Lifestyle and Leisure
Enjoying the New Zealand weather
Kiwis are even more preoccupied by the weather than Brits. The weather can change quickly and unexpectedly. Kate Baddeley looks at where to live to enjoy the best of the New Zealand weather
Since the Maori people named New Zealand, 'Aotearoa' – 'Land of the Long White Cloud' – the New Zealand weather and climate have been of paramount importance to its people – many of whom traditionally make their living from the land.
The New Zealand weather is a mild maritime climate, moderately high rainfall, and many hours of sunshine throughout most of the country. Its climate is dominated by two main geographical features – the mountains and the sea. However, as more than 75 per cent of the country is over 200 metres high, the weather can change unexpectedly, as cold fronts or tropical cyclones quickly blow in. Because of this, you should be prepared for sudden changes in the weather and temperature, which is why you often hear New Zealand described as having 'four seasons in one day'.
Each one of New Zealand's 12 regions contains a different climate and in turn the promise of an entirely different lifestyle. Certain areas are also known to have characteristic weather patterns: Wellington is known for its wind, the north for being winterless, the Canterbury plains for being a dry barren region, Nelson and Blenheim for the large amount of sunshine hours they receive, central Otago for its hot summers and bitterly cold winters, and the West Coast and Fiordland for its high rainfall. Because New Zealand lies in the Southern Hemisphere, the average temperatures decrease the further south you travel. Craig Millard at New Zealand's Avana Properties explains, "The climate in the North Island is sub-tropical. From Auckland up the climate is akin to the Mediterranean, with warm summers and mild winters. Moving down through the North Island the climate is more similar to central/southern Europe.
"As for the South Island, this has a temperate climate and is more in keeping with the UK, particularly from Christchurch up. Heading down through the South Island around Lake Tekapo, Fox and Franz Josef Glacier, Wanaka and Queenstown, the climate is very alpine. Heading toward Fiordland, the climate becomes very Scandinavian," Millard adds. Most places in New Zealand receive over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year, with the sunniest areas receiving over 2,350 hours. As New Zealand observes daylight saving, during the summer months daylight can last up until 9.00pm.
So if you want to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle in New Zealand and live somewhere warm and sunny where is the best place to start your property search? "Sun worshippers should focus on the North Island when looking for property, particularly the Bay of Islands in the north where the climate is warm and the views spectacular. It is a popular holiday destination for New Zealanders," answers Millard.
"Also worth considering would be the areas in the Bay of Plenty, around Tauranga and the Coromandel peninsula. New Zealanders and immigrants have been looking to the Bay of Plenty in large numbers recently for the quality of the lifestyle and the climate," he adds. The sunny climate and beachy atmosphere of the Bay of Plenty make it a place to have fun, with its beautiful harbours, long golden beaches which are ideal for surfing, and a relaxed lifestyle. At the mouth of a beautiful harbour is Tauranga, the region's main city. Its two large marinas hold over a thousand yachts and launches, and there are numerous big game fishing charter operators ready to take you out to the fishing grounds offshore. Brits may be lured to the Bay of Plenty by its beautiful beaches but they soon discover that Tauranga is a cosmopolitan city, with a thriving economy. Across the harbour from Tauranga is Mount Maunganui – a volcanic cone at one end of a long sand spit. There you'll find keen anglers and surfers in search of the perfect wave. The Bay of Plenty's beauty is not only on its coastline, though. It also boasts attractive lakes, mountain ranges, and the Te Urewera National Park – New Zealand's third-largest national park. There is also an enormous amount in the Bay of Plenty for nature lovers and adventure seekers. The average property price in the region is currently NZ$285,000.
Whilst the north of the North Island is sub-tropical, the area south of Auckland, nearer to Wellington, possesses a climate more in keeping with northern Europe, with warm summers and mild, but wet winters, which might suit migrants looking for seasons similar to those in the UK. Millard points out that the area north of Christchurch on the South Island also possesses a climate with more distinct seasons. "Generally speaking, the climate in New Zealand is warmer than in the UK, particularly the further north you go. The most similar climate to the UK's is found around Christchurch, which is often described as the most 'English' city outside of England," says Millard. In Christchurch there is a distinct change between seasons but no great extremes. Property prices in the region of Canterbury, where the city of Christchurch is located, are currently averaging NZ$271,250. However, as the South Island's main city, property prices in Christchurch are higher than the regional average.
