Professorial Fellowship in Monetary and Financial Economics
Living in New Zealand
Wellington is the scenic capital of New Zealand and is situated at the southern end of the North Island. With its magnificent harbour setting surrounded by mountains, the city has a population of 175,000, and serves a wider region with a population of 350,000.
Wellington has a mild, temperate climate with average temperatures ranging from 17 degrees C (February) to 9 degrees C (August), and an average annual rainfall of 125 cm. It is not, however, known as the "Windy City" for nothing!
Wellington offers easy access to a wide range of cultural and outdoor activities - it is home to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, a range of thriving theatres, good shopping, and has a vibrant cafe life. Outdoor activities include - boating, wind surfing and kayaking on the harbour and nearby rivers and inlets; fishing, including trout fishing, on the famous rivers of both the North and South Islands; and skiing either on the volcanic peak of Mt Ruapehu 4 hours north of Wellington, or on the more expansive fields of the South Island.
To find out more about the city of Wellington see the Wellington Web Page.
Wellington is also very near one of the country's wine producing regions. Martinborough, a major wine centre, is a 1 1/2 hours drive from Wellington over the scenic Rimutaka Hill Road, and is in a farming and recreational region called the Wairarapa. Wellington is also the gateway to the South Island with fast (1 1/2 hour) ferry services across the Cook Strait, through the beautiful Marlborough Sounds, to Picton. From Picton, transportation is available to Nelson, the Abel Tasman National Park and other regions of the South Island.
New Zealand's largest city is Auckland, in the north of the North Island, while Christchurch is the largest centre in the South Island. Both offer a wide range of cultural and recreational activities, the former known as City of Sails, and the latter as the Garden City.
New Zealand is noted for its natural beauty and a large number of National Parks. The North Island has a number of active and dormant volcanoes, and Rotorua and Taupo, in the centre of the island, have major geothermal attractions. In the South Island you can tramp and kayak at Abel Tasman National Park, whale watch and swim with the dolphins in Kaikoura, visit Mt. Cook National Park, thrill-seek with a bungy jump, paraglide or white water raft in scenic Queenstown, and visit one of the great natural wonders of the world, Milford Sound.
Whatever your preference, there is something for everyone in New Zealand, it's all within easy reach, and Wellington is at the centre of it all.
