"I travelled overseas for a working holiday and it made me realise what a special place my home of the Grey District on the West Coast is. I couldn’t wait to get back here and now with covid, I now appreciate more than ever living rural. The support from our small community that welcome you. Five minutes to work, five minutes to the beach, 5 minutes to a walk in native bush. The opportunities are endless and employers are telling us that they are struggling to find skilled employees but they are also willing to train. Construction, engineering, trades, primary industries, hospitality, health there are many options. Buying your own home is still a realistic option with the average house price around $280,000 you can have your own slice of paradise to make your own. It is really a great stable lifestyle in this everchanging world."
Mayor Tania Gibson
The West Coast South Island region reaches from Kahurangi Point in the north to Awarua Point in the south, a distance of 600 km. Our land is very spectacular, scenic, with wild coastlines, surrounded by mountains, rivers, lakes and a very high proportion of native bush, much of its native temperate rain forest. The largest town within the West Coast is Greymouth, located in the Grey District. And has the turnaround point of the TranzAlpine train journey, recognised as one of the top train trips in the world.
There is so much to do and see, you never grow tired of the rugged, untouched beautiful environment we have on our doorstep.
Grey District ticks many boxes that are often sought after; affordable housing, vast employment industry options – Health care, Construction, Education, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Transport just to name a couple. Less traffic, and a close supportive community.
Education is a key focus on the Coast providing the regions young adults with stepping stones to a profitable working life. Options include modern early childhood education facilities and a good selection of primary, and secondary schools including Tertiary Education at Tai Poutini Polytechnic (TPP) which offers a wide range of technical study options from foundation to degree programmes offering exciting opportunities to get a head start in their career or take the next step on their learning journey.
The Grey District is the perfect place to bring up children. You’ll not only be able to spend more time with them but also have more disposable income to spend on their upbringing. They’ll grow up surrounded by grass rather than asphalt, and the sound of birds instead of traffic.
Greymouth – Grey District is home to an interesting meteorogical phenomena; valley fog and katabatic winds. As the land cools overnight, the thin layer of air above it also cools. Cooler air is more dense than warm air, therefore it flows down valleys like a river. This offshore wind at night time is called a katabatic wind. Locals in Greymouth call their katabatic wind the "Greymouth Barber" as they are said to be cold enough to "cut your hair".
There is a unique balance on the West Coast however. The acute awareness of being future-focused is matched with the appreciation of the region’s rich history. Living and working on the West Coast, it is difficult to ignore the stories of the founding fathers - true pioneers and trail blazers. The resilient nature of Coasters transcends the generations, making for a community of hard workers. And they are a friendly bunch, just pop into one of the region’s many cafes for a coffee and a yarn, and it won’t be too long before you’ll feel at home.
