20 January, 2011

Buying or owning a house right now is a “pretty good idea” with inflation risk rising around the world, says New Zealand’s Tower Investments.

Chief executive Sam Stubbs told a media briefing on investment markets in times of rising inflation housing investment has proved a good decision for Kiwis.

His team believes mortgage rates will rise this year but not nearly as high as the Reserve Bank could lift the Official Cash Rate (OCR) because banks had large enough margins to absorb these rises and still lend on first mortgages. The OCR is currently at 3 per cent and the central bank is not forecast to lift it more than 65 basis points in the next 12 months.

Asked if suggesting buying a house as a hedge against inflation contradicted Reserve Bank and Government advice to Kiwis to quit their obsession with residential property and get saving, Stubbs said the central bank was trying to avoid another property market bubble burst.

“There’s no indication that will come along but equally, our argument goes that if you have the option of buying a house and you are worried about what will happen to the value of that house over the long term….we think that with rising interest rates and inflation…it will get ever more expensive for you to buy this thing if inflation comes along and we believe it will.”

Housing as an investment “doesn’t look like bad value right now”, he says.

Mortgage rates looked like being “reasonable” for the short to medium term because banks were keen to lend on mortgages, the lowest-risk form of lending.

“We’ve been through the global financial crisis now, if banks wanted to exit the mortgage markets in New Zealand they’ve had plenty of opportunity but they chose not to. They’ve chosen to withdrawn from commercial and industrial (lending), that’s why so many small and medium enterprises are hurting.”

The price of a house does not go down in inflationary times, it goes up, says Stubbs.

“Make no mistake, the great value destroyer of the 1970s and early 80s in New Zealand and globally was inflation. Those who had mortgages and houses protected themselves against a lot of that. Those who had a lot of fixed interest deposits in banks ended up suffering in terms of diminution of the real value of their investment portfolios.”

Tower is “quite bullish” on New Zealand’s economic prospects for the next year.

Ref: Businessday.co.nz

Wellington’s quality of life is attracting skilled migrants to live in the city and contribute to its economic prosperity, according to a Department of Labour study.

The migrants, who came to Wellington under the skilled migrant category, said they had deliberately chosen Wellington above other cities because of the city’s physical beauty and geographical compactness, its unique labour market, educational institutions and family connections.

The 22 migrants interviewed for the study, Why Wellington?, were selected from people living close to the Wellington central business district and included people from the United Kingdom, South Africa, Japan, Taiwan, China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vanuatu and Fiji.

The study participants were highly skilled people - all but four were professionals or managers.

Participants who chose to make Wellington their home said they found the city socially diverse and friendly.

“The lifestyle here is very ideal, you know I can have a reasonably good job and also urban life (but at the same time) so close to the nature things especially in Wellington, 10 minutes to everything.

“Ten minutes to beach, 10 minutes to the forest, to the bush, yeah and 10 minutes to downtown,” one woman said.

The study will be followed up with further studies with migrants in other centres to explore similarities and differences in the motivations that underpin the national patterns of settling and further migration decisions, head of immigration Nigel Bickle said today.

“These findings help us learn more about how we can attract and retain the people we need for our economy to grow.

“Immigration plays a vital role in securing New Zealand’s prosperity,” Mr Bickle said

“It supplies critical skills for our workforce, visitors for our valuable tourism industry and overseas students for our education industry, which are all important for the Wellington economy and its continued growth.”

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said the study “helps to confirm what we all know about our city.

“Wellington is a compact, cosmopolitan city in a beautiful environment.”

23 November, 2010

Wellington is named as the 4th top city in the world to visit in 2011 by Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2011, released this month.

In its first recognition of a New Zealand city in the annual collection of the world’s best trends, destinations, journeys and experiences, the publication refers to Wellington under the banner of “coolest little capital in the world”.

Lonely Planet’s Asia-Pacific Travel Editor Shawn Low said Best in Travel 2011 draws on the knowledge, passion and kilometres traveled by Lonely Planet’s staff, authors and online community. Previously the top 10 countries, regions and cities have been listed alphabetically, but Lonely Planet has revealed them in ranked order for the first time in its sixth edition.