New Zealand is renowned for its hilly terrain – both the North and South Islands are hilly and mountainous – but the west coast of the South Island is backed by the high Southern Alps with Mount Cook its highest peak, rising to over 3,700 metres. These higher mountains carry snow throughout the year. The Southern Alps boast extensive snowfields and glaciers. New Zealand is one of the most popular places in the Southern hemisphere for skiing and snowboarding, and those looking to be near the slopes year-round should head south. "Without doubt, the largest commercial areas for skiing in New Zealand are the areas around Queenstown and Wanaka on the South Island. Queenstown is more commercialised and the area is specifically set up for winter sports. Wanaka is less commercialised, but no less impressive in terms of what is on offer," explains Millard. He continues, "Much development has taken place in Queenstown in recent years and continues to happen. Demand is still strong for property in the area as it has become an increasingly popular place to invest with New Zealanders and foreigners alike. The price growth over the last five years has been amongst the highest in the country". Queenstown is the excitement capital of the South Island, a place for extreme sports and adventure all set against the exquisite backdrop of the Remarkables mountain ranges. The climate in Queenstown is a continental one, low rainfall, hot summers and cold winters. Winter transforms this South Pacific alpine playground. Without doubt, the major event of the Queenstown calendar is the Winter Festival, a celebration of the apres-ski lifestyle.
However, on the North Island, Tongariro National Park is also a popular winter ski area with runs on Mount Tongariro and Mount Ruapehu. With the perfect weather to enjoy their favourite leisure pursuits many immigrants want to realise their dream of owning a specific type of home. For example, beach-front properties are a particularly popular request amongst Brits who emigrate to New Zealand, but the price of homes in such areas are continuing to escalate in beach resorts across the country. "The best place to start when looking for a beach front home would be Auckland," says Millard. "Since the city hosted the America's Cup, there has been massive investment in the waterfront area and Auckland is often listed as one of the top ten best places to live solely because of the waterfront. "However, waterfront living in Auckland comes at a pretty high price." Auckland's amazing geography and warm, humid climate has inspired a lifestyle that's regularly ranked in the world's top ten. The cosmopolitan city centre is complemented by great escapes no more than half-an-hour from downtown and everyone lives within half an hour of beautiful beaches.
One thing Brits need to bear in mind when thinking about living in one of New Zealand's coastal areas is that the developed areas around the New Zealand coast are usually nestled in low-lying coastal margins, such as beaches, estuaries and harbours, and will therefore become increasingly vulnerable to the effects of global warming.
However, Millard points out that coastal erosion is of no greater risk in New Zealand than it is anywhere else in the world. "Properties on the coast are at risk of the same kind of coastal conditions as anywhere and freak conditions will pose flood problems to homes anywhere on the coast, as demonstrated by the floods around Tauranga in 2005. "New Zealand has been active in protecting the coastline and also in building new properties," he says. "However, new properties can't be built in areas within a specified distance of the coast, only a distance that experts deem to be safe."
So are houses actually built differently in New Zealand to compensate for the different climates and weather conditions? "Houses in New Zealand tend to be built predominantly as single-storey dwellings. Part of that is as a result of the earthquake risk, but most likely a desire for open plan living." New Zealand's North Island contains a number of active and potentially active volcanoes and there are many earthquakes recorded in and around New Zealand each year. Most are small, but around 150 are big enough to be felt.
So how does this effect house prices in areas that could potentially experience an earthquake? "Such factors are bound to affect prices, especially as demand from immigrants is likely to be low.," says Millard. "Any extreme factor will affect the demand for property which is coming from people outside of NZ. Using Rotorua's sulphurous smells emitted from the volcano as an example, the smell will not affect locals who have been used to it all their lives, but people moving into the area would be put off. Thus with a lower demand, prices would be kept low," says Millard. When you embark on your new life on New Zealand's shores you'll find a temperate climate and some pristine coastlines. And with all that unpredictable weather us Brits put up with in the UK we should feel right at home.
According to traditional Maori beliefs, the environment is rife with clues that hint at weather changes – probably best to pack the raincoats and wellies just in case, then!
For further information:
Avana Properties
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