‘Everyone is happy here’: Gold Coast move ‘best decision ever’, says Kiwi family

Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Leonela and Jethro Hooker moved their family of five from Auckland to the Gold Coast early this year.

The couple said they were enjoying better business opportunities, weather and infrastructure.

Their children, aged 22, 19 and 15, are also enjoying better work and study opportunities.

Every day, 201 Kiwis pack their bags and move overseas, with 58% heading to Australia.

Leonela and Jethro Hooker moved their family of five from Auckland to the Gold Coast earlier this year.

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The couple, who owned a home in Auckland’s Takapuna, now live in an apartment overlooking golden sand and rolling surf.

“The first thing we noticed when we arrived here was everyone’s happy,” Leonela said.

“You walk into a shop and people greet you cheerfully and that makes a difference.”

The couple initially moved with their youngest child, planning to try it for a year.

“We ended up with our two older kids coming here as well.

“Within months, we knew we would be staying for far longer than a year. We have had the best year ever.”

A fresh start for business

Leonela, 48, who worked as a financial adviser in New Zealand, has launched a fashion brand on the Gold Coast with her daughter Shanae.

She said she never imagined starting her own business in New Zealand.

“I think there’s not much encouragement and you feel isolated if you try something out of the box.”

She had found entrepreneurial inspiration everywhere on the Gold Coast, including a community of female business founders who happily share advice, contacts and resources.

“If you put up a post asking for models, photographers or a cool location, people are quick to put their hands up and help. You don’t feel like you’re alone.”

Opportunities for children

The couple said their children, aged 22, 19 and 15, have also found new opportunities.

Their eldest daughter has landed a corporate role in AI sales.

“She would never have had such an opportunity in New Zealand and her office is just down the road,” said Leonela.

Their 19-year-old son, who’s pursuing a degree in sports management, earns good money from part-time landscaping work for the local council.

Their youngest daughter loved her school life and part-time work at McDonald’s, Leonela said.

“In New Zealand, there’s no way she would have had a job at 14. Here all her friends work at supermarkets, fast food and retail.”

The schooling is different too, Leonela said.

“It's not traditional maths, English and science. The students here have a wide range of subjects to choose from.

“They are even teaching kids aviation and social media marketing in school.”

Cheaper and easier

While the overall cost of living on the Gold Coast is largely on par with New Zealand’s, Hookers said some staples are a lot cheaper.

“The grocery bill is about 20% less here and staple items like bread, milk and eggs are a lot cheaper,” she said.

The city’s immaculate infrastructure made the commuting easier.

“We have got electric bikes and we could easily go a week without using our car, which brings the expenses down because you are not paying $100 a week on gas.

“When my daughter wants to go out to a movie, she usually jumps on a bus and a train.

“When our son lived in Brisbane, we would just drop him off up the road and he would take a train.”

Life on the Gold Coast has brought a much healthier lifestyle too.

“My daughter bikes to school each day. She has joined the local surf lifesaving club and spends more time outdoors as the weather is sunny nine days out of 10.

“I walk more, bike more and have lost a lot of weight living here.”

The couple are finding apartment living unexpectedly easy.

“I don’t have to worry about mowing lawns or maintaining a large house. It just works for this stage of our lives,” Leonela said.

She found the public healthcare system very reassuring.

“You can jump online or ring a GP in the morning and be seeing them within an hour.

“My daughter had a major back surgery before we moved here. She needed a bit of follow-up and scanning.

“I booked it in for a referral with the GP, got the referral and she had a scan the next day.”

Golden days

Jethro, 50, said the warmer weather had a huge impact for him.

“The sun's always up and nine out of 10 days would be a blue sky. It's a lot more outdoorsy compared to Auckland where it's cold and rainy.”

He said the best part of the day is watching the sun rise and set from their beachside apartment.

“It’s the best decision ever. Life feels easier and more optimistic here. Everyone just seems happier here.”