People & Places
Living on South Island
If the North Island can be viewed as the industrial hub of New Zealand then the South Island is very much the more serene, gentile paced of the countrys two major islands
Despite being larger than its northern counterpart the South Island is 151,215 square kilometres compared to the North Island's 113,279 square kilometres just under 24 per cent of the country's entire population live on the island with over half of these living in the Canterbury region which encompasses the island's biggest city, Christchurch (pop: 367,700). Much of the South Island is taken up by the towering mountain ranges, pounding waterfalls, blue fiords and crystal clear lakes which have become so synonymous with New Zealand over the past few years thanks to the exposure the country has gained through providing the backdrop to the Lord of the Rings and The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe blockbusters. However, while the South Island is often viewed by tourists as the more picturesque of NZ's two islands although this is to take nothing away from the North Island which boasts plenty of eye catching delights of its own when it comes to choosing a destination in which to live, stunning scenery is not likely to be an important enough consideration to sway any final decision. This is especially true in New Zealand where the importance of already working in the country, or at least having a pre-arranged job offer, is often paramount to an applicant's chances of being awarded a visa.
Therefore when it comes to considering the South Island as a possible location on which to settle it is essential not to get too seduced by the island's jaw-dropping beauty, and concentrate at least a little on the job opportunities available there. After all, this will ultimately impact on the kind of lifestyle you will be able to enjoy in your new home country. "Generally the working week is 40 hours in NZ," says British immigrant Denise Lock who lives in Christchurch. "However, it is possible to work up to 60 hours especially in retail! Generally New Zealanders don't work at the weekend and it is quite common for workers to have a social drink together at the end of the working week. "Wages do tend to be less here than in the UK, but the lifestyle and scenery in New Zealand certainly compensates for this!"
Canterbury
New Zealand's largest region, taking up some 42,200 square kilometres, Canterbury is the South Island's major economic centre. Boasting the highest average weekly income on the island (NZ$682), the second highest number of business enterprises in New Zealand behind Auckland (41,556) and the country's current lowest unemployment rate (2.4 per cent the national average is 3.6 per cent), Canterbury, and the city of Christchurch in particular, is likely to be the main focal point for a majority of those who consider setting up home on the South Island.
After years of economic growth way above that of the national average, last year saw a slight slowdown in the region's economy, with the recorded growth being 2.7 per cent it was 2.4 per cent nationally. The construction and real estate sectors both weakened significantly in this period, although the tourism, retail and agricultural industries all enjoyed some sustained growth. Traditionally Canterbury's economy has been described in New Zealand as 'living off a sheep's back' due to the fact it has for so long been dominated by sheep-based industries and dairy production. However, in recent years the region has established a range of 'new economy' sectors such as technology-based small businesses. Christchurch, New Zealand's second most populous city, is where 69.8 per cent of Canterbury's residents live. Offering a combination of a relaxed lifestyle along with all the amenities you would expect a fair-sized city to offer good shopping, world-class restaurants and a reasonably vibrant nightlife the 'Garden City, as Christchurch is also known, is unsurprisingly one of New Zealand's most popular destinations for British migrants.
Otago
The Otago region is home to the South Island's second most populous city, Dunedin. A thriving city with over 119,000 residents, Dunedin is actually New Zealand's largest city in terms of actual land area and is currently attracting more migrants than ever before. Mixing a casual and relaxed lifestyle with all the advantages that come with living in a metropolitan area, in recent years Dunedin has evolved into a dynamic city where some of the most exciting business opportunities in New Zealand can be found.
Manufacturing, information communication technology, agriculture, software development, biotechnology, forestry and e-business are just some of the industries to currently be thriving in the city. The roads immediately surrounding the Octagon a circular thoroughfare located in the heart of Dunedin's city centre is where many of the city's top businesses are based.
Away from Dunedin Otago's economy is reliant on industries such as agriculture (the region is home to over 28 per cent of all the South Island's sheep), retail and manufacturing. These three industries account for a fairly large proportion of Otago's 77,187 employees. However, education is also a significant employer in the region. Dunedin is one of NZ's most popular student towns it is the home of the main base campus for Otago University and teachers of all levels are generally needed in the region.
The adventure tourism mecca that is Queenstown, along with destinations such as the Otago Peninsula and the Remarkables Mountain Range, ensures that there will be always be a thriving tourism industry in the region as well.
Nelson
New Zealand's smallest region is currently undergoing something of a popularity boom with wealthy migrants from both home and abroad. Boasting one of the country's best climates, a number of great beaches and three national parks within 90 minutes of each other including the famous Abel Tasman Park Nelson, located at the central northern tip of the South Island, rightly claims to offer its residents one of the best lifestyles in NZ.
Unfortunately, though, working in the region proves to be a less attractive prospect. Despite having one of the highest cost of living of any Kiwi region median house prices there are currently the third-highest in the country the average weekly wage in Nelson is almost NZ$100 below that of the national average. Therefore, the region has traditionally struggled to attract much needed skilled trade workers who have understandably been put off by the less than appealing combination of high living costs and low wages. This has started to change over the last 12 months or so, however, as Nelson has become increasingly popular with people looking to build their own properties there. In turn this has increased the need for trade workers in Nelson and as a result the construction industry is burgeoning in the region.
Nelson is the health centre for a number of health-related services for its surrounding regions, including parts of Marlborough and the West Coast, and as such the health and community industry is one of the region's biggest employers, with 21.7 per cent of its full-time workers in some way linked to this industry. In terms of economic importance seafood, horticulture, tourism and forestry are very much the big four, while Port Nelson is the biggest fishing port in Australasia.
Southland
As you've probably already guessed from its name, Southland is New Zealand's most southerly region. Surrounded by vast plains, wild coasts and some of the country's most spectacularly isolated scenery, Southland is one of New Zealand's most diverse regions, offering 'off the beaten track' activities for the adventurous alongside idyllic tranquillity for those looking for the quiet life.
Despite being relatively ignored and unheard of by many Brits planning a move to New Zealand, the region is actually the country's second-largest, covering over 33,000 square kilometres and spanning the entire breadth of the island's southern coastline. It also offers plenty of job opportunities for new migrants.
While Invercargill, the region's biggest city with a population of 51,800, has one of the lowest unemployment rates in New Zealand 1.9 per cent according to Kathryn Macdonnell, migration marketing manager of Venture Southland, Invercargill "has skills shortages just like any other city. People are needed to fill jobs in the trades, healthcare, engineering, education, construction and automotive sectors," she says. Agriculture is the region's dominant industry, with much of the region's pastoral and fertile lands ideal for farming. Sheep farming has traditionally formed the backbone of the region's economy but in recent years the dairy and beef cattle industries have also increased in importance, and a growing number of North Island farmers have started to relocate to the region.
The Fiordland National Park the biggest national park in NZ and the delightful Milford Sound ensures that tourism is big business in the region as well. There are well in excess of 500 tourist providers operating in Southland and in 2004 roughly 1.53 million visitors arrived in the region, handing over NZ$215 million to the region's economy.
West Coast
The region with New Zealand's smallest population (population: 30,500) also boasts the least number of business enterprises in the country. Located in the north-west of the island and encompassing the towns of Greymouth, Westport, and Hokitika, agriculture is the region's major industry with almost 12 per cent of Coasters (as residents of the West Coast are known) being employed in this sector at the end of 2005.
Greymouth, the Coast's largest centre accounting for almost 20 per cent of the region's entire population, is one of New Zealand's most important commercial fishing areas, and a number of fishing vessels (as many as 150200 depending on the time of the year) can often be seen docked at the town's harbour. Greymouth is also viewed as an important port town and has established good trading relations with Australia in recent years.
Mining, for gold, coal, rock, sand and various other minerals, is also big business in the region, with all of New Zealand's exported coal coming from there. Anyone who does settle on the fairly isolated West Coast can expect to enjoy a quiet life. Coasters tend to be more rural than Kiwis from any other region with just 59 per cent of the region's population living in urban areas, compared to a national average of 85 per cent. The region also boasts the country's lowest population density with just 1.3 people living in each square kilometre, with most of these resident in the region's coastal plains.
Marlborough
Averaging 2,470 hours of sunshine a year, Marlborough's mild climate has helped the region to establish itself as arguably New Zealand's most important wine-producing area. Since the late 1970s Marlborough has been at the forefront of New Zealand's wine industry and is widely viewed as the region which first helped Kiwi wine gain international recognition. The Sauvignon Blanc produced in the area has proved to be particularly popular with overseas wine connoisseurs.
Today, around 1,700 of the region's approximate 19,700 employees work in the food and beverage production industry, of which viticulture plays a hugely important role. So big has the wine industry in Marlborough become, in fact, that much of the land once set aside for sheep farming has now been taken up by vineyards. It is in large part due to this burgeoning industry that, according to a consumer confidence survey conducted in March, Marlborough was one of the few NZ regions where confidence levels in the economy were rising. Average wages in the region are currently a healthy NZ$633 a week only Southland and Canterbury have higher averages on the South Island while unemployment is also below the national average at 3.6 per cent.
Blenheim is the region's biggest city and is home to around 34,500 of Marlborough's 42,700 residents. Boasting more sunshine hours than any other city in New Zealand, Blenheim is the main service centre to the region's wine, horticulture, forestry and marine farming industries. While the city claims to offer one of the most relaxed lifestyles in New Zealand, the region's biggest attractions, for both residents and tourists alike, are probably the Marlborough Sounds an extensive network of sea valleys, islands and peninsulas which cover some 4,000 square kilometres. There it is possible to swim with dolphins and indulge in a number of water-based activities, including water-skiing and kayaking.
Read other articles about South Island cities:
Making it in Christchurch
Out and about in Dunedin
Christchurch: A city for everyone
Search EmiLinks for New Zealand city and town sites
Register for your FREE emigration starter pack
Subscribe to Emigrate New Zealand newspaper. Read more ...