Thread: Central OTAGO. Yea or Nea?

I live outside of Te Anau do not as cold over here, but probably more scungy soggy edge of fiordland crap. As stated above choose very wisely when looking for a house down here. The sun is the bringer of all things good. Plus a wet back and a dam good source of heat, plus insulation. We’ve lived in some cold places in high country northern southland like eyre creek and Fairlight and a warm house is the key to real happiness down here in the winter.

My house is facing north looking up the lake with the sun beamingin.Its hot in the lounge n no fire going.

No Sika……

Just watch fallow out the back window now n then.

Cheers everyone.

Thanks for all the encouragement and also the reality checks. The cold i anticipated, I've lived in the Highlands of Scotland for a couple of years back when i was younger so know what that's like. Long summer days and short winter days in the permafrost. Will certainly be looking a buying a house that gets the sun and is double glazed and properly insulated if we move down. My appetite to live like an early settler in a single glazed uninsulated shit box is nonexistent these days.

The cost of groceries and fuel etc is something i hadn't considered and the spiders is something i hadn't anticipated. Having said that, Australia was the other option and spiders definitely featured in that plan....

But all in all, it sounds promising and pretty exciting. Taupo has been an awesome place to live, and it will be hard to leave somewhere that i grew up in and had all the time in the world to go hunting when I was young and single. I doubt I'll ever be able to recreate the local knowledge that I have of this area. There isn't many patches of bush or river that I haven't poked around in over the last 35 years. Especially when I was young and had unlimited spare time and no responsibilities.

But...variety is the spice of life and there is no Thar or Chamois on Mt Ruapehu so if I'm going to have a go, I better do it sooner rather than later and regret not pushing myself out of comfort zone. At 51 years old my knees aren't getting any younger.

As for the Sika i can always shoot up every couple of years and continue my quest for a decent eight pointer. If the gods are smiling on me i might even get something over the winter before I move down....

Cheers lads

Marty

The mentor/person/workmate, I most respected in my life. Who was a legend among his military peers. Said to me, "It is better to thought about it and tried, than to thought about it and not tried at all". It still haunts me to this day, as investment advisers assessed me as being "Recklessly conservative" Take what you think of that. I am now living in an unconsented dwelling in a place I consider paradise. I hadn't even seen the place before I bought it off Trade me. All I can say about life "It's not about the money"

Was only a little cold here this morning - 6 it's only may so gonna get colder

Originally Posted by Padox

Was only a little cold here this morning - 6 it's only may so gonna get colder

I didnt realise central Otago was in a different time zone. it's the 4th of June up here in Taupo.
Something else I'll have to take into account I guess 🤔

My bad I'm a farmer every day leads into 1 haha

Depending what line of work you are in Central Otago has a pretty limited number of job opportunities outside of hospitality and building houses. So if you are looking to change jobs that are not in these areas typically need to wait for someone to die.

Originally Posted by turtleSO

The mentor/person/workmate, I most respected in my life. Who was a legend among his military peers. Said to me, "It is better to thought about it and tried, than to thought about it and not tried at all". It still haunts me to this day, as investment advisers assessed me as being "Recklessly conservative" Take what you think of that. I am now living in an unconsented dwelling in a place I consider paradise. I hadn't even seen the place before I bought it off Trade me. All I can say about life "It's not about the money"

Exactly, my wife is from Hari Hari and we're making plans to move to Hoki, just need to find the right house and jobs.

Thought id add a bit of an update if anyone was interested. So yep, the big move is on. Went and had a look at the job and around the local area and came back with the opinion that we are good to go.

Start driving down on Saturday and have allowed three days to get there. The wife and kids are coming for a week and then fly back to Taupo to finish the year out and should be back down mid December .

The weather is getting better and i should be arriving just in time for some warmer weather.

Have a couple of months being based in Alex and am looking forward to exploring the local area for hunting and fishing spots and getting stuck into some mountain biking in Alex and Queens town.

Been sitting on the couch in the evenings pouring over the map looking at places to go for my fix of outdoor adventures. Also been put making the most of what the winter fishing on the Tongariro and getting in a last minute Sika hunt before packing up the kit and caboodle for the trek south.

Looking forwards to meeting the locals and getting up into that big tussock country.

New horizons await

About to head south for a 4 month roadie two thirds of which should be Otago and Catlin's. Like it down there but don't do cold very well.

@Blackfern, flick me a message if you’re after any pointers regarding areas to hunt. You’re in a good part of the country. Would like to move back up there again one day.