[collinssteve]

Hi,

Does anyone on this forum live on Waiheke?

We're fairly sure this is where we want to base ourselves but we need to make a definite decision before we arrive so I'd like to find out some of the practicalities of living on the island.

I'll bore you with the questions if anyone says they'd be able to answer them!

Cheers,
Steve

[DizzyF]

Have friends/family with property on Waiheke. Property is fairly expensive but fits into two broad categories...old bachs and luxury. If you have a big budget then that is great but the old bachs are not so well insulated for winter...it is cold here in winter as insulation is not great! Good access to Auckland but check Maxx website for ferry times and costs if you have to travel in to Auckland regularly. Great summer location...lovely beaches, wineries and restaurants.

[whiskythedog]

hi-try contacting andrewandjane - they have lived there for a couple of years.
use the search engine as well - they have left some glowing reports

[collinssteve]

Hi,

I've done a Search but I can't find answers to a few questions.

We visited Waiheke a number of times whilst we were living in Devonport, but we only ever had our tourist hats on so didn't pay much attention to what it would be like to live there.

My questions are a bit obscure!:

- What's it like for buying things which aren't day-to-day. For example, if you need a bit of plumbing equipment because the toilet has stopped flushing, do you need to get the car ferry over to Auckland and back? I'd imagine that could quickly become a big nuisance.

- We're bringing 2 large dogs with us. We know NZ isn't a particularly dog-friendly country but are dogs allowed on any of the beaches on Waiheke? How about DOC areas? Are there any vets on the island and are they any good?

- How is Broadband internet delivered? I've seen www.ynet.co.nz (which looks like it uses Microwave dishes) but it's expensive. Is it not possible to get Broadband via the normal phone lines? What's the speed like on ynet? How's the latency? (for VOIP calls etc).

- Because of the dogs, we'll need to arrange to rent a house before we arrive, which is a scary prospect! We've contacted a couple of agents who all seem helpful, but are there any recommendations about which are best and can be trusted not to land us with somewhere awful?

I'm sure I'll think of more things as time goes on!!

Thanks for all your help, in advance,
Steve (& Lucy)

[Tia Maria]

Most people who I know who haven't got on with living on Waiheke, haven't had a problem with Waiheke itself just with Island life.

They talked about 'island fever', not liking the roads or the fact that you have to watch your gas and water etc. But they all seemd to think that if you like Island life, then Waiheke was probably one of the best examples you could get of it - if that makes sense?!

It wasn't long ago that Waiheke was just a hippy colony but a lot changed with the introduction of the ferry and its still adjusting to that.

Cheers

Tia

[collinssteve]

Yeah I can imagine it's not everybody's idea of heaven.

We're used to almost-island life, having lived in the middle of nowhere in Ireland and then the middle of nowhere in France.

We're now stuck in the seaside town of Worthing, UK which seems *so* urban. I long for trees and open space!!

[M-Squared]

Where did you live in France? I was in the Aveyron then in the Lot-et-Garonne (after Paris & Seine-et-Marne). The Aveyron was particularly ... empty. :D

[collinssteve]

We lived in Oradour-sur-Vayres, which is "near" Limoges.

The nearest traffic lights were a half-hour drive away, as was the nearest decent supermarket!

I've just been looking up the list of businesses on Waiheke and it looks like we'll be spoilt for choice compared to what we had in France. There seems to be a choice of supermarkets and even a hardware store. Best of all, I won't have to try and communicate with them in French!!

:-)

[M-Squared]

We lived in Oradour-sur-Vayres, which is "near" Limoges.

The nearest traffic lights were a half-hour drive away, as was the nearest decent supermarket!

LOL! (sorry!)

I've just been looking up the list of businesses on Waiheke and it looks like we'll be spoilt for choice compared to what we had in France. There seems to be a choice of supermarkets and even a hardware store. Best of all, I won't have to try and communicate with them in French!!

