meet the locals

Kaipara District

34°59'44.601''S 173°56'54.553''E

stories from the beating heart of northland

Kaipara is a beautiful place, but it’s the people who define it. From harbour dwellers and lifelong farmers to newcomers carving out a fresh start, these are the stories of resilience, creativity, and connection that shape life in this special part of Aotearoa. Read stories of local surfers chasing the perfect wave, lives lived quietly on the harbour’s edge, or a young family putting down roots in Mangawhai. Each story captures the spirit of Kaipara — grounded, genuine, and real.

An elderly man with gray hair, wearing a blue sweater, gray pants, and black boots, sitting on a weathered wooden bench by a body of water. He is holding a small brown puppy with a white chest, and both are smiling. A wooden fence and a scenic landscape with green hills and cloudy sky are in the background.

Life on the Kaipara Harbour

Our spectacular harbour shapes the rhythm and spirit of Kaipara. Locals know its moods, its tides, and its secret fishing spots are passed down like precious heirlooms…

A man with gray hair and a beard smiling at the camera inside a warehouse, standing next to green crates filled with potatoes.

A growing legacy

Known for its rich and fertile soils, Kaipara is home to many successful agricultural and horticultural businesses, lots of them family start-ups, grown from the ground up…

Two people standing in front of the entrance to a building with an artistic, fantasy-themed design featuring a large arch with a sign that reads 'Eutopia' and decorative elements like swirling patterns, a sun, and two stylized towers topped with glass orbs, under a blue sky.

Moving on up to Kaipara

Giving back and loving life in paradise, Robert and Marijke describe leaving Auckland for Kaiwaka as one of the best things they’ve ever done…

A man in casual clothing leaning against a vintage, rusty black pickup truck parked in a scenic outdoor area.

The hybrid worker

Raising cattle, restoring cars and running a global clothing business from a solar-powered home on 30 ha of rolling bush. Rural living doesn’t always mean slowing down…