[Tim G]

Hi

Could anyone tell me any info about Dunedin please,

Good or Bad.

Thanks
tim

[SNK05]

Hi Tim

Not actually in NZ but had contemplated applying for a job in Dunedin. Found this site on the web...may be of some help?

http://www.cityofdunedin.com/city/?page=about_moving

I'm sure there are a few people on here that could help you further with 1st hand knowledge

Sue n Kev

[Karen]

Hi Tim

What can l say...Dunedin is a great place to live and work, we wouldn't swop to anywhere else in NZ.

We moved out here 18months ago from Devon and have been really lucky since arriving, great jobs, good social life and new friends and a fantastic house which we moved into 5 months ago!!!!!!!!

Dunedin has a little of everything really, lots of outdoor activities for the kids and adults, amazing wildlife, good resturants, bars and cafes (a real cafe culture exists all over NZ) as well as being just on the doorstep to Central Otago for the skiing in the winter and the best weather in NZ every summer...what more can you ask for???!!!

The cost of houses in Dunedin is on average less than you'd pay in other cities but unfortunately that does also reflect inpeoples wages down here (unless you work in the hospitals, government etc...where wages are standardised throughout the country).

If you want any advice about areas to live just let me know, not sure whereabouts in the process you are at the moment?

Karen

PS: Sue.....sorry, had completely forgotten to forward those job descriptions to you, it's a public holiday here today but will send tomorrow when back at wrk...PROMISE!!!

[Tim G]

Hi

Thank you very much the reply, we are just looking into areas at the minute but Dunedin looks and sounds great, we are also looking into Hawkes Bay areas but like what you said about things being cheaper down there.

My OH is an ODP (operating department practitioner) so will be working in the hospitals as an anaesthetic technician hopefully. Need to look into the hospitals yet and hope we can get a job offer, so of course it depends where the jobs come up but anywhere is possible. Have only ruled out Auckland and Welly so far as we are not really into big cities.

Thanks again for your reply; we'll get looking for jobs.

Michelle & Tim.

[Potato]

Hi

Thank you very much the reply, we are just looking into areas at the minute but Dunedin looks and sounds great, we are also looking into Hawkes Bay areas but like what you said about things being cheaper down there.

My OH is an ODP (operating department practitioner) so will be working in the hospitals as an anaesthetic technician hopefully. Need to look into the hospitals yet and hope we can get a job offer, so of course it depends where the jobs come up but anywhere is possible. Have only ruled out Auckland and Welly so far as we are not really into big cities.

Thanks again for your reply; we'll get looking for jobs.

Michelle & Tim.

Wellington is hardly a big city, only 300,000 odd people, Christchurch is a bit bigger I think and also larger in terms of land (flat, spread out compared to Wellington).


Can someone living in Dunedin tell me what is the situation with freezing cold houses in winter? Or is that just the student dives?

[Karen]

Hi Potato

Our house although not as warm as the house we left in the UK with it's central heating and double glazing definately isn't freezing cold in the winter.

Pink Batts (aka fibre glass insulation, same as found in most UK lofts) is very popular over here and called Pink Batts due to it's shockingly pink colour and most houses have it at least in the loft and external walls. We have a wood burning stove which throws out an enormous amount of heat and warms the whole house although we are also looking at investing in a heat transfer system which basically takes some of the warm air from the warmest area up into ducting located in the loft and transfers it into other rooms via ducks in the ceiling. Most kiwis tend only to heat the rooms they use and so spare rooms can be absolutely freezing when you first enter them. The position of the house also plays a huge role in how warm the house gets, we're lucky to have all day sun and a garden which faces north for full mid morning - afternoon sun.

Student digs here are on a par with some l lived in 'back in the day', no insulation or heating and in a pretty poor state of repair. Having said that, people walking arond with frostbitten fingers/toes and wearing full eskimo gear is NOT a common sight around here!!!!!:roll

Dunedin has a very similar climate to the south west of england and we''ve never needed to use hot water bottles or electric blankets here, in fact the temp has been aound the mid 20's since Nov which is great and forecast to continue until April :raebanana :raebanana

Karen

[pipipudel]

Hi we have just arrived in Dunedin we are still in the Honeymoon period but I am sure we have made the correct choice. The facilities for children are fantastic for a relatively small place.
We had a choice of places to go to ( Hawks Bay and Queenstown) Dunedin has good schools and low crime rate compared to other places in NZ.

good luck

Pipipudel

[Tim G]

Hi Pipiudel,

Thanks for the reply could I just ask where abouts you live?

