High life in small town

Jet-boating, hunting, weekend ski trips and daily Thai takeaways could be the norm for whoever scores a $150k+ job in Taumarunui.

A hefty salary paired with cheap, small town living costs would see you living the high life in the small rural town.

Stuff reported this week that a small tourism operator in Taumarunui Forgotten World Adventures had trouble finding someone to fill its general manager vacancy, despite the position paying more than $150k.

Since then, the director of Forgotten World Adventures has received 350 applications for the job, from as far away as China.

Taumarunui – considered a high deprivation town – is a well kept secret that city dwellers are too quick to dismiss, Seriously Outdoors retailer Carrie Peach said. A 2013 census found the town’s population to be 4500.

‘‘If you talk to people that actually live here, they do like it. There’s plenty to do,’’ Peach said. And if you’re a fan of escaping the housing crisis, mountain biking, white baiting, top-notch Thai food and weekends in Ruapehu – it’s perfect.

‘‘The hunting is big in this area, fishing as well, a lot of fresh water fishing. Good trout numbers in the local rivers.’’ And while fine dining wouldn’t be at a city standard, a $150k salary could mean takeaways every night.

Forgotten World Adventures director Ian Balme said while he hadn’t actually offered free accommodation on top of the $150k salary, it was something he would talk about with candidates.

But with the large salary and small town living costs – he can’t imagine it being a problem.

‘‘The cost of houses is about 10 per cent of what you would pay in Auckland.’’

Enterprising Taumarunui Inc chair Aroha Rudkin said Taumarunui offers things that cities can’t.

‘‘If you’ve got money and you come here to take up a job, you can have a really beautiful home. And you can have a life because you’re not mortgage indebted.’’