Mercury Bay Medical Centre is looking for a General Practitioner to our join our Practice for a six month period, with a view to stay longer.
The township of Whitianga is situated on the East Coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. The Coromandel Peninsula is renowned for its picturesque settlements, beautiful sandy beaches, clean water, native bush and forest-clad hills. Whitianga is one of the main centres on the Peninsula, with a population of around 7000, including the outlying farming community. During summer the population swells to more than 25,000 as many tourists from other parts of New Zealand and overseas flock to the beach resort.
Whitianga is roughly one hour and fifteen minutes from Thames and two and a half hours from Auckland. Other main centres are Hamilton (two hours and fifteen minutes away), Tauranga (two and a half hours) and Rotorua (three hours). Lake Taupo, at the foothills of the main ski fields of the North Island, is four and a half hours away. In addition there is a 30-minute flight to Auckland twice daily and other regular flights to Tauranga and Rotorua.
Whitianga is a growing rural area with many people moving from the cities looking for a better lifestyle. The main industries in Whitianga are fishing, farming, forestry and tourism, with the usual support services. There is also a large water canal development in progress with completion date some 15 years away. This involves development and construction of permanent and holiday housing, retail, hotel, retirement village, and apartments, employing an increasing number of people and creating a demand for more services. However, Whitianga remains largely non-commercial and enjoys a peaceful existence for most of the year.
The socio-economic mix is largely white middle-class, with a small Maori population and smaller pockets of other ethnic groups. During the off-season the town is popular with European travellers, especially back packers. The predominant age groups are couples with young families and middle aged to retired people.
Leisure activities include several embracing the seaside nature of the town – sailing, fishing, diving and game-fishing. The town has an attractive marina with a large number of pleasure boats owned by residents and visitors to the town. As well, there are various sporting clubs, including rugby, tennis and golf. There is a local gymnasium with low cost entry and reasonable equipment. Land-based activities include hiking, bush walking, horse riding, mountain biking, and motor racing. There are several restaurants open from breakfast until late, with many situated around the waterfront. In addition to the hotel there is a Chartered Club, several Sports Bars and a Wine Bar. The town has many cafes offering tasty local produce and excellent coffee.
There are several pre-schools in the area, including a Steiner Kindergarten, and a range of primary schools teaching up to Year 7. The high school – Mercury Bay Area School – caters for pupils from Year 1 – 13. It has a large swimming pool open to the community.
Housing costs vary according to location, from around $300,000 to $1,000,000+. However, rental accommodation is relatively inexpensive – between $250 to $350 per week for an average three to four bedroom home.
www.whitianga.co.nz provides information about Whitianga, including a good range of images
The information on these pages was accurate at the time of listing. As some detail may have since changed, NZLocums recommends the information be used as a guideline only.
The township of Whitianga is situated on the East Coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. The Coromandel Peninsula is renowned for its picturesque settlements, beautiful sandy beaches, clean water, native bush and forest-clad hills. Whitianga is one of the main centres on the Peninsula, with a population of around 7000, including the outlying farming community. During summer the population swells to more than 25,000 as many tourists from other parts of New Zealand and overseas flock to the beach resort.
and enjoys a peaceful existence for most of the year. 
There are several pre-schools in the area, including a Steiner Kindergarten, and a range of primary schools teaching up to Year 7. The high school – Mercury Bay Area School – caters for pupils from Year 1 – 13. It has a large swimming pool open to the community.