By Tina Carey
It all began after my husband’s death in 2000. I went from having a husband around me all the time to a street that only became alive in summer. I had a house that started to need a lot of maintenance. I was involved in a few things like volunteering with the Pauanui Library; I am an artist with The Little Gallery Tairua and I was a volunteer with the Pauanui /Tairua Cancer and Care Group. I had people to see and places to go but something was missing.
I started to think … where next? I had a friend in Thames and it was closer to Auckland, but every property I looked at needed more money spent on it. I wanted a new property that would see me through to a grand old age.
One day I drove to Whitianga to see friends and we ended up going to look at The Moorings. We were shown through the options in terms of house sizes and plans for extensions and with a Medical Centre right next door. I instantly could see myself living there.
I sold up and moved into a new 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom villa in May 2025. Can I say “No Maintenance” in capital letters!
Apart from my friends here, there was a real opportunity to extend my social circle through the arts, music and all the different Clubs here. Within a month I was out at the Monkey House Open Mic nights singing, visiting cafes to have a coffee and at the twin Cinemas which I had really missed being able to go to.
I have a little dog and there is a wonderful social dog walking scene in Whitianga. Dogs are really accepted here in so many places. I’m relishing the fact that I don’t have to drive to anything really. I am being recognised now as I walk around with Murphy, my ginger cavoodle.
It’s wonderful to explore some history and to see the development of Whitianga since I was visiting the Coromandel Peninsula in the 1970’s. I lived in Pauanui for 25 years as an Auckland runaway but am really relishing the community and lifestyle village option.
I’ve just come back from a trip to Borneo and life really is about living. After Rocky died and I had breast cancer, I have travelled a lot and the difference in living here now is so good for my psyche. I’ve got so many more people to meet, places to go, bucket list items to tick off. In the space of five months, I’ve only just started.
