Despite being only a short drive from the city centre, Careys Bay is almost a different world, where on one side of the road you have the cool waters of the Otago Harbour and on the other bush-clad hills.
Long-time resident and former Dunedin City Councillor Paul Hudson told reporter Tim Miller it’s one of the best — if not the best — places to live in the city.
There are not many better places to raise children than Careys Bay - that's the verdict of one longtime resident of the costal Dunedin suburb.
Former Dunedin city councillor Paul Hudson and his wife, Sheryl, have lived in their seaside home for more than 45 years and have seen quite a few changes in that time.
''It's been a changing community. That's one of the things we've noticed most over the years ... When we came here it was a community of locals some of who had been here for a long, long time which is not so much the case anymore.''
Despite the changes, Mr Hudson thought the bay was still one of the best places in Dunedin to live and raise children.
''It's the only place in Dunedin where our children could have gone for a swim and fish or paddleboard in front of the house and then on the other side go hunting for possums in bush.''
There was still a sense of community in the town, though it was not as tight-knit as it once was, he said.
''Even though it's not like it used to be, most people still talk to their neighbours and know what each other are doing but like most other places that element has disappeared somewhat.''
Much of the community's recent history has been linked to the growth of the nearby Port Otago operations extending from Port Chalmers.
''The port has moved into the bay in a way that it wasn't before and at the moment we're going through the effects of the piling to extend the wharf.''
''But that may be of benefit to the community because Port Otago are going to build a little fishermen's wharf on the end of it with access for the public.''
Whatever changes to the community occur,he said, Careys Bay would always have one of the best views in the city.
''You get a lovely view right down into the heads and across to the peninsula, and of course, all the container ships coming into port, which you can sometimes just watch for hours.''
