Manawatu-Wanganui
Wanganui is the west-coast gateway to some of the North Island's most untamed and majestic scenery, including the Whanganui National Park. To the east of Wanganui are the Manawatu and Horowhenua regions. Palmerston North in the Manawatu area is the region's largest city and manages to retain an air of rural lifestyle while also hosting one of New Zealand's largest student populations and becoming an emerging city away from the bigger centres of Wellington and Auckland. Wanganui is located less than an hour by road to Palmerston North and is only two and a half hours drive to the nation's capital of Wellington. As one of New Zealand's largest provincial cities, Palmerston North has an attractive historic heart. Many of the original stores built in the 1920s and 1930s have been restored and now exist as boutiques, cafes and restaurants. The Manawatu area is blessed with endless opportunities to experience the great outdoors, from short walks in splendid native bush, to tramping in the majestic Ruahine and Tararua Ranges. Palmerston North's central location also places it within easy two hour drives of the North Islands Central Plateau skifields, the beaches and wineries of the Hawkes Bay, and the rural splendor of the Wairarapa district.
State Business Overview
This section is currently being updated.
Education
The Manawatu-Wanganui region offers a wide range of schooling options for students of all ages, including rural or city schools, private Christian schools and co-educational schools. Public and private education alternatives are available from preschool through to tertiary level. There are also many kindergartens in the district which offer a range of educational opportunities, and most kindergartens are within walking distance of nearby residential areas. At secondary school level Wanganui is the home to the well-known private co-educational boarding and day school, Wanganui Collegiate School. Collegiate is regarded as one of New Zealand's finest private boarding schools and attracts students from throughout New Zealand and overseas. Palmerston North is often regarded as New Zealand's Knowledge City, with 40 percent of the population either attending or teaching at one of 70 organisations offering a wide selection of educational opportunities. Massey University is located in Palmerston North and is the largest tertiary education provider in the region. It is New Zealand's premiere institution for life sciences, agricultural, horticultural and veterinary teaching and research and is a leader in industrial innovation through areas such as food science and technology, biotechnology, advanced material sciences and product development. Wanganui's main tertiary education provider is Wanganui UCOL - Universal College of Learning - which currently enrols approximately 1200 full-time students annually. Wanganui is New Zealand's leading education centre for the creative industries and Wanganui UCOL has achieved national and international acclaim in fine arts, fashion design and computer graphic design. For more information about education in the Manawatu-Wanganui region please visit our useful links section or our section regarding education in New Zealand.
Employment
Key industries
The primary sector is important to the Manawatu-Wanganui district, employing around 15 percent of the workforce in industries such as agriculture, horticulture, oil and gas extraction, and forestry. A further 20 percent of the working population is employed in the goods producing industries of manufacturing (meat, dairy, textiles, clothing & leather, wood), construction and electricity and gas supply. The remaining jobs are in services, including retail, education, health, hospitality, community and defence. Historically the region's industry was centered on its natural and physical resources, particularly timber milling and agriculture. Recently however it has become much more diverse with the development of larger urban areas to accommodate growth in the processing, manufacturing and service sectors. Within the service sector education is a key employer, especially in Palmerston North where there are more students per head of population than any other city in New Zealand. A large number of job vacancies are advertised in the Manawatu Standard or The Wanganui Chronicle.
Housing
Manawatu-Wanganui offers a wide variety of housing options and styles including traditional homes, modern executive homes, pre-war bungalows, turn-of-the century villas, and historic residences. The region is particularly well equipped to cater to homebuyers looking to purchase lifestyle properties, with a good range of small rural properties available. House prices in the Manawatu-Wanganui region are lower than in many other areas of New Zealand and the region is ideal for family living with all amenities located close at hand, including schools, sports grounds and shopping centres. As at November 2005 the median house price in Manawatu-Wanganui was approximately NZD $185,000. However it should be noted that prices can and do vary considerably depending on the size of the house, its facilities, and the suburb or rural area in which the property is located.
Renting
Like house prices, rental prices in the region can vary greatly. According to the New Zealand Department of Building and Housing the average rent for a three bedroom house in Palmerston North is around NZD $230 per week while in Wanganui a three bedroom house costs approximately NZD$170 per week. (Rental prices shown are as at Nov 2005). The Manawatu Standard or The Wanganui Chronicle is a good start for finding a place to rent. Real Estate Agents and private landlords list properties in the 'To Let' section of the 'Classified' index, with Wednesday and Saturday editions being the best for Real Estate. Not all the properties will be advertised in the newspaper so it can pay to call in to the offices of the Real Estate Agents and ask for a copy of their listings. For more information about housing in Manawatu-Wanganui please visit our useful links section.
Transport
The Manawatu-Wanganui region offers a good selection of public transport, however good traffic flow means it is easy to get around and therefore the most popular mode of transport is private car. Despite this the number of people using public buses throughout the region is on the increase and walking and cycling are also very popular methods for getting around. Furthermore the local council is continually looking at opportunities to improve facilities for walkers, cyclists and joggers.Taxi services are readily available in the metropolitan areas and can be ordered via the phone or picked up at taxi stands. Air travel is well catered for, with the city of Palmerston North served by an excellent domestic and international airport located only a short distance from the city.
Population
The greater Manawatu-Wanganui region has a resident population of approximately 220,000 people, a third of which live in small towns or rural areas. Palmerston North has a population of approximately 73,000 while Wanganui City has a population of just below 40,000. The rural town of Fielding has a population of approximately 28,000. The greater Manawatu-Wanganui region has a resident population of approximately 220,000 people, a third of which live in small towns or rural areas. Palmerston North has a population of approximately 73,000 while Wanganui City has a population of just below 40,000. The rural town of Fielding has a population of approximately 28,000.
Climate
The Manawatu-Wanganui district is largely sheltered from weather extremes and experiences only moderate seasonal variations in climate. Average mean daily maximum temperature ranges from 12 degrees Celsius during winter (July) to 23 degrees in summer (February). Maximum summertime temperatures can rise to around the 30 degrees Celsius mark. The region has on average 200 rain-free days, with July having the highest average rainfall of 97mm and the lowest rainfall measured in February at 60mm. Overall, the climate is pleasant with more than 2,000 hours of bright sunshine per year (similar to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch) and relatively few weather extremes.
Geography
The region is dominated and defined by two important river catchments, Whanganui and Manawatu. The Whanganui River is the longest navigable river in New Zealand and is used for generating much of the North Island's hydroelectricity. To the west of Wanganui lies a mix of rugged coastline and sandy bays which roll into the Tasman Sea. Inland to the east are the fertile agricultural plains of the Manawatu which are in turn bordered to the east by the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges. Much of the Manawatu-Wanganui Region was fertile and bush-covered when Europeans arrived and developed the area as a source of timber. Sawmilling and subsequent deforestation has since seen large areas of the land cleared of bush and used for agriculture and pastoral farming. Today the Manawatu-Wanganui region remains one of the most important pastoral areas in New Zealand.
Cost of living
Compared to New Zealand's main cities of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, Palmerston North has a relatively low cost of living. Although the prices of everyday goods are similar to those found in other cities in New Zealand, lower residential housing and rental costs make the region very attractive from a cost perspective. Furthermore the open and fresh environment lends itself to those who enjoy the outdoors and ensures a high quality of life without air pollution or traffic congestion.
Other parts of Manawatu and Wanganui
The wider region is home to a number of small farming communities, with the towns of Foxton, Levin and Fielding being the most significant.
Fielding
Fielding is situated only 12 miles from Palmerston North and has been voted New Zealand's 'Most Beautiful Town' 12 times. The town prides itself on its relaxed way of life and beautiful rural surrounds. Housing is very affordable and all the benefits of a major city are located 20 minutes away in Palmerston North.
Levin
Levin is 50 miles north of Wellington and operates as a service centre for the surrounding rural area. It is also a centre of light manufacturing.
Foxton
Foxton is located 18 miles southwest of Palmerston North and 9 miles north of Levin. The small coastal settlement of Foxton Beach is located 4 miles to the west, close to the Manawatu river mouth.
