[katiejay]

:) Hello all - I'm another newbie, and nice to find so many others who think the same way we do - looks like there'll be plenty of new friends to catch up with when we get to NZ!

My question is this. Why is Oamaru housing so much cheaper than elsewhere on South Island? I've found some wonderful properties with hectares of land (not sure how much that is exactly, but alot bigger than my postage stamp back garden in Essex!) and all for about the amount of equity in my UK house. I've read that Oamaru could suffer Tsunami - maybe that's the reason?

Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

We're planning to find work in Dunedin or surrounds, so Oamaru doesn't look like much of a commute (although my spacial awareness isn't great!).

KatieJay xx

[pinkpiggy]

Hi Katie

I can't answer your question but I'm sure someone else on here will be able to help.

Just wanted to say welcome to the forum. :D

[katiejay]

:nice1 Thanks Pinkpiggie - this is such a friendly forum!! I love it. Kx

[ruthyroo]

I don't think that Oamaru would be considered commutable to Dunedin unless you really like to spend a lot of time in the car - it's at least 1.5 hours each way. The furthest north most people that commute to Dunners live is Waikouaiti and surrounds, which is about 30 minutes from the city. I would imagine that this is one of the reasons that Oamaru is cheap - not close enough to any big cities to have commuters, main industry is tourism (thank to the little blue penguins and historic buildings), and not a whole lot else going on. But if you find a job there and the area appeals - go for it!

[katiejay]

Thanks Ruthyroo. That certainly explains it. Any thoughts on just how rural we could get 30 minutes from Dunedin? You're right - Oamaru is too far and as Hub is a welder, I'm thinking work is going to be around the cities. We live in a village now, so we're not used to city life and we like the idea of uninterrupted views!

[David with a dream]

Don't know much about the area you mentioned but I just wanted to say hi and blimy our kids are called Katie & Jay :laugh .......David

[K&CS]

Hi. Welcome to the forum. I've only ever passed through Oamaru. We were supposed to be staying the night but after spending half an hour there, we decided we'd done Oamaru, and moved on!! I'm sure there will be plenty of people who'll disagree with me.

Kate

[Richard_from_Long Beach]

I spent a couple days in Oamaru as a tourist and just loved it. The public gardens there are the best! Friendliest people I met in all my S.I. travels.

But living there...what are you going to do?

An unfortunate drawback there is that a rail line runs along the shore, eliminating all the oceanfront (and potentially great oceanfront property) in town.

[katiejay]

I can see a pattern forming here!! Nice place to visit, but not to live. Ah, me - I have so much to learn - good job I have such great teachers on this forum - thanks chaps!

I need to draw a 30 mile radius around Dunedin, I think, and see where that takes me!!

:nice1

[katiejay]

Hi David - I picked the username because that's what my mum used to call me when I was little - real name = Kay, but I always wanted to be called Katie! See you in NZ sometime???

[Debbie P.]

Hi KatieJay,

We spent a couple of nights there on our way to somewhere else. The place seemed a bit dead, but then this was August and freezing cold, so maybe everyone was staying in.

Agree with the comment about the rail line - it didn't make the seafront area look very inviting.

Best of luck,

Debbie

[NoelMC]

Nice little car museum if I remember rightly, and lots of brick a brac shops down near the docks
plus a new grandstand to see the penguins.
First time I had ever seen a road sign saying penguin crossing.

[David with a dream]

Hi again KatieJay (that's also my password on the work system!) being as you are from the SE of England and more used to a warmer climate than us frozen Northerners why do you want to live in the colder end of NZ. Just curious. :D ...........David

[katiejay]

Hi David

It's cooler, but it's drier, I understand (at least on the Eastern side) - plus less likely to have volcanoes erupting!

Besides, once a southerner, always a southerner, eh?

I wonder if we'll be having this north/south discussion in a couple of years on the other side of the world????

p.s. Essex may be warmer (sometimes), but 'up north' is definitely prettier - and you speak better than us lot.

[David with a dream]

You are to kind KJ :D ...........David

[katiejay]

I've just seen draig's photos of Dunedin - what a magical beach.....it's calling me home............

[David with a dream]

Don't say I have not told you - south = cold :exit .........................David

[katiejay]

Yes - alright, then. But it is PRETTY - Milford Sound alone is enough to wear me thermals for.............. :clap