Kaitaia

Stunning and unspoilt, the region offers a relaxed outdoor lifestyle at a leisurely pace. By LUCY RICHMOND.

As well as being New Zealand's most northerly service town and the commercial heart of the far north, Kaitaia offers an exciting playground with a host of outdoor activities.

The word Kaitaia means abundance of food in Maori, which is a reference to the prolific birdlife in the ancient kauri forests and the plentiful supply of fish and shellfish along the impressive 90 Mile Beach.

Buyers are attracted by the simple pleasures of the dramatic landscape and the sparkling sea or the thrills and spills of a sportier outdoor lifestyle.

Many Aucklanders have chosen to take early retirement and make it their home to enjoy a less stressful way of life.

Things to do

The stunning and unspoilt 90 Mile Beach is undisputedly the country's most famous stretch of coastline, although it is actually nearer to 90km in length. In 1869, Captain Cook sailed past the all-devouring sand dunes and dubbed it the Desert Coast. There are two main gateways to the 90 Mile Beach from Kaitaia. To the north is Waipapakauri, which is the base for the world's biggest surf-fishing contest each January, when 1000 avid fishing enthusiasts face the foaming fury of the Tasman Sea. Ahipara, 14km south of Kaitaia, is a popular holiday destination and outdoor adventure centre at the southernmost tip of the beach. Four-wheel drive safaris and quad motorbike trips around the coastline and up into the sand hills are a speciality here, along with land yachting, tobogganing, hang-gliding, horse riding, surfing, fishing and shellfish gathering.

Property Prices

First-home buyers can pick up a standard three-bedroom property in the town for around $100,000. However, homes in the town over the $120,000 mark are harder to sell as buyers clamour for the coastal properties with the higher price tags. Around $200,000 will buy a standard coastal property, while coastal sections can be snapped up for around $70,000 to $75,000.

There are a handful of million-dollar properties up for grabs, but they are less common in Kaitaia than in the Bay of Islands.