“This book started with hundreds of ideas from everyone at Lonely Planet, including our extended family of travellers, bloggers and tweeters,” Mr Low said. “These ideas were then whittled down by a panel of in-house travel experts, based on scores for topicality, excitement, value for money and that special X-factor.

“In the case of Wellington, Best in Travel 2011 suggests that New Zealand’s most innovative and inspiring city might just be the ‘Best Little Capital in the World’.”

Best in Travel 2011 writer Catherine Le Nevez describes Wellington in the book as “Cool-with-a-capital-C”. The abundance of arts and cultural events, the culinary and film scene, and the city’s attitude to sport are among the things that make the Wellington stand out.  Wellingtonians also get a well deserved mention.

“Wellingtonians are modest-as; they just figure if you’re going to do something, why not do it well?,” she writes.

“Its compact size energises its sense of community. Locals love their city…and get a kick out of helping visitors fall in love with it too.”

Positively Wellington Tourism Chief Executive David Perks said sharing a top 10 podium with the likes of New York and edgy destinations such as Tel Aviv is priceless recognition for New Zealand and its capital.

“To have Lonely Planet – a global brand respected for frank opinions and having its finger on the pulse – come out and refer to Wellington as the ‘coolest little capital in the world’ and among the top 10 cities you must visit for 2011 is quite simply incredible.”

The announcement comes as the 85,000 international travellers expected to visit New Zealand for Rugby World Cup 2011 look to plan their visit in more detail. Best in Travel 2011 lists Rugby World Cup in Wellington on its planner of major events around the world for the year.

Coupled with Wellington’s regular placing as New Zealand’s favourite destination in the quarterly Fly Buys/Colmar Brunton Mood of the Traveller poll, the Lonely Planet recognition creates an exciting platform for the city for 2011, Mr Perks says.

Year three of Visa Wellington On a Plate in August and an expanded Montana WOW Awards Show season will lead into RWC 2011 kick off in September. Hundreds of writers will then descend on the city for the Society of American Travel Writers conference in November, as another bumper cruise season settles in for summer.

“Wellington never suffered the hits from the downturn that many other destinations did, but things haven’t been as strong as we’re used to either – especially over winter. 2011 is set to be an exciting year but the job’s not done; it’s only just beginning.”

Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Cities 2011 are:

1. New York City, USA
2. Tangier, Morocco
3. Tel Aviv, Israel
4. Wellington, New Zealand
5. Valencia, Spain
6. Iquitos, Peru
7. Ghent, Belgium
8. Delhi, India
9. Newcastle, Australia
10. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Ref: WellingtonNZ.com

23 November, 2010

Christchurch is New Zealand’s second largest city (behind Auckland) and the gateway to the beautiful South Island which includes the wonders of Kaikoura and tourist mecca of Queenstown.

After persevering through a 7.1 magnitude earthquake (and the subsequent aftershocks) in September of this year the city of Christchurch is rebounding with vigour.

The rental market has received a shot in the arm from the lack of supply (the earthquake left thousands of older homes inhabitable).  Increased demand in the form of workers flooding into the city from around the country who need longer term accommodation over the coming months and years while the construction gets under way is another factor.

Chief executive of Fletcher Building (the company that won the contract to oversee the rebuild) Jonathan Ling told analysts that residential rebuilding in Christchurch is expected to accelerate in the second half of 2011 after the earthquake caused some $4 billion worth of damage.

Ling said residential property market could improve on the economic recovery lifting consumer confidence and more strength in net migration flows. Personal tax cuts and a low-interest rate environment are also factors underpinning a turnaround in the market, though there will probably be regional variances across the country.

Overall Christchurch house prices have risen again and homes are selling faster as buyers compete for cheaper properties.

Real Estate Institute president Mike Elford said the lack of homes for sale was restricting sale numbers but propping up prices.

