[CricketLover]

Hi, wondering if anyone on the forums lives in the Masterton area? We were thru there last year, but didn't spead much time I'm afraid.

If a job lead pans out, that may be where we end up.
Would love to hear anything about the area, the town, the shops...anything.

My head is spinning.....I can't believe I just "interviewed for a JOB in NZ" :clap
We also just received word from NZIS our interview will be the week of Dec. 19th. :raebanana

It's happening...It's really happening!

[sizzlingbadger]

We live about half an hour away in Featherston.

We travel up to Masterton once or twice a month for shopping. It has a lovely high street with a very small selection of shops but everything you need. Several supermarkets and a Pak'N'Save opening in the next year or so.

Housing is still affordable in places but it's up and coming in quite a few areas now.

They've just opened a huge swimming pool and recreation centre and have a fantastic park on the edge of the main centre, Queen Elizabeth Park. There's also Henley Lake on the edge of the town.

You're also an hour and half drive or train journey away from Wellington. We've found if we need more choice then we go over the hill.

If you don't mind commuting into work have a look at Carterton and some of the rural parts you'll get more property for your money.

Let's hope you hear something soon from the job interview :)

[CricketLover]

Thank you for the response.

It looks like a job offer is coming and they want me there by the end of January!
YIKES.
Also, I'll be coming alone which wasn't in the original plans.
The hubby may be able to come for a week to help we get settled. I'm hoping there may be some folks on the forums that might be able to assist us as well.

I'll be posting more as soon as we know firm dates. :nice1

We'll do some internet searches for properties in Masterton and Carterton.
They sound nice.

[kiwidollie]

Congratulations Cricketlover.

All the best to you.

[Diny]

Masterton is nice !! I've been there a couple of times, and I agree that the main street has some good shops and the rest of the town offers everything you will need.

When I'm asked about a place I feel the most honest answer I can give is to say whether I'd live there myself or not (being a firm believer in not expecting another person to do what I wouldn't do) - the answer to 'would I live in Masterton' ...... yes I would.

Hope that makes sense. Also - you're not a million miles from us Ashhurst (other side of the ranges) and Jo in Dannevirke so I can feel abit of a get together happening.

See you soon.

Diny

[sizzlingbadger]

Congratulations ...


Give me a pm if you need any help, should be able to help a bit. I've got the in laws staying January and February so may not be around as much as I have been.

[dawn]

Hi Cricketlover

My hubby is Masterton born & bred, we stayed there for 6 weeks in 2003 and 4 weeks last year.

I can honestly say that it's a lovely place, the locals are friendly and curious :D They like "foreigners". They thought hubby was English! He's been in the UK too long. It's a lovely place and it's where we'll be settling when we go over.

My children are provisionally registered with schools, my 13 year old with Wairarapa College (www.waicol.co.nz) and my 11 year old with Lakeview School (www.lakeview.school.nz).

Masterton is pretty central, it's driving distance to Wellington, the mountains or the beach, Castlepoint and Flatpoint are the best ones (takes about an hour).

You've got Mount Holdsworth just up the road, great for picnics, long walks and camping. The rivers are also great for floating down on a inner tube!

Mount Bruce (a nature reserve) is to the North of Masterton and a great place to spend the day.

These websites may help:

www.masterton.co.nz
www.mstn.govt.nz
www.wairarapanz.com/masterton.html
www.cityofmasterton.co.nz/

Drag racing is very big in Masterton, they hold races out at Hood Aerodrome, I'd never been before, but we had a great time: www.mastertonmotorplex.co.nz

If you have any questions, please feel free to message me and I'll get hubby to answer them!

Good luck!

Dawn

[CricketLover]

Dawn,
Thank you so much, that's alot of good info about the area.

My new job is at Mt. Bruce! I'm so excited. I'm a wildlife biologist and I'll be doing endangered species work! I'm so happy!

I've been looking at houses online and the town of Masterton looks nice.
Since I'll be there for about 4 months before the hubby comes over, I'll be able to check out the neighborhoods and zero in on one for us.

Thank you,
Rosemary

[dawn]

Oh Rosemary,

I am so jealous, Mt Bruce is an amazing place, we spent a great day there last year. I've got loads of pictures (I'm snap happy :laugh ).

Good luck with finding a place, hubby says the Lansdowne (avoid the hill area, very expensive) area (basically anywhere north) of Masterton would be good for you, provides easier access to Mt Bruce as you don't have to drive across town first. By UK standards, Masterton itself is easy to get into from any direction, it's not very sprawling. To the west of Masterton, there's a pretty good bypass, heading out towards Mt Bruce.

We'll be over in July, we'll be living in Allenby Street, not far from Henley Lake (warning, don't take your dog walking at Henley Lake, as it's become polluted and Chris' mum's dog was pretty ill after swimming in it). I'm starting my obsession early.

Apart from that, have a great time house hunting and house furnishing! I can give you a heads up on electrical shops in the town (washing machines, microwaves, etc) and furniture shops if you need it.

Dawn

[Avalon]

Masterton is pretty central, it's driving distance to Wellington, the mountains or the beach, Castlepoint and Flatpoint are the best ones (takes about an hour).


We have spent several days this christmas at both Castlepoint and Riversdale beaches and can highly recommend them. Riversdale is great for swimming (if you like big waves). Both sandy beaches adnd both quite - not at all crowded with people.

I never really considered when we moved here that we would be going to local beaches - I didnt really think of the Wairarapa as a whole as being an area that had them - not swimming beaches anyway.

So you can have the rural feel -AND beaches - the Wairarapa just grows on me every day :)

[Paul]

Dawn,
Thank you so much, that's alot of good info about the area.

My new job is at Mt. Bruce! I'm so excited. I'm a wildlife biologist and I'll be doing endangered species work! I'm so happy!

I've been looking at houses online and the town of Masterton looks nice.
Since I'll be there for about 4 months before the hubby comes over, I'll be able to check out the neighborhoods and zero in on one for us.

Thank you,
Rosemary

Wow well done you - sounds like a great job and a great place to live/work! I bet you can't wait!

We keep looking at the areas of Featherston and surrounding with a view to working in Wellington (I'm an accountant so need a largish town to get suitable work I would have thought). The Waiparara area looks so nice and you do seem to still get a lot of land/house for your dollar compared with say Wellington area

What's the weather like in the Waiparara area compared to say Wellington (windy? similar sunshinbe hours etc?)

Sorry to hijack your thread Rosemary but this area does interest us greatly and we would really like to start planning a trip out there to check it out

Paul :nice1

[dawn]

I'ts not so windy in the Wairarapa and slightly less chance of rain and earthquakes! Welly/Hutt Valley gets lots of earthquakes (only llittle one's mind you, nothing to be scared of).

Bear in mind that it's a hell of a commute into Wellington, from Masterton by train, it's over an hour each way. Just something to think about. I know I wouldn't be happy commuting for that long.

[dawn]

Just found this, loads of useful information http://livenewzealand.com/ and I discovered it's 98 miles from Masterton to Wellington.