What are some good places to work in New Zealand?

Where's good in New Zealand?

• I'm going to New Zealand in October for a year of travelling and working. I can't wait! I have a working holiday visa so will be doing temp work as and when I need the money. We are starting off in Auckland but haven't planned anything else yet. I've read guidebooks and websites but I always think it's better to hear peoples personal opinions and experiences. Can anyone suggest places to see? Things to do? I want to make sure I get to experience everything New Zealand has to offer!

• Answer:

  Get your self a car or even better a van. There's a car fair at the Ellerslie racecourse in centralish Auckland where you can pick up something cheap. Often you can get vans off other backpackers that are leaving and they'll come with camping gear and maps. You can free camp a bit round the place but some places you can't. there's plenty of work in Auckland. Get out to Waiheke Island or maybe a day trip to Rangitoto the big volcanic Island in the middle of the harbour. There's great surf beaches on the west coast of Auckland - Piha, Muriwai etc. Black sand, beautiful bush. Good cafes round Ponsonby, Kingsland, Parnell is a bit more upmarket. K Rd (Karangahake Rd) is great for gigs, bars, clothes. I recommend Brazil on K Rd's coffee shakes. It's not everyone's scene though I guess. Also Hallelujah Cafe in St Kevin's Arcade and Habanero on the corner of Pitt St and K Rd. Go up Mt Eden for the view. It's a dormant volcano with a cool crater. For boutique beer in Auckland go to Galbraiths(English Ales etc), and Shakespeares on Albert St near the Sky Tower. For gigs check out the Kings Arms (you might need to ask someone how to find it) and look out for the free gig guides floating about such as The Fix. Out of Auckland - Northland is really cool. There's seasonal fruit picking at Keri Keri in the Bay of Islands which is a great spot. Great beaches up there too. You can dive round the Rainbow Warrior wreck at Matauri Bay I think. Coromandel Peninsula is beautiful. Lots of great beaches and scenic bush. Rotorua is worth a look for Maori culture, hot pools, geysers and lakes. There's a few streams around that have hot water that you can swim in for free between Rotorua and Taupo. Try and find Waiotapu or Kerosene creek. Don't put your head under though. Mount Maunganui near Tauranga is a really popular surf beach on the East Coast. There's seasonal picking (kiwifruit etc) around the Bay of Plenty too. Raglan on the West Coast is a really good surf beach too. The road down the West Coast to Kawhia then down to New Plymouth is pretty remote. There's a Kawhia Kai festival in february if you wanna eat traditional Maori food - Hangi, rotten corn, shark liver sausage. The East Coast is cool, lots of Maori culture, you'll see guys riding horses with full moko facial tattoos. There's heaps of seasonal apple picking in Hawke's Bay. You can canoe down the Wanganui River on a three day trip through national park. Wellington is a nice city and easy to get around. The wind can be full on though. Nelson is cool, there's seasonal apple picking in Motueka. Golden Bay is nice. Kaikoura on the east coast of the South Island is cool and a base for whale watching. The west coast of the South Island is beautiful. Check out Punaekaiki Rocks and the glaciers. Christchurch is nice, Dunedin is nice. Queenstown and Wanaka are great on the lakes and good for winter skiing\snowboarding. You should be able to find plenty of seasonal work round there too. There's great hikes(tramps to the locals) all over the country. Milford track in Fiordland down the bottom of the South Island is really popular, you need to book. Tongariro saddle in the central North Island volcanic plateau is popular too. Good seafood all over the country. Great wine round West Auckland and Waiheke Island, Hawke's Bay, East Coast, Martinborough(especially Pinot Noir), Marlborough(especially Sauvignon Blanc), Nelson and Central Otago. Lots of microbreweries all over the place.