Auckland’s Buzz, Boom and Beaches

My family and I had been thinking about relocating to a different country for a while.

We were living in Johannesburg, and while we all love South Africa, the country’s economy is not as stable as it could be. At the time, I had reached my potential in the company I was working for and there was very little opportunity to get a better job elsewhere. Another motive for moving was to be closer to my partner’s daughters who had emigrated to South Australia in 2013. It was at this time, we started exploring a move to either Australia or New Zealand.

The only thing I really knew about New Zealand was that the country has a great rugby team, which is not necessarily a good enough reason for moving to a different part of the world! After looking at the opportunities for my partner and two children, along with the potential career growth for me, we decided on making Auckland our new home and made the move in May 2018. 

Construction sector opportunities on the skyline

When I first arrived, I could not believe the vibrancy and buzz of Auckland. I knew other cities in  New Zealand such as Queenstown, Hamilton and Tauranga were experiencing a construction boom, but nothing compared to the scale of building being undertaken in Auckland. 

I found employment with multi-disciplinary engineering firm, Harrison Grierson. As a Project Manager in the Land Development team, I get to see the bustling construction sector growing with new scaffolding and cranes being added to the skyline every day. It’s an incredibly busy sector, and opportunities to move forward in your career are plentiful.

Exploring the wild, wild west

I moved to Auckland ahead of my family and within a week, I had found a beautiful house in Henderson, which is about 16 kilometres west of the city centre. Living out west is great. We are far enough out of the city for it to feel almost rural, yet still close enough to all the action the city has to offer. I commute by train, which takes 45 minutes each way and by the time I get to the office, I’m refreshed and relieved that I have a stress-free, relaxing trip to work.

We live near some of the best beaches New Zealand has to offer, our family’s favourites are: Piha, Karekare (where the 1993 internationally acclaimed film The Piano was shot), Muriwai, and Bethells. These are all located within a 30 minute drive from home. These beaches are beautiful, the scenery is magical, and the sea is strong with huge, crashing waves. 
 
Our house is close to the Waitakere Ranges regional park, which means we can spend weekends hiking and exploring as a family. Woodhill has fabulous cycle tracks, and it’s really noticeable how much time Kiwis spend taking part in outdoor activities. Whether you’re a surfer, cyclist, sports fanatic or a keen walker, there’s always something to do and somewhere to explore. 

Ongoing investment out west

West Auckland offers some of the best weekend markets. I love pottering around Kumeu and Coatesville on a Saturday or Sunday morning. You can find a wonderful range of local produce, craft beers, meat, fish and artisan products. Family-friendly, there’s something for everyone when it comes to food and drink, and there’s usually musical entertainment to accompany a leisurely look around.

There is so much development going on in  west Auckland, specifically around Hobsonville Point and Massey. Investment in the area has created a demand for goods and services and there are several new retail developments. NorthWest and Westgate are leading the way, with Costco (the world’s second largest retailer after Walmart) investing $90m to open their first New Zealand store in Massey in 2021.

The city of freedom

For us, relocating to Auckland was relatively easy and it all fell into place. It took six months after making the decision to move to New Zealand to me starting work. Once all the family members had arrived, we settled in and immediately started spending more family time together. Thinking back, the most stressful part of the whole experience was waiting for the visas, but even that worked out well.

If you were to ask me the one difference between our life in South Africa and living here, I would say it’s having freedom of movement. My kids can catch the train or bus with their friends and go to the movies or visit mates without me having to worry about their safety. We also spend a lot more time outside the house, which is good for our health, and more quality time as a family.

Louis Venter and his family moved from Johannesburg, South Africa to Henderson, west Auckland in May 2018. A Project Manager, Louis works for Harrison Grierson, based in Parnell, Auckland. 

Auckland is a great place to live and the job market is booming, follow us on LinkedIn for more information and job opportunities