Why we love switched-on Wanganui

People like software engineer Donald Gordon, pictured with his wife Angela and young daughter, who moved from Wellington and is relishing the chance to work from home and enjoy Wanganui's relaxing lifestyle. Photo/Stuart Munro

Wanganui's digital strategy is paying dividends, prompting families and businesses to move here.

The spread of ultra-fast broadband in the city has been a key factor in Ben Gunn, Melita Farley and Donald Gordon and their families moving to Wanganui from Wellington recently.

And they are loving the lifestyle - as well as the technological connectivity.

All three have been able to relocate and work remotely, thanks to the availability of ultra-fast broadband.

Mr Gordon, who is a software engineer for a large Wellington-based IT company, moved to Wanganui in December with his wife Angela, their daughter and soon-to-be-born son.

His company allows him to work remotely, so reliable and fast broadband is a must-have.

"Every house we looked at to buy had fibre for ultra-fast broadband already available," he said.

"Fibre is being rolled out in Wellington, but it's very slow and it will be a long time before it gets to where we lived."

Mr Gordon said the broadband in Wanganui was reliable, and there had been no problem with it.

Mrs Gordon is originally from Wanganui and said the rollout here should attract more professionals "like us who can work from home and enjoy the many benefits that Wanganui has".

When Ms Farley and her husband Kevin Double were looking to leave Wellington, they considered Wanganui, Wairarapa and Kapiti as possible locations for their home and film education business.

Having family here, cheap rental accommodation, and the availability of ultra-fast broadband were the deciding factors in moving to Wanganui.

CABLE GUY: Chorus technician Cary Pabayo was working on the ultra-fast broadband connection in Wanganui's Parkdale Drive yesterday. He said the whole of the city should be finished and up and running by the end of the year. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

Ms Farley and Mr Double produce films and educational materials and since they arrived in November they have employed one part-time permanent employee and five short-term staff to work on a project.

"It's been easy to find good people to work for us here," Mrs Farley said. "We're passionate about Wanganui and, over time, would love to be able to provide employment for more people.

"It is just the kind of work the council is doing with ICF that will make this possible and attract others like us to the city."

She and her husband had been able to have a lifestyle in Wanganui that would have been out of their reach in Wellington, she said.

Ben Gunn bought a rental property on Durie Hill in 2002, and visited Wanganui regularly to keep up the maintenance. Two years ago, he decided to retire to the property.

He has spent a lot of time in Vietnam, and now teaches English to Vietnamese people via Skype.

"There were a lot of things I liked about Wanganui, but if it didn't have fast broadband, I wouldn't have been able to move here."

Mr Gunn said he was thinking about other business links with Vietnam. "None of this would be possible if there was not a good internet connection."