We have done lots of looking into Dunedin, but still really can't make our minds up.
With all our fingers and toes crossed we will make the big move, but wanted somewhere that is worth making the move for, we have 2 boys aged 10 and 8we live in a small village in Lancashire, so we are not looking for big lights and the rest. A swimming pool and cinema would keep us happy with some good weather of course.
A honest question now, what is the weather really like in Dunedin?

Would you please let me know.

Thanks Tim

[bartons]

The pool in Dunedin is brilliant: Olympic size swimming pool, diving pools, leisure pool with waves, toddler pool, learners' pool, water slides - we couldn't believe it. And it's not expensive, either. There's also an open air saltwater pool that is heated and open in summer. And Port Chalmers and Portobello have small community pools that are good fun for kids, too.
Can't say much about the weather yet (moved here in December), but apparently this summer has been unusually dry and sunny. It's definitely less humid than in Northland where we first lived. Pretty windy, though.

[Potato]

A honest question now, what is the weather really like in Dunedin?



Just in case you want some stats:

Dunedin, NZ


Temperatures: Overnight Min/Daytime Max (Averages)

Coldest month: 3C/10C
Warmest month: 10C/19C
Annual Sunshine hours: 1600
Rainy Days: 120
Mean Wind Speed: 15km/h
Days of Air Frost: 7

Blackpool, UK

Coldest month: 2C/7C
Warmest month: 12C/19C
Annual Sunshine hours: 1500
Annual Rainy Days: 140
Mean Wind Speed: 20km/h
Days of Air Frost: 40


These are from the Met Office/Metservice. Air Frost can vary massively over very short distances, so I wouldn't pay a huge amount of attention to it. 40 in Blackpool sounds unlikely to me, far too high for a coastal town.

[Keith C.]

Dunedin sounds great to me... except for the weather. When I was researching it, I noticed talk about penguins. And then you guys post about the nice heated outdoor pool for the summer.

Granted, where I live is pretty warm. We talk about how cold our spring-fed pool is - 19 degrees year round.

Y'all are made of tougher stuff than I am.

[JandM]

But there are various species of penguins, and they don't all have to freeze all the time to be happy. There are little blue penguins off North Island even in summer, and it's sub-tropical there!

[Potato]

But there are various species of penguins, and they don't all have to freeze all the time to be happy. There are little blue penguins off North Island even in summer, and it's sub-tropical there!

Only according to tourist brochures and optimists ;)

[britzy]

Well we are heading to Dunedin and we cant wait.A bit of cold weather wont put us off,everyones different.
Helen

[Shana F]

I'm leaving for Dunedin next week ... my husband is already there and seems to be enjoying it a lot. Coming from a place with lots of sunshine and HOT summers, I know I'm in for a change, but I feel really encouraged. This thread is just what I needed to see during this VERY stressful week! Thank you!

[JandM]

Only according to tourist brochures and optimists ;)

I've only just seen this reaction!

Well, maybe I'm very optimistic, but I've been there when it was.:nice1

[colindp]

I lived in Dunedin for two years only returning to the UK last April, we found the climate to be very tolerable, first summer was a bit of a washout but hey ho....Winter was no worse than a UK winter but we did obviously notice it more without central heating.
There always seems to be something going and the city council arrange a variety of events throughout the year. There are plenty of good bars, coffee shops etc, the beaches just outside the city are great and are often uncrowded even in high summer, I would recommend Allans beach and Long beach as being the best and littered with wildlife (seals and penguins).
Places to live....I lived out on the peninsular at Company Bay at a home with a million dollar view...but be prepared unless buying a lot of rental properties are not too clever and it took us a very long time to find one we were happy with.
I am happy to help if you would have any further questions so feel free if required....good luck

:nice1