Wairoa is northern Hawke’s Bay at its most remote, the gateway to Te Urewera and the long, still water of Lake Waikaremoana. It’s a fair drive from anywhere, which is exactly what keeps it wild, affordable and properly off the beaten track.

This is rural, river-and-bush country with a strong Māori heart and a small, tight community. It’s taken some hard knocks from weather in recent years and keeps getting back up. For anyone who genuinely wants quiet and isn’t fussed about being near a city, it’s hard to beat on space and price.

There are 68 suburbs and settlements across the district, from the township to the coast to the bush settlements inland. This page gathers them so you can compare: who lives where, what it costs, how the schools sit, and what daily life out here really involves.

Lakes, bush and the kind of quiet you can’t manufacture. Pick a suburb and have a look.