Whanganui Chronicle reporter Olivia Reid moved from Auckland to Whanganui last September. Here are 10 observations she has made as a newcomer.
Pack some running shoes
Whanganui has an abundance of incredible biking, walking and running paths. I was stoked to see how flat a lot of the city was compared to not being able to run 1km without hitting a steep hill in North Auckland.
Since a good running kick during the Covid-19 lockdowns, my discipline seriously dwindled but the calls of the Rotokawau Virginia Lake loop and Three Bridges were irresistible. There are trails to fit all preferences with well-paved residential areas, beautiful parks, bush trails and a few good hills for the masochists.
Whanganui's Rotokawau Virginia Lake is a great spot for walkers and runners. Photo / NZME
As someone trying to discover a new town, which cafes are cool, which restaurants tickle my fancy and which local businesses I can support, the lack of useful websites is shocking. In fact, there are a number of popular local businesses with no website at all. This is virtually unheard of in the bigger cities, likely because of the competitive nature of a larger market.
Because of the lack of websites, having a couple of dietary requirements and preferring to order food online, it cuts out a significant chunk of businesses that I can’t order from - or I don’t even know exist.
Not to mention the non-existence of Uber, promising Tinder candidates and inclusion in listicles.
Growing up in Auckland, and in a time where almost every year since I gained consciousness we’ve been in a housing crisis, I assumed I would never own a house and settled for the idea of renting a nice apartment in the city.
Yet even as someone who has never really had the desire to buy a house, the housing market in Whanganui is like a siren song to prospective home buyers. The combination of an average house value of $419,000, proximity to schools and the architecture of yesteryear makes Whanganui a dream for home-buyers.
News spreads fast and reputations are borderline unshakable in a small city which makes for a very confusing first few months. In a small area, it is assumed everyone knows the local gossip whereas in Auckland there’s so much going on I automatically assume no one knows what I’m talking about.
It wasn’t until I moved to Whanganui that I realised the relative anonymity you have in a big city. People don’t pay attention to you and you probably won’t pay attention to them. But here, faces, names and previous behaviours are remembered even when they’re not immortalised on the local Facebook pages.
This can easily turn you into a local legend and works great for small businesses, but it can also turn you into a social pariah if you’re on the wrong side of the public gossip machine.
Nights are very different
The post-9pm experience is very different in Whanganui for many reasons. First, it is considerably quieter. I live in an equally suburban area as I did in Auckland, yet the loud boy racer cars that used to pollute my peaceful evenings are now gone.
Speaking of pollution, the light pollution is borderline non-existent, almost to a fault as street lamps are considerably less present. However, it means beautiful starry skies and even the occasional aurora.
Aurora australis at Waiinu Beach near Whanganui in May. Photo / Jess Welch
Surprisingly diverse range of cuisines
I’ve always felt incredibly lucky to have been introduced to a diverse range of cuisines as a child and have them available throughout my life. It was something I recognised as a privilege after visiting some large cities in Europe that had very limited options. So, naturally, I expected that in a small town my cuisine options would shrink - but boy was I wrong.
There are a number of highly-rated Indian, Japanese and Thai restaurants (and about 57 burger places). My personal favourite has been the beautiful Vietnamese dishes at Bahn Mi Craft. This incredible range of options almost makes up for not having Katsubi and Mexicali Fresh.
Common local complaints will seem silly
When I first arrived in Whanganui complaints about the new public parking meters was rife. Imagine my surprise when I found out the parking fees ranged from $2-3 an hour in only a limited area. Pfft. Auckland’s sad excuse of a gravel pit, named Gundry Street Carpark, on K Rd costs $14 for up to 60 minutes. My wallet essentially jumped for joy upon moving to Whanganui.
The same sentiment goes for traffic, homeless rates, pollution, crime and rent prices.
Of course, problems are relative to the local area and residents have a right to be concerned about any and all of these things even if it’s on a smaller scale. It’s simply the culture shock of what is considered excessive in a big versus small city.
Parking in Whanganui is a bargain compared to Auckland fees. Photo / Mike Tweed
It’s hard to find ‘your people’
I don’t want to say Whanganui is less diverse than other cities because I don’t believe that’s true. However, having a smaller population means there are fewer options within whatever crowd you’d usually connect with. There are hundreds of queer communities, religious groups, sports teams and hobbyists in Auckland, to the point where you can find your exact perfect friend group, but Whanganui is far more generalised.
This means that you don’t have to search these communities to find your favourite group but it also means it can be more difficult to find people you really connect with - especially as a young adult in a city where the median age is 42.9 compared to 38.1 nationally, according to the 2023 Census data.
Growing up in Auckland meant slowly watching some of the beautiful old buildings I loved being torn down so some new ugly store could take their place. This may sound dramatic but to me that’s heart-breaking. I believe it truly kills a city when capital is prioritised over beauty. It really filled my vintage heart when I arrived in Whanganui to see old commercial and residential buildings being well-looked-after.
I also know embarrassingly little about the history of Auckland in comparison to Whanganui. This is partly my own fault as I could make more of an effort but in Whanganui no effort is needed. The city’s history is celebrated and plastered in public spaces to the point where it’s almost impossible to not know.
Whanganui Heritage House on St Hill St. Photo / NZME
Aucklanders really are “that” annoying
Being called a JAFA always stung a little - it’s not like I could choose where I was born - but after a short time in a smaller New Zealand city I absolutely understand. It now makes my eye twitch every time a list of “the 60 best restaurants” comes out and they’re all in Auckland.
There seems to be little understanding that if something only includes Auckland it’s not “national” and the rest of the country doesn’t care that much.
I understand this is rich coming from someone who spent a whole article talking about being from Auckland.
