Waiheke Island

CHARLOTTE COSSAR boards the ferry to discover the laid-back living of this island paradise.

Imagine being able to drive around your suburb and not having to stop at traffic lights, not seeing graffiti and feeling reasonably safe because of the low crime rate. These are only some of the benefits of living 35 minutes from Auckland city on Waiheke Island.

Although the island is in Auckland City Council's boundaries, it's hard to imagine you are still part of the bustling city in this self-sufficient slice of paradise. This is why more than 7000 people make Waiheke Island their home. Even with the population swelling to more than 20,000 in summer and long weekends, the island doesn't lose its identity.

Very community minded, the residents are proud of their environmentally friendly reputation. The island is known for its beautiful scenery, higher temperatures, which are usually 2-3 degrees higher than the mainland, unpolluted beaches, organic vegetables and about 27 boutique vineyards.

The island has seven areas - Oneroa, Palm Beach, Surfdale, Ostend, Onetangi, Rocky Bay and the eastern bay - and because of the zoning the sections are relatively large (you can't subdivide land smaller than 0.4ha) and the dwellings are no higher than two storeys.

The lack of infill housing and high-rise apartments keeps the island green - not only with foliage but also environmentally. The whole of Waiheke is on tank water and septic tanks and even the grass verges are sprayed with organic sprays.

With more than 1000 residents commuting to the central business district each day, the island is a popular choice for people who would prefer to read the paper in the morning and have a refreshing beverage on their way home instead of sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. There are 19-return trips daily to the city and about seven to Half Moon Bay.

The island has everything you need shop-wise, except designer clothes shops, more than 17 restaurants and cafes and two schools. The primary school has a role of about 600 and the intermediate/high school about 500. They are next to each other in the Kennedy Point area.

If you are in the market for a three-bedroom home, you would expect to pay from $200,000, with the average price in the past 12 months being $227,312. However, there are many stunning properties with spectacular views that can reach over the million-dollar mark.

The island has a colourful flavour and a laid-back atmosphere, with many of the residents being arty. There are established choral and drama societies, which get tremendous local support. Other popular activities on the weekend include art and vineyard tours and leisurely drives to Whakanewha Regional Park, where there are lovely walks to waterfalls and through native bush.

More than 50 per cent of the houses sold on the island are to existing residents who are upgrading. Other buyers include people who have spent their childhood summers on the island and returning expats who like the idea of semi-rural living without hours of commuting.

The beauty of the island is also maintained by the lack of jetties (you need a resource consent to build these), the stunning subtropical gardens and the abundance of natives, which can't be touched if they are more than 3m high. And if you do have a boat, there is deep-water anchorage around the island.