead of attending Auckland schools with packed classrooms leaving ones left out because the teacher was busy educating other students.Its a quiet place and peace full, and like southernmike said there's great swimming spots, creating positive healthy recreational activities for your new family to enjoy.

**Slyer** · 13th February 2009, 21:31

Brilliant effort to get your spelling and grammar right mate! ^^
Needs a bit o'work though.

**Cosmo** · 13th February 2009, 21:32

Come down to Invercargill, The weather is good down here, the forecast on the tele is generally wrong. You can go for a swim at the beach any time of the year (Beach is only 10 min away). You just gotta be hard.

Still lots of job oppurtunities as well as we don't seem to have been hit by the recession the same as up north. Last but not least a great place to bring up your kids, reasonable cost of housing, and relatively safe.

**Dean** · 13th February 2009, 21:36

Originally Posted by Slyer

Brilliant effort to get your spelling and grammar right mate! ^^
Needs a bit o'work though.

Thank you, I'm improving i believe, thanks to good old spell checks and after school tutoring

**hospitalfood** · 13th February 2009, 21:40

i left aucks about a year ago and moved 130 odd km north to a little rural town.
still close to the city which is good sometimes. roads in northland are great but often need work done to them.
i grew up in nelson and it does tick your boxes but you will be a long way from a city, culture shock from aucks.

i want to get down south in the next ten years or so. mainland born and bred.
the north island is ugly in comparison.

**MyGSXF:Me** · 13th February 2009, 22:01

Another vote for

Nelson!!!

Or more preferable.. Richmond (15ks from Nsn City) has everything we need here (I only ever really go into Nelson to go to the Warehouse..

) tis a lovely place to raise a family! I grew up here as a kid & never thought I would be "back home" raising MY kids..

but it's great!! walking distance from home to a fantastic school.. & the shops.. NO parking meters.. 1 set of traffic lights.. low crime rate.. gorgeous beaches & rivers within a few minutes drive! AWESOME bike roads in any direction..

Whangmoas to Blenheim.. Nelson Lakes.. Takaka Hill... the Lewis Pass & back up the West Coast... or Kaikoura.

Average rent for a 3 bed house approx $330 p/w

My youngest son's primary school is a decile 9 & I think the other local is similar. My oldest just started College, which is built on the same paddock as the primary (& Intermediate is there as well.. actually so is the kindy & preschool..

)

Abundance of outdoors recreational opportunities with the rivers/beaches/mountains all so close! Great markets! Loads of choices for the family "Sunday drive".. Tis a very family oriented region!!

Are ya sold yet....??!!

What I would suggest, if you can wangle it.. head South for a 2-3 week holiday & have a cruise around.. you'll soon get a "feel" for a place you like! Tis a hard decision to make on other peoples opinions!

edit: check out these links for pics of my ride over the Takaka Hill...

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...4&postcount=12

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...2&postcount=13

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...5&postcount=14

**MaxB** · 13th February 2009, 23:19

Before moving away from the big city it might pay to get the career side totally sorted first. 'Cos that will affect how you see a place. Two examples from friends and family.

First was a mate who went to a job on the East Coast. The family love the area but to get him down there they overpaid him by local standards and he is not looking at a pay rise for at least 5 years. Wifey couldn't get a professional type job. She works part time at a cake shop. They are struggling at the moment and the plant is the main employer in the town. They are thinking of Australia next.

Second was a rellie who built his dream home up north, a pole house on the beach. Self employed, he has had 4 jobs in 2 years to keep the money coming in. The build cost was way over budget mainly due to the remote site.
The sucky part was that the Harley had to go so he doesn't even get to ride the roads he loves. Now his kids have moved away for uni and work and the 2 of them are rattling around in the pole mansion.

**JacksColdSweat** · 14th February 2009, 09:13

Originally Posted by Pedrostt500

Try this on for size, Buy / build a house bus, with a towbar get a large covered trailer, for bikes, tour the country for a few years, get to see the whole country, and then worry about setteling down in one spot.

We would do that but for one thing: we have a baby on the way - but it's an excellent idea and it's probably something we have a date with in the future before the kids start school... I'd love to take 12 months to tour NZ - short hops and long stays -

Te Anau - Invercargill for those long summer nights
Arrowtown in autumn
Blenheim - Marlborough in Spring

the list goes on and on....

Best country in the world bar none

**Paulus** · 14th February 2009, 10:06

Sea will be too cold for you in most of the SI (except maybe Nelson). See here:

http://www.teara.govt.nz/EarthSeaAnd.../Standard/3/en

**JacksColdSweat** · 14th February 2009, 12:44

Originally Posted by MyGSXF

Another vote for

Nelson!!!

Are ya sold yet....??!!

What I would suggest, if you can wangle it.. head South for a 2-3 week holiday & have a cruise around.. you'll soon get a "feel" for a place you like! Tis a hard decision to make on other peoples opinions!

Yeah that's a fairly compelling argument and I've just spent some time looking at real estate around there which is considerably more affordable than AKL

I think a short holiday stint in the candidate areas would be a good start and will definitely include nelson/richmond/takaka

And a big thanks to everyone else who contributed too for all the ideas and thoughts

I think one of the guys on here sums it up really well in his signature "Life isn't a rehearsal" and it's far too short to spend it waiting for some moment that will never come

There are risks in going but I think it's a bigger risk to change nothing and just hope for a better day...

cheers all