With homes now selling nearly twice as fast as a year ago, he said, “the issue is not that houses are hard to sell, but rather that there is a shortage of stock going on the market”.

In summary the opportunity is for investors to purchase quality property in a city that is at the bottom of a property cycle, suffering from a lack of supply and an influx of prospective tenants.

23 November 2010

An additional 100,000 rental properties will be required for Auckland at a cost of $31.1 billion over the next 20 years,and population growth will fuel demand for rental accommodation, the Centre for Housing Research’s says in its Auckland Housing Market Assessment.

The report assesses the current and future housing demand for the city with predictions that population growth, particularly from older, smaller and rental households, will drive demand for additional property.  “Demand for rentals will increase much faster than demand from owner-occupiers.  Between 2006 and 2026, Auckland will need an additional 95,980 private rental dwellings,” the report said.

Over that time the population of Auckland is expected to increase by almost 40%.  Households aged 65-plus are expected to increase by 78.8%, accounting for 32.7% of total growth in household numbers.  Couple-only and single person households are expected to increase by 33% and 29.25% respectively.

Another growing trend highlighted by the report will be an increase in financially stressed renter households - financially stressed being households that spend more than 30% of their total gross income on housing costs.  Renter households, older households and single-person households are the most vulnerable to increased financial stress and the report says that over the two decades the number of financially stressed renter households is forecast to increase by 66.6%.

Demand for rental accommodation is forecast to increase at a “significantly” faster rate than demand from owner/occupiers.

Ref: Landlords.co.nz 

Auckland will face pressures on land development capacity, significant increases in the number of house renters and rental properties required, as well as pressures on transport infrastructure due to strong population growth over the next 16 years, the Centre for Housing Research said in a report released today.

Here is the release from the Centre for Housing Research.

The Centre for Housing Research, Aotearoa New Zealand (CHRANZ) has today released the research report “Auckland Region Housing Market Assessment” (November 2010) that assesses current and future housing demand and need (2006 to 2026) in the Auckland region, its distribution, composition and also its implications. This is the first such assessment using the New Zealand housing market assessment manual.

Undertaken by Darroch Limited, this research was funded by CHRANZ and the Auckland Regional Council.

Key findings:

• Strong population growth in Auckland will place stress on Auckland’s dwelling capacity, infrastructure, transport, and city form as it shapes the housing market until 2026.

• Dwelling demand for the 14 defined housing market areas (HMAs) will increase by 39.6 percent - from 431,890 dwellings in 2006 to 601,420 by 2026.

• The Auckland region already has (June 2009) significant renter housing affordability issues - 49.9 percent of all private renter households are experiencing ‘financial housing stress’ – households spending more than 30 percent of that household’s total gross income on housing costs.

• Demand for rental accommodation will continue to increase a significantly faster rate (63.5%) than demand for owner-occupier dwellings (26.2%).

• Home ownership has significantly reduced from 70.7 percent to 66.9 percent between 1996 and 2006.

• The absolute size of the ‘intermediate housing market’ (IHM) increased from 39,700 to 77,110 households between 2001 and 2009. ( IHM is the number of private renter households who have a least one member in paid employment and cannot afford to purchase a dwelling at the lower quartile sale price, assuming standard bank lending conditions.)

• Housing demand will be particularly shaped by the growth in older, couple-only and single person households and will increase demand for smaller one and two-bedroom dwellings.

• Auckland’s residential development capacity under the existing Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) will be nearing full capacity by 2026.

• A mismatch between the location of dwelling capacity in the region and the location of projected employment growth (especially for higher skilled and high paid occupations in Auckland city). 51 percent of the employment growth in the region is projected to be located in Auckland City but this area only has 32 percent of regional dwelling capacity.

• The implications for Auckland and its new governance will include: pressures on land development capacity; significant increases in the number of renters and rental properties required; as well as pressures on transport infrastructure.

5 November, 2010

New Zealand is the third best country to live in the world, climbing 17 places in the latest United Nations’ index aimed at measuring development.

