From milking cows to making friends

The community garden at Whai Mauri Ora community has become a favourite spot for Ian. "It’s something we enquired about when we first came here," he shares. "It’s a great meeting place and we're really proud of how the garden has come along." The garden has not only provided Ian with a fulfilling hobby but has also helped him form friendships within the community.

Living in a spacious three-bedroom villa, Ian and Noeline have found their new home surprisingly accommodating. "Most people who come to visit us expect a villa to be tiny and they say 'wow' when they see the space," Ian explains. “People tend to leave it too late to move into a village but the timing was absolutely right for us and provides security for the future.”

Ian now spends more time admiring the farmland views of Pirongia without the early morning starts.