Aucklanders on the move to Ngatea

The small farming community of Ngatea on the Hauraki Plains is adjusting to an influx of residents from the big smoke.

With the low milk payout impacting on farmers and the town's businesses, the locals are looking to their new neighbours to help them out.

Local real estate agent, Avalon Pascoe, said that Aucklanders are buying around a third of houses sold in Ngatea.

“Predominantly our buyers are coming from South Auckland, buying down here, and commuting to Auckland because it’s only 45 minutes.”

But Mrs Pascoe said while Aucklanders are spending some money in Ngatea, she has noticed they are still doing a lot of their shopping in Auckland.

“They’re not moving here and 100 per cent immersing themselves in the community because they’re still working and doing a lot of shopping up there, so they’re not bringing the money into the economy quite as much.”

Local vet, Natalie Rangihika, has noticed the positive effect of Aucklanders moving down on her business.

Mrs Rangihika said their practice was traditionally an 80 per cent private dairy practice, with just 20 per cent focused on small animals.

However, with the recent Auckland migration to Ngatea, Mrs Rangihika has seen an increase in small animal clients.

“We’ve been lucky in our area because we’ve had a lot of Aucklanders moving down in the last couple of years, so our small animals [business] has grown on its own from about 20 per cent to about 30-35 per cent”.

Mrs Rangihika said they were never too bothered about that side of the business, but now “we’re focusing a bit more on it and encouraging its growth”.

Other local business owners have felt the strain as farmers find it harder to part with their hard-earned dollars.

Local gift shop owner and hairdresser Ann Pembroke has noticed a change in spending habits among locals in Ngatea.

Mrs Pembroke thinks Aucklanders are contributing to the community's businesses, but how much difference is yet to be seen.

“I haven’t seen any great impact as yet, because we haven’t had enough to do that. Not anything that makes you go ‘Wow, thank goodness they’re here’.”

But as more people head south or pass through, the future can only look greener for little old Ngatea.