Waimauku

Describing Waimukau solely as a rural area might have been true 10 years ago. Today, there's much more to the suburb that has drawn many West Auckland homeowners to taste a slower pace of life on the city fringe.

In recent years, several subdivisions have sprouted from fertile pastures. Houses have been resold two or three times over as new arrivals have sampled the lifestyle and chosen to upgrade, or long-time residents have sold farms and moved closer to town.

Amber Heights, Rosella Grove and the Denehurst subdivision are now well-established developments; Denehurst even has its own sewage reticulation system.

The Solan Estate - named after the famous Solan gannets at Muriwai Beach - is the newest kid on the block with more than 30 lots ready for construction.

A slice of the classic Kiwi quarter acre (1000 sq m) can be bought for around $100,000 with sections of 1500 sq m fetching nearer $150,000. One home and land package here carries a $290,000 price-tag.

For first-home buyers, a simple three-bedroom house in the older part of the Waimauku township might fetch around $200,000. Meanwhile lifestyle blocks of 4ha or more are still being carved out of dairy farms which once supplied the old dairy factory - that building is now a popular functions centre.

The surrounding area provides something for everyone - Muriwai Beach, Woodhill Forest, the Kaipara Harbour, restaurants and wineries.