Next stop: Great Barrier Island

If you have been shocked at the outrageous growth in beachfront values on our East Coast within a two hour drive from Auckland, perhaps it's time to consider the Great Barrier Island, says Geoff Lloyd of Century 21.

"For about half of what you would pay for a beach-frontage or cliff-edge property at Langs, Pauanui, Mangawhai or Waipu you can by an absolute jewel with the extra privacy that comes with Island living.

"Great Barrier is mainly accessed by plane with good services from the main International Airport or North Shore directly into Claris in the centre of the Island," he says. "The whole trip including the drive from home takes about an hour and anywhere on the Island perhaps another 10 minutes."

The main beaches, on the East Coast, are Awana, Kaitoke and Medlands. 

Lloyd says: "As the entry point to the rich (but crowded) Hauraki Gulf the fish-life is abundant and a wide range of species (up the Marlin) can be expected.

"A weekend spent touring the Island would be well-advised and it is not unrealistic to expect a surge in values as the next travel technology arrives (remember Waiheke when the Quick Cats came into service?)."