The Human Development Report 2010 (HDR) was released today by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN Development Programme Administrator, and former New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark.

The report, The Real Wealth of Nations: Pathways to Human Development, highlights countries with the greatest progress as measured by the Human Development Index (HDI).

The index calculates the well-being in 169 countries, taking into account health, education and income, which are combined to generate an score between zero and one. The countries are grouped into four categories: very high, high, medium, and low.

New Zealand was named 20th in the 2009 and this year is just behind Norway and Australia, first and second respectively.

The country’s score has been rising by 0.5 per cent a year between 1980 and 2010 from 0.786 to 0.907 today, placing it in “very high” category.

New Zealand’s life expectancy is 80.6 years, average number of school years is 12.5, and gross national income per capita is $25,438 ($32,046NZD).

But the report’s lead author Jeni Klugram warned not to compare the latest index to previous years because different indicators and calculations have been used.

The 2010 index charts national ranking changes over five-year intervals, rather than on a year-to-year basis.

“Annual changes in national HDI rankings don’t tell us much about the reality of development, which is inherently a long-term process,” she said.

Other high achievers are the United States (4th), Ireland (5th), Liechtenstein (6th), Netherlands (7th), Canada (8th), Sweden (9th) and Germany (10th).

Mozambique (165th), Burundi (166th), Niger (167th), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (168th) and Zimbabwe (169th) were at the bottom of the index.

The report, the 20th anniversary edition, also looks at HDI data available for the past 40 years in 135 countries and names the “Top 10 Movers”.

Most developing countries made dramatic, “often underestimated” progress in health, education and basic living standards in recent decades, with many of the poorest countries posting the greatest gains, the report said.

Oman led the list, which invested energy earning over the decades in education and public health, and was followed by China and Nepal.

China was second mostly because of higher income per capita, but was not a top performer in school enrolment and life expectancy.

“One important finding from several decades of human development experience is that for lasting improvements on the quality of life of citizens, economic growth alone does not automatically bring improvements in health and education,” Dr Klugman said.

Nepal did see an improvement in healthy and education. A child born today can expect to live 25 years longer than a child born in 1970, and more than four of every five children attend primary school, compared to just one 40 years ago.

Overall, the report shows over the past four decades, life expectancy climbed from 59 years to 70, school enrolment rose from 55 per cent of all primary and secondary school-age children to 70 per cent, and per capita GDP doubled to more than US$10,000 ($12,587).

Ms Clark said the report shows that people today are healthy, wealthier and better educated than before.

“While not all trends are positive, there is much that countries can do to improve people’s lives, even in adverse conditions. This requires courageous local leadership as well as the continuing commitment of the international community,” she said.

Top 15 countries

1. Norway
2. Australia
3. New Zealand
4. United States
5. Ireland
6. Liechtenstein
7. Netherlands
8. Canada
9. Sweden
10. Germany
11. Japan
12. South Korea
13. Switzerland
14. France
15. Israel

Top 10 Movers

1. Oman
2. China
3. Nepal
4. Indonesia
5. Saudi Arabia
6. Lao PDR
7. Tunisia
8. South Korea
9. Algeria
10. Morocco

Courtesy of NZ Herald and NZPA 

26 October 2010

It must be noted that New Zealand is an island nation, completely surrounded by ocean and home to some of the most spectacular beaches in the world.  In this edition we will be focusing on some of these beach lovers’ playgrounds as well as other aspects of our stunning country.

#80    Cape Palliser, Wairarapa

Situated on the southernmost tip of the North Island, remote and romantic Palliser Bay is a seaside village not to be missed.   With a historic lighthouse, breath-taking views to the South Island on a clear day and accommodation choices from luxury to campsites; this is a place to relax and enjoy.  With plethora of wildlife, excellent fishing and a friendly local atmosphere, there is something for everyone.  See www.wairarapanz.com

#79    Taranaki Gardens, Taranaki

Taranaki is a district of New Zealand which is home to over half of our nationally acclaimed gardens.  The Pukeiti rhododendron garden (set in lush rainforest) is spectacular between July and December and is home to over 10,000 different varieties!  From native to English garden, tours are available for these public gardens.  Pukekura Park in New Plymouth (which is the largest city in Taranaki) has meandering walk, native bush and beautiful gardens. Visit www.rhodo.co.nz for more info.

