I have to admit. I have started and stopped writing this article a number of times. Why is Auckland a good place to live? Some days I feel like there are a million reasons it is the greatest place on earth and other days I don’t understand why I am here.

To give you some background on me… I am in my 30s and have lived in 3 countries, 5 cities, around 40 different homes and around 2 years in total with no fixed abode (house sitting, traveling…). Every time I have left Auckland I seem to find myself boomeranging back here (I certainly did from Australia!)

 

Auckland a Good Place?

So back to the original question – why is Auckland a good place to live? Let’s just ignore house pricing and how expensive Auckland is for the sake of this article. Today I am going to focus on what makes Auckland great.

The Auckland region has some of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand and arguably the world. From the rugged metallic sands on the west coast, the golden sands of the east and of course our outer islands – the hundreds of beaches in our region has something for everyone. Comparing Piha and Mission Bay, it would be surprising to someone who isn’t a local to know that these beaches exist within an hour of each other.

With a population of over 1.6 million, Auckland homes the largest Polynesian population in the world. We are an absolute melting pot with over 26 ethnicity’s listed in the last census and almost 40% of Auckland’s population born outside of New Zealand. This diversity in our city and therefore schools, workplaces and places of leisure means we will continue to learn from and collaborate with each other.

 

Auckland is Young

New Zealand is a young country meaning Auckland is one of the youngest major cities in the world. As a result, we all have the opportunity to set this city up for success. Learning from the mistakes that other major metropolitan cities have made around the world, we can all work together to make our city better. A great example of this is Hobsonville Point, the perfect example of a new suburb done right.

 

Auckland’s Climate

Chances are you have heard the song or at least the expression “Four Seasons in One Day“. This could not be truer for our great city. With typically warm summers and mild winters and, Auckland enjoys a subtropical climate which can be temperamental over even an hour period. Having said that, in summer a light jumper is generally all that is needed (apart from hat and sunscreen) and winter, a warm jacket.

NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) lists 4 typical weather situations in Auckland – strong easterlies with rain, southwesterly wind flows in winter, squally westerlies and everyone’s favourite – fine weather. You can read more about Auckland’s climate here.

 

Plenty of Activities

If you look around, there are a number of free activities that everyone can enjoy. Parks, reserves, Auckland Art Gallery, the Museum, live music and council events, farmers markets, The Botanic Gardens, Silo Park, just to name a few. I have travelled extensively and I remember having to pay at a particular country to visit a waterfall. All of this is free and at our doorstep – we should feel excited and encouraged to enjoy these resources.

 

Aucklanders, the people

This brings me to my final point – Auckland is a great place to live because of the people. Whether you’re an art loving hipster, beer loving sports fan or a retiree, there is something in our city for everyone. We do get caught up in our days and with ourselves however if you look up and give someone a smile or yell “Go the All Blacks” at a stranger on game day, chances are you will be greeted with a friendly smile.

Let’s enjoy our city together as proud Aucklander’s.