Karaka Pines Villages

05/10/2026

Come say hello! 🌿 We’ll be at the Franklin Positive Ageing Expo in Pukekohe next week.

📅 Friday 9 October
🕤 9:30am–2:30pm
📍 PIA Events Centre, Pukekohe

Pop by the Karaka Lifestyle Estate stall and meet our team. We’d love to see you there!

05/08/2026

Cheers to good company, great conversation and a wonderful new place to enjoy them. 🥂

Our Bar Launch brought Karaka Lifestyle Estate together for an evening filled with delicious food, laughter and plenty of smiles.

The bar is open - and the memories are just beginning.

03/08/2026

WHAT AN AMAZING WEEKEND 🎨🧵🪵📖

Our inaugural Arts & Crafts Exhibition was a wonderful celebration of creativity, skill and community at Karaka Lifestyle Estate.

Congratulations to our Opening Night award winners:

Visual Arts - Excellence Award: Jane Smith for “House & Garden”
Hard Craft - Excellence Award: Brian Nicholls “Kauri Coffee Table”
Soft Craft - Excellence Award: Chris Howett “Just for Charlie & Just for Jayden”
Poetry - Achievement Award: Sue Neems for “Live Lines”

We also celebrate our notable award recipients: Gail Whittle, Lorraine Churchman, Val Blyleven, Gus Smith, Jim Brown, Yvonne Bray, Lynn Kurtovich, Ticia Reitsma and Heather Scott.

Our People’s Choice Award winners were:

Visual Arts - Gus Smith for “Spitfire Glory”
Hard Craft - Trevor Warrington for “Matchstick Coffee Table”
Soft Craft - Marlene Hudd for “London Skyline Cross-stitch”
Poetry - Sue Neems for “Live Lines”

And a very special congratulations to our overall People’s Choice winner, Trevor Warrington! 🏆

Our sincere thanks to judges Caroline Burton and Deb Bell for Visual Arts, Tom Logan for Hard Craft, and Lenore Smart and Rae Baxton for Soft Craft.

Thank you also to every artist, maker, