About Whangarei

Whangarei is a lively medium-sized multicultural New Zealand city with a great lifestyle, just 2 hours north of Auckland. It is the warmest city in New Zealand with over 270 km of coastline and is rich in Maori and settler history. Northland has built a reputation as ‘The winterless North’, many tropical plants grow here and the winters are mild with hardly any frosts. Protected native bush can be seen from nearly every point in the town centre which is quite rare even for New Zealand.

A short distance from Whangarei centre are the scenic Tutukaka Coast and the spectacular Whangarei Heads with dozens of gorgeous bays and beaches (over 100 in Whangarei District), from sheltered sandy coves and calm harbour bays to wild surf beaches. The Poor Knights Islands just off the Tutukaka Coast benefit from warm northerly currents and are teeming with marine life in their protected marine reserve, offering the best diving in New Zealand and the best subtropical diving in the world!

Whangarei also offers loads of activities: amazing bush and coastal walks, extinct volcanoes, waterfalls and magnificent viewpoints, a choice of 12 golf courses, great fishing and kayaking, affordable lifestyle blocks for hobby farmers and keen horsemen, modern facilities for countless activities and many unforgettable day trips - from the 110 km long Ripiro Beach on the west coast to the touristic hotspot, the Bay of Islands.

Quality of life is high and rising! Enjoy fresh produce from the weekly Growers’ Market, dozens of excellent cafés and restaurants, collect your own fresh seafood, join the thriving arts community or theatre scene, entertain yourself with concerts, Kapa Haka or other cultural performances and festivals.

The community spirit is alive and well with plenty of ways to contribute - we’ll show you the many opportunities to mix and make friends in Whangarei!