:D French "supermarkets" in the boonies are really ... special, aren't they? :D Our local one had a big pallet with nice warm cases of "Export 33" on it. Mmmm warm beer :laugh

The conversing in French wasn't a problem for me, and now-hubby gained an interpreter, but the weird stuff to get used to 'au milieu de nullepart' really took a bit of getting used to eh?

Sorry... way off-topic! :exit

[Ngeru]

As for practicalities there are a number of shops tucked away the 'industrial' part of Ostend that suffices to keep most of the population going with the majority of things one needs on a day to day basis. If you are commuting I guess you learn to pick stuff up on your travels back and forth. Friends of ours have a house there and we visit quite a bit and whilst we have conversations and dreams of living there permanently, I don't think that is ever likely to happen.

Not all the houses are luxury million dollar pads, nor scrappy old baches and there are some reasonably priced places compared to the rest of Auckland - if you can forego the sea views, as that's what mainly pushes the price up. It is one of very few places in Auckland that you can still buy a home for less than $500k. Bare sections are mostly the old original quarter acre or more and cost $230k ish, so building your own is highly do-able too. $600k would buy a VERY nice home.

I regularly look on Trademe to see if there are any bargains and have been to see quite a few in the flesh just for research (to be nosy) of course. :nice1

Trademe (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryAttributeSearchResults.aspx?search=1&mcat=0350-5748-&sidebar=1&132=PROPERTY&selected135=&selected136=&134=1&135=77&136=&153=&29=&122=0&122=0&49=0&49=0)

There is a large Placemakers (next door to the Supermarket) for most DIY requirements, gardening equipment with a well stocked Garden centre.

A 'Department Store' Betta Electrical - it looks like nowt from the outside but stocks quite a good range of homeware and furniture.

Also Retravision in Oneroa for electrical goods and some furniture.

There's another shop that is an agent for Dick Smith Electrical.

The choices aren't great, however they do say that the shop most frequented by Islanders is The Warehouse by the Ferry Terminal in the CBD.

Have you seen:

http://waihekepedia.com/Main_Page

http://www.waihekegulfnews.co.nz/home/index.php

http://www.waihekemarketplace.co.nz/

I don't think there is any DOC land as such, there is a regional park (Whakanewha), which is a No Dog Zone. I think the rest of the beaches the usual Auckland City Council doggy laws apply. e.g. according to times and tides. Seen plenty of dogs on Onetangi beach.

Happy to answer any further questions if I can help.

[Ngeru]

We lived in Oradour-sur-Vayres, which is "near" Limoges.

The nearest traffic lights were a half-hour drive away, as was the nearest decent supermarket!

I've just been looking up the list of businesses on Waiheke and it looks like we'll be spoilt for choice compared to what we had in France. There seems to be a choice of supermarkets and even a hardware store. Best of all, I won't have to try and communicate with them in French!!

:-)

There is just one supermarket at Ostend, and two or tree large(ish) Dairies dotted around. The nicest thing about Waiheke IMHO is there are some lovely independent little Delis (The Fruit & Veg Shop in Oneroa) that sells organic fruit and veg, fresh bread and unusual foodie things as well as the Saturda market at Ostend. More choice actually in that respect than our local shops in suburban Auckland.

Something you do need to consider is that most of the year the population of local residents is approximately 8000, for the six weeks of school summer holidays the numbers go up to 40,000 plus. So everywhere is busy, busy, busy and that is what puts me off a lot.

[M-Squared]

Something you do need to consider is that most of the year the population of local residents is approximately 8000, for the six weeks of school summer holidays the numbers go up to 40,000 plus. So everywhere is busy, busy, busy and that is what puts me off a lot.

It increases five-fold??? :eek: :eek: :eek: :exit

[Janey]

as did Cornwall
Steve pm me with your questions I have some friends who live there part year and another friend going to join them I will forward your email on.
BTW where in Worthing do you live MIL is in Goring my OH was born there and spent first 21 years there I lived and worked there for 7 years for the Health Authority

[Tia Maria]

Bare sections are mostly the old original quarter acre or more and cost $230k ish, so building your own is highly do-able too. $600k would buy a VERY nice home.

