Plenty of Lifestyle
As soon as you cross the Kaimai Ranges from the west or pass through the Katikati Township from the north, you feel something different. You gaze at the wonderful sea and harbour views, you admire the fresh, open green spaces, the orchards and the lifestyle blocks, and you feel the pulse of prosperity and growth.
Welcome to the Western Bay of Plenty – the vibrant coastal region that is on the move. Western Bay, home of the city of Tauranga, is in the enviable position of being one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand. Ask New Zealanders where they would most like to live and they’ll tell you Tauranga, Western Bay of Plenty. And it shows, with over 100 people moving to the region every week. The region’s economic growth is also high, topping the country for the last two years. Tauranga will soon be New Zealand’s fourth largest city.
People from other parts of New Zealand and overseas are tempted to Tauranga and Western Bay for a multitude of reasons. Some will come for the sun, sea and surf; some for the high standard of education and health; and some for the recreational opportunities. Others will be eyeing business opportunities in a high growth region that is strategically located on the east coast of the North Island, home to New Zealand’s largest international shipping port.
Tauranga is an easy 2½-hour drive from Auckland, the country’s largest city with over a million people. To the west, Hamilton is just over an hour’s drive and Rotorua, renowned for its tourist attractions and forestry research, is an hour’s drive to the southwest. 44% of New Zealand’s population is resident within 200 kilometres of the Western Bay of Plenty and there are strong air, rail and sea links to the region.