Red Beach

Its name comes from the red-tinged coloured sand on the beach, which is lined with pohutukawa.

In the past 30 years, it has grown from a holiday resort for Aucklanders to a residential suburb only 30 minutes' drive from Auckland city. However, the area still has a coastal laid-back feel with a holiday park enjoying superb cliff-top views.

The residents of Red Beach are from different age groups. There are two retirement villages and a local primary school that has been built in the past 10 years.

People move to Red Beach for the lifestyle. It has excellent marine activities, good access to the Hauraki Gulf, launching and mooring facilities and a long coastline close to Kawau Island (only 30 minutes away). The sheltered waters are ideal for sailing and water skiing and it's a great place to fish and dive. You are also close to the other beaches on the peninsula, Silverdale and Orewa and Gulf Harbour.

To live in a two-bedroom unit here, it will cost you between $160,000 and $250,000, depending on the age of the dwelling and location. For a townhouse, expect to pay between $180,000 and $350,000, but if they have sea and estuary views, are near the beach and on full sections, this could jump to $1.5 million.

A three-to-four-bedroom home can cost between $220,000 and $600,000 and properties on the waterfront can reach the million-dollar mark.

There is a new subdivision in Ester Pl, which is close to the beach, attracting families from the North Shore and other smaller city suburbs, but a lot of the buyers in Red Beach are locals trading up or down.

The new motorway has made the Whangaparaoa Peninsula a popular area for people looking for a relaxed seaside atmosphere within commuting distance of Auckland city.