.

Apparently Waiheke is quite good value at the moment as house prices are falling and very little selling. I'm not sure if this is Aucklanders selling off second homes or not so I'm not sure whether its proper family homes on offer or more holiday style homes. There were lots of estate agents boards when we went this winter I imagine they do quite well from people changing their minds in the winter.

One word of caution about building your own place, it can be quite tricky. One friend I know literally had to have bits helicoptered in, with all the costs associated. Another could only find nice sections down dirt tracks, I'm not sure why they didn't get it sealed (maybe costly also?), but it caused a lot of hassle with building and access.

We rented a holiday place out there and got caught out by some of the very steep driveways and lack of pavements, long story short we ended up calling a tow truck. We were very apologetic but they didn't mind it was their second call out that night apparently it happens a lot to tourists! :D But they did say some of the homes need 4 wheel drive to get access.

It sounds like you will be fine with Island life and renting will give you enough time to get your head round all the practicalities.

Oh meant to say, I know of some people who keep a car on the mainland once again this will depend on whether you'd want to do a lot of driving elsewhere, either for work or sightseeing.

Waiheke Food & Veg is a fab place for food, the supermarket in Ostend is like any other supermarket and the Dairy at Palm Beach looks like its been hit by wartime rationing - very surreal!

Cheers

Tia

[collinssteve]

The house prices do look particularly good at the moment. It looks to me as though it's due to people selling off second homes, although I think some of these second homes would make fine first homes!

We almost got a hire car stuck in a dirt road too, so I think we'd try and get a 4WD. We're also bringing over a 1964 Mini so I'm not sure how that will cope! We might have to garage it elsewhere if we end up somewhere too muddy!

I'm hoping we can avoid keeping a car on the mainland. I think I'd get the bus to work from the ferry port (we did this fine when we commuted by ferry from Devonport) so we'd only need a car on the mainland for weekends away. I've never been on the car ferry but it looks easy enough for occasional use.

It sounds like there are far more shops than I remember. I only remember seeing a couple of art galleries, a pizza place and a small supermarket. I guess I wasn't too interested in hardware stores at the time (how things change!).

Do any of you know if there are any pet shops there or somewhere which would sell Royal Canin dog food (or other similarly good food)?

There used to be a great noisy (but friendly) bar called Palavas. I can't remember where on the island it was, but it was right on the beach. Wonder if it's still there?!

We have wondered about building our own place but we'll need to look into that in way more detail when we're there. I think we'd abandon the idea if helicopters were needed!!
I think we'll rent for at least the first year, probably more.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for all your info. It's very much appreciated. Keep it coming!

Cheers,
Steve

[Tia Maria]

As someone mentioned send a PM to AndrewandJane, they are always full of good advice/info about Waiheke.

But until then you could try the yellow pages:

http://yellow.co.nz/search/waiheke/hardware+store-1.html

So there is a Placemakers. :)

Cheers

Tia

[Ngeru]

Waiheke has it's own directory: http://www.waihekeamberpages.co.nz/

Can't think if I had seen a Pet Shop there, but like you say if your not looking.

There is an all important semi-decent Indian restaurant (Ajadz) by the Library.

So, yes the island is pretty well serviced for most daily needs and the car ferry is a doddle, but expensive. You can get concessions though for being a resident, I think it's about $85 return trip. Check http://www.sealink.co.nz/waiheke-island/index.html for offers and specials

[andrewandjane]

took me a while to see this, happy to answer any questions..

plenty of properties on island its not as expensive as people think. 300 can buy a batch at min, cheapest section is 95 k at present. could get everything you need on island untill last saturday when the only large supermarket burnt down..still plenty of smaller shops and towns only a 35 min ferry away.

can get a return ferry with car for $50 at min but its usually 80 return for islanders.

email me if you want to know anymore.

Andy

[Tia Maria]

Oooh hadn't spotted that, info here:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10578129

Cheers

Tia