People & Places
Taranaki tweaked
Home to an award-winning city, Taranaki has plentiful ways to live up to its own marketing hype.
Andrew Collier goes beyond the 'like no other' soundbites in search of the truth about Taranaki
The people of Taranaki are so proud of their region that they are eager to explain just what it is that makes it a place for British migrants.
So what can be said about Taranaki?
What's beyond doubt is that the region offers adrenaline-fuelled thrills and spills along with
beautiful beaches on which to unwind.
Worn out old roads wind their way past green fields dotted with cows and lined with large trees on their way to the region's rocky coastline where the pounding waves of the ocean create some of the best surf in the country.
Alternatively, you could spend a day tramping around Egmont National Park under the looming peak of the majestic Mount Taranaki which affords spectacular views and opportunities to escape from the crowds (although crowds are never particularly a problem in this spacious region). Then, round it all off by heading back to the commercial heart of Taranaki, New Plymouth, for some well earned relaxation and a bite to eat.
"In Taranaki you can enjoy the arts, snow sports, the beach and sea sports," enthuses Linda Hubble, a British migrant who lives in New Plymouth. "I don't know of any other place where you can do that. I'll always remember one particular day when we ate fish and chips on the beach at Oakura and then went up to the Visitor Centre on Mount Taranaki and played in the snow. I think that sums up the versatility of Taranaki perfectly."
In winter, the presence of the snow-capped Mount Taranaki means that lovers of the piste are well catered for, as British migrant Donna Johnson explains: "We are told Taranaki is the only place in NZ where you can ski in the morning and surf in the afternoon."
The mountain may be the most visible landmark in the region, but don't let its presence distract from the plethora of other attractions on offer. The Forgotten World Highway, a former colonial road, is a heritage highway that can be accessed from Stratford or Taumaranui and passes through stunning countryside including rolling hills and valleys – perfect for road trips at the weekends. There is also the famous 'surf' Highway 45 which Carrie Thorne, a British migrant working for Venture Taranaki, talks up. "You are never more than a one- and-a-half-hour drive away from a wave along the highway," she says. "We are lucky in that the weather near the sea is temperate, so the locals say if it is raining, just wait ten minutes."
Of course, even if you had all of these pristine leisure opportunities to hand, your overall quality of life could still be dragged down by living in a town that was something of a toilet. Thankfully, this label cannot be attached to New Plymouth – and this isn't just the opinion of those who live there. New Plymouth, recently won three gold awards in the UN's 'International Awards for Liveable Communities' and was named as 'New Zealand's Top City' by North and South magazine, so quite rightly its inhabitants feel pretty pleased with themselves.
As well as being the world's most 'liveable city', New Plymouth gets migrant votes for friendliness, too. "People in New Plymouth are friendly, helpful and take a genuine interest in you, whether it's at the supermarket, bank or anyone you meet in passing," says Jill Stanton, another satisfied British migrant. "It's all so different from the UK, but in a positive way. We certainly feel safe and welcome here."
For all the culture vultures out there – just in case you were missing your morning macchiato or weekend trip to the local art gallery, then New Plymouth has got you well covered. "The lively and vibrant café culture means you are never far from a ridiculously good coffee," British migrant Tim Norman divulges. "Art galleries show off the cream of local and national talent and then there are the parks – the number and quality of the parks here is truly one of New Plymouth's greatest assets."
Getting around
Great city? Check. Great coastline? Check. Great mountain? Check. Easy journeys between them?
Er, no.
It's fair to say that New Zealand, on the whole, is not famed for its transport system. For example, the main highway from the top of the east coast of the North Island to the Cook Strait in the south is nothing more than a thread-thin road – albeit a stunningly beautiful one. So it should come as no surprise that Taranaki's transport system can take a little adjusting to as well.
"To visit anywhere usually requires driving across extremely hilly terrain and the roads are narrow," explains an exasperated Donna. "There are very few crash barriers on steeper and more treacherous areas."
Driving to either Wellington or Auckland usually takes four or five hours and there is no direct train service to either city. However, New Plymouth does have its own airport offering domestic flights to Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch, and international flights accessed at all three. On the plus side, there is a regular and reliable bus service in New Plymouth that serves the city and some of the smaller towns in the region.
In the centre of New Plymouth, there are the inevitable traffic jams at times but, in comparison to the UK, they are minor irritations. "Some might complain of traffic jams," Tim says. "But a ten-minute wait (at most, and rarely even that) makes me smile to myself when I think of the hour of every weekday I would spend stationary in my car when I lived in the UK."
Smells like... community spirit
The community spirit in Taranaki is legendary. Remember to check in your British reserve at the door and embrace the friendliness of the locals, who always have time to talk to you, and make you feel like part of the community.
"One of the best things about living in Taranaki is that although it is quite a large region it 'lives' like a small community," says Linda. "Everyone is very friendly and helpful and you always bump into someone you know. It is a very family-orientated place and this is clearly demonstrated by the number of family functions that the council arranges each year."
We have all experienced the daily commute to work, when a curt nod is all you get from passing people as everybody desperately avoids eye contact by pretending to read the newspaper or listen to music. Well, that is not the Taranaki way.
"The people are welcoming and friendly in a way that can take you by surprise at first if, like me, you have become accustomed to the British way of not saying an awful lot to people as you go about your business," says Tim. "But it is truly refreshing to have a conversation with a total stranger and walk away with a smile on your face, knowing that people don't have to be so welcoming and funny and good humoured, but they are." All it takes is a little bit of time and even the most jaded of British migrants can adapt to their friendlier surroundings and replace the traditional grumpy nod with a smile and a chat.
The perfect home and ideal neighbours are all well and good, but good amenities are the glue that holds a community together. Good schools and colleges are essential for families to be able to settle, and knowing that there are schools nearby is an important part of any migration. Thankfully, Taranaki has got education covered and has a wide variety of schools considering the relatively small size of the region.*
"In New Plymouth, we have one polytechnic, a couple of colleges and several good schools," Carrie enthuses. "The polytechnic and the colleges cover everything from trades and engineering to nursing and hotel management and hospitality."
On the job
But what about post-education – are there any jobs to be had? Even in this respect, the news is positive – quite some feat given the worryingly vegetative state of the global economy (or is that just Gordon Brown's charisma). Statistically, Taranaki's unemployment rate is at 2.6 per cent for the March 2009 quarter, which is significantly lower than the national average of 5 per cent and recent analysis of the region has highlighted its good chance of surviving the recession relatively unscathed. This is due to several factors, including booming oil, gas and diary industries, business growth (the number of businesses in the region grew by 0.8 per cent in 2008), increasing visitor numbers and continued affordability of homes compared to other areas of New Zealand.
"I actually find working here very different to the UK. In some ways better, others not," Carrie says. "Here, people are more generalist, organisations are smaller and less structured, but most have a better appreciation of work/life balance. I think experiences really depend on individual employers and industries. The working week is typically longer than the UK's – 40 hours versus 37.5 – which I was surprised about, so it pays to know that! Ninety six per cent of businesses in NZ are Small to Medium Enterprises (SME's), and most are family owned." In addition, there are still skill shortages in Taranaki that range from accountants to surveyors and from healthcare professionals to engineering.
Like no other! Like, really?
Now that it is officially marketed as an award-winning region complete with its own flashy slogan 'Like no other', Taranaki looks set to entice and welcome more British migrants in the future.
For the migrants who have settled there already, the region is every bit as magical as the slogan suggests. "We still can't get over our excitement every time we see the sea, and smell it, when driving into work and having lunch on the Coastal walkway," says Jill. "Then there is the mountain. It greeted us on our arrival, we had our first glimpse of it from the plane and it has not been too shy ever since it showed us its first lot of snow."
The amount of leisure activities on offer for individuals and families contributes to the overall appeal of Taranaki and the friendliness of the region is the icing on the cake (or the snow dusting the tip of Mount Taranaki). "It is a beautiful part of the country," Donna says. "There is something for everyone from walking and sports to the beaches."
It is important to keep an open mind whenever you are moving to a new place, especially as some things may be different than what you are used to in the UK. Some migrants have done just that upon their arrival in Taranaki and are embracing the differences.
"People might bemoan the lack of atmospheric pubs, historic architecture and 500-year-old buildings," Tim reasons. "But emigration is not a way to transport old ways of life to another country. The differences here are what make the difference, and these are its attributes. It is a new country, being shaped every day by the people who live here, and these people here now will be the history in times to come. There isn't a day that I don't feel incredibly lucky to be living in New Plymouth. To live in a place with half the scenery we have here would be enough."
So whether it's surfing, skiing, or – dare I say it – working, it seems the slogan-writers have got it right: Taranaki really is like no other.
For further info:
Venture Taranaki
Taranaki Info
* Small print
Compared to the UK, the schooling system works slightly differently in New Zealand. Instead of public versus private schools as we have in the UK, Kiwis have a contribution scheme whereby the amount of government funding a school receives is directly related to the amount of additional
contribution parents must give. In Taranaki, there are several different schools, from separate boys and girls' schools, and several others in smaller towns like Inglewood and Harewa.
Factfile
Population: 107,500
Travel: International flights from Auckland (five hours drive) or Wellington (four hours drive) to Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester Airports via Dubai, Singapore or Hong Kong – cheapest price for June: Malaysian Airlines, £539.
Employment: Taranaki's unemployment rate was 2.6 per cent in the March 2009 quarter, compared to the national average of 4.6 per cent. The average annual wage in Taranaki is NZ$23,200 compared with the national average of NZ$24,400 (2006 census statistics).
Property: The average property price in New Plymouth is NZ$315,665 based on March 2009
statistics, compared to the average New Zealand house price of NZ$378,399. This was down by 6.4 per cent in the year to March 2009.
Climate: In New Plymouth, where the climate is temperate and moist, the average temperature in summer is 22oC and in winter 14oC. The average rainfall there is 1,436 millimetres.
Education: There are several different schools and colleges in Taranaki including numerous primary and secondary schools in New Plymouth. There are also two colleges: Pacific International Home Management School and the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT).
National parks: There are 14 national parks in New Zealand and one, Egmont National Park, can be found in Taranaki. Aside from Mount Taranaki, Egmont National Park is popular with trampers and is located south of the main city of New Plymouth.