Gains in rural setting can be huge

But if you are lucky enough to come with the float from a million-dollar Auckland house sale, your gain will be spectacular. FILE PHOTO

I'M ENCOUNTERING a greater curiosity these days from Wellingtonians, and those from further afield, about what it is like to live in Wairarapa.

I speak about this after three weekends in a row in Wellington, assisting my wife at the Underground Market on the waterfront.

Wellington was in a particularly vibrant mood, hosting the World of Wearable Arts shows, and enjoying the influx of tourists who wanted to dine, shop and take in the market before the day's show.

Most Wellingtonians "know" Wairarapa in the sense of a sojourn to sunnier climes for the day, in the same manner that a Londoner might head over to Suffolk for some Constable-themed timeout. Aucklanders at least know it as a wine region.

But I know it as a place to live, and can compare it with living in middle-class suburbia for years in Wellington.

For those who ask, I tell them that if you have small children, want colossal value for money, a historic villa, room to have farm animals (if your zoning is correct) and space for olive trees, Wairarapa is not far off a paradise.

Children are generally happy when their parents are happy, and are inventive anywhere, but they do appreciate freedoms and ease of life.

I have had people approaching retirement ask me about Wairarapa. I am wary of the stereotype that retirement means moving to a quieter setting.

In the case of Wairarapa, "quieter" does mean fewer services or shops, less theatre, nightlife and you're further from the airport.

Retired people don't suddenly resign themselves to the couch and the TV remote. Many 70-plus people are fit, active citizens who enjoy shows, restaurants and like travelling, and have the income to do it. If you like the glitz and services of Wellington, I don't know why you would move away from it.

With all changes, there are sacrifices; no location is perfect. If you move from a small house in the Hutt to a small house in Carterton, you're probably not going to see the point.

I tell people that to move to an intensely rural setting like Wairarapa, the gains in other ways have to be enormous.

But if you are lucky enough to come with the float from a million-dollar Auckland house sale, your gain will be spectacular.