Pauanui

Pauanui was designed as a holiday town from the first survey peg. Flat streets laid out behind a long white-sand surf beach, a tidal estuary on one side, bush-covered hills behind. It has an airstrip, a marina, cafes that earn their January queues, and the kind of safe swimming that families plan entire summers around. If you knew Noosa before it got busy, the rhythm will feel familiar.

What's the market like? Almost entirely holiday homes. That means supply is tight and quality runs from original 1970s baches to architect-designed waterfront builds. Beachfront and waterways properties are the blue chips.

What does the money buy? This is the part that stops Australians. A genuine beachfront home here costs less than a comparable house several streets back from the sand on much of the Australian east coast. And there's no stamp duty on the purchase.

Buying from Australia is straightforward. Australian citizens buy here on the same footing as New Zealanders. Most viewings can be handled remotely through a local agent, and settlement runs through a NZ lawyer in a few weeks. If you want the house to earn its keep when you're not in it, summer rental demand is strong.

New to the rules? Start with can Australians buy property in New Zealand. It's the two-minute version of everything that matters.