#78    Buller Gorge – Westland

The Buller River is an impressive and fast flowing body of water that has cut its way through what is known as Buller Gorge, on the West Coast of the South Island.   On the border of the Kahurangi National Park and the gateway to the visually stunning Punakaiki Pancake Rocks – there are also many other tourist activities to partake in while driving through this 169 kilometre track; including jet boating, caving, rafting, quad biking and horse treks.  Visit www.bullergorge.co.nz

#77     Ahipara and Shipwreck Bay - Northland

At the southern end of New Zealand’s iconic Ninety Mile Beach at the northern tip of the North Island, the township of Ahipara and Shipwreck Bay is a beach lover’s paradise. With excellent surf, unforgettable views and sites of historical significance with regard to our colonial heritage, this area is a sight to behold.  Quad biking on huge sand dunes is an exciting activity to partake in along with visiting the remnants of ancient kauri forest and shipwrecks on the pristine sands of the bay.  Visit www.ahipara.co.nz for more information.

#76    Wainui Beach – Gisborne, Eastland

Gisborne is the first place in the world to see the sunrise each day and the unspoiled white sands of Wainui Beach is the best vantage point to experience this!  While in Gisborne the opportunity to taste the regions award winning chardonnay wine should not be missed.  The area has numerous vineyards devoted to this grape and wine tours are available.  See www.wainuibeach.co.nz or www.wtn.co.nz/winetours/gisborne.asp

#75    Castlepoint – Wairarapa

If you are looking for an old fashioned seaside adventure, Castlepoint in the Wairarapa is the place!  The beautiful bay has a warm lagoon, a reef with whirling seabirds, hidden caves and rock pools.  With plenty of wild life and a windy walk to the magnificent lighthouse there is plenty to explore in the quaint seaside town.  Proximity to the Castlepoint Scenic reserve offers other opportunities to explore along with superb views.  Visit www.castlepoint.co.nz

#74    Seafood Mecca - Nelson 

Nelson is home to the largest fishing port in Australasia (Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands).  With an abundance of the ocean’s bounty available in the picturesque South Island town, those with a taste for seafood should defiantly visit Nelson!  Of some historical significance – New Zealander Ernest Rutherford (1st man to split the atom) was born near the settlement in 1871; Nelson has many delights for the casual visitor or longer term tourist.  Visit www.nelson.co.nz  for more information.

#73    Coastal Walkway - New Plymouth

The city of New Plymouth has many delights some of which we have already discussed in the article.  However, the paved promenade stretching for over 7 kilometres along the scenic coastline offering unsurpassed views of the Tasman Sea is a definite high point while visiting the Taranaki town.  Interesting public art, sculptures, piers, parks and parades line the walk offering something for everyone.  See www.newplymouthnz.com  for more info.

#72    Moeraki Boulders – Dunedin

These have long been an exciting discovery for tourists – are they ancient dinosaur eggs, or perhaps alien deposits of some kind?  The unique geology of the area along with erosion patterns on the sea have given these boulders their inimitable shape – but they certainly give a sense of magic to the otherwise serene beachside at Moeraki in Otago, 70 minutes north of Dunedin in the South Island of New Zealand.  Moeraki also has other delights including yellow-eyed penguin sanctuary, seal colony and historic church with Roman glass flashings.  www.moerakiboulders.co.nz

#71    The Forgotten World Highway  (Taranaki)

The Forgotten World Highway, one of New Zealand’s most secluded roads, explores the ever-changing landscape between Taumarunui and Stratford.  It is New Zealand’s first heritage trail, this scenic route winds over four mountain saddles, alongside the spectacular Tangarakau Gorge and passes through the 180-metre-long, single lane, Moki tunnel.  The Forgotten World Highway is a legendary one-day road trip—in more ways that one—but be sure to fill up your tank before you begin the journey as the next petrol pump is some 150 kilometres away. Visit www.windwand.co.nz/heritagetrail.htm 

Thanks for reading this edition of New Zealand’s must visit destinations.  We hope you get a chance to experience some of this country’s beach lifestyle, along with the scenic beauty that is “Godzone”.

With thanks to the AA Travel website

13th September, 2010

New Zealand‘s economic recovery through the global financial crisis is stronger than most other developed countries and there are a few reasons for this.

1.    Proximity to Australia
Australia is our closest neighbour and largest trading partner.   The economy in Australia is strong, having just creating over 50,000 new jobs last month.  The solid ties to the burgeoning Chinese economy and the appetite they have for Australian raw materials has also helped to stabilise things there.  In New Zealand we have our own benefits – a stable economy and political climate as well as real assets in rich farmland, fisheries and mineral resources.

2.    Located in Asia-Pacific Region
New Zealand also has its own ties to what will soon become the biggest economy in the world, China.  China is currently New Zealand’s second largest trading partner.  China will lead the way for the whole of the Asia Pacific region’s recovery.

3.    Australian Owned Banks
Although not very patriotic; the fact that the top four banks in this country are Australian owned should have been a source of relief for our economy back in the challenging days of 2009.  The core of any economy is its banking system and Australian tax payers and savers proved they would underwrite our banks back in October 2008 – when they voted for a much needed cash injection of over $25 billion in fresh cash.

4.    Lessons Learnt
New Zealanders have learned their lesson from the excesses of the last 20 years and are saving and investing at a much improved rate.  People in this country are prioritising debt repayment and savings – and a new report out from the Treasury shows the ratio of household debt to disposable income is falling.

5.    Reforms to the New Zealand Tax System
The New Zealand Government is looking to structure the economic focus away from consumer driven products to export and production, which should build a solid foundation moving forward.  Changes to GST, property tax breaks and a reduction in income tax rates should all help with this.

6.    Reduction in Foreign Debt
The global financial crisis has forced banks here in New Zealand to look at sourcing funding locally as opposed to the at times unstable wholesale money markets.  By reducing foreign debt this is going to help keep our economy independent and stable.

7.    New Zealand Entrepreneurs
New Zealanders have a fine reputation as talented technology entrepreneurs.  These people are staying in New Zealand and reinvesting their wealth in a useful capacity such as the multi-billion dollar investment required for the Pacific Fibre Cable.

8.    Resourceful, Creative and Resilient
The recent earthquake along with New Zealand’s reaction to the global financial crisis has been to pull together and to get on with rebuilding with a minimum of social strife and disruption.

9.    Global Identity
New Zealand is seen as non-threatening to other countries.  We are also seen as innovative, open and friendly.  Good trading relationships can be forged on the back of positive feedback such as this.

Ref:  NZ Herald – 12.09.2010

1 September 2010

Welcome to the second edition of our series focusing on New Zealand and its many delights.  There are numerous amazing locales to visit while in the “Land of the Long White Cloud” and if you are planning a trip for pleasure or looking at purchasing New Zealand investment property these are well worth your consideration!

#90    The Interislander Experience – Wellington/Picton
New Zealand is made up of two main islands; these have the imaginative monikers of North Island and South Island!  One of the most pleasurable ways to travel between the two is the Interislander Ferry.  This has been described as one of this most beautiful ferry rides in the world and during the 92 kilometre journey you will see the scenic Wellington harbour, the wide expanse of the Cook Straight and the majesty of Queen Charlotte Sound.   For more info please visit www.interislander.co.nz

#89    Davenport and North Head – Auckland
This settlement is a charming seaside village which is only a 12 minute ferry ride from Auckland Central.  It is an area steeped in Maori (peoples indigenous to New Zealand) history.  Originally a pa (or fortified village) there are still remnants of that occupation today.  Evidence of European settlement is also evident with colonial buildings, gun placements and defense forts – which are available to explore!  Davenport offers a relaxing alternative to the hustle and bustle of the CBD.  Please visit www.devonport.co.nz

#88    Sky Tower and SkyJump – Auckland
No trip to Auckland is complete without a visit to the iconic Sky Tower in the heart of the CBD.  This is the 12th tallest tower in the world standing at 328 metres and the opportunity to jump off at 192 metres is available to the brave!  For those less adventurous there is a viewing platform and a selection of restaurants to sample in the tower including the ‘Orbit’; which rotates slowly giving a 360deg unsurpassed view of Auckland to a distance of almost 80 kilometres.  Well worth a visit www.skycityauckland.co.nz

#87    Spa and Wellbeing Retreat – Nelson
Nelson is located at the top of the South Island and boasts the most sunshine hours in the country.  The spectacular combination of pristine beaches and second to none native forest and park in the Nelson/Tasman area are an ideal setting for exclusive spas and retreats.  On offer at these rejuvenation centres are massage, beauty, facials and exclusive treatments as well as aromatherapy, reflexology, herbal treatments, iridology and reiki.  Visit http://www.tourism.net.nz/region/nelson/accommodation/resorts-and-health-spas today.

#86    Rere Rock Slide – Gisborne
This is a naturally occurring waterslide with a difference!  Until now recently a closely guarded secret with the locals; this is 100 metres of descending rock face on a gradient safe enough to glide down using a boogie board or similar.  You get a smooth ride due to the water flowing from the Rere Waterfall nearby.  This is also a nice picnic and photography spot.  See www.eventfinder.co.nz/venue/rere-rockslide-gisborne

#85    Waitangi Treaty Grounds – Waitangi, Northland
The Treaty of Waitangi is an important document that signified our emergence as a nation.  Signed February 6 (now our National Day), 1840 between the British Colonialists and a selection of Maori tribes its implementation was the beginning of New Zealand as we know it today.  In beautiful sub-tropical Northland you can visit this historical site and be wowed by the intense cultural experience on display at Waitangi.  For more information please see www.waitangi.net.nz

#84    Whakarewarewa Village– Rotorua
Within this area there is a living, breathing Maori village which is totally sustained using geo thermal properties– and this all can be observed while visiting the tourist mecca that is Rotorua.   Throughout the day, local residents act as village guides, providing a tour with a difference - from relaying village stories, to cooking meals (try corn boiled to perfection in the bubbling champagne pool) and using the natural landscape for bathing, washing clothes and predicting weather patterns.  Please visit www.whakarewarewa.com for more information.

#83    Takaka Hill and Remeka Track – Nelson
The Abel Tasman National Park may be New Zealand’s smallest national park but it has many delights including the mountain bikers magnet of Takaka Hill.  Within this area is Harwood’s Hole – a vertical hole in the hill which is the steepest straight drop in the country.  As you descend the hill on foot or mountain bike the beauty of Golden Bay will be laid before you before arriving at the township of Takaka at the bottom.  For serious mountain biking see www.marblemountainclassic.org.nz/mountainbikerace.php.

#82    Raglan – Waikato
The seaside township of Raglan in the North Island has stunning beaches and excellent surf to lure surfers from New Zealand and around the globe.  Also known for having bohemian community and an ‘alternative’ lifestyle, the locals will no doubt make visitors welcome in their laidback, friendly community.  With stunning views of the Tasman Sea, Raglan is a must visit if you are in the area.  Please visit www.raglan.net.nz for more info.

#81    War Memorial Museum – Auckland
Situated on the tip of an extinct volcano in the Auckland Domain, the War Memorial Museum is history with a difference.  The museum regularly exhibits internationally renowned works and has interactive displays and shows for all ages.  Containing unique flora and fauna, extensive information on New Zealand’s colonial development and more than 2,000 native Maori artefact’, the War Memorial Museum is one of Auckland’s treasures.

That concludes this edition of the top 100 places to visit in New Zealand – keep an eye out for our next instalment!

With thanks to the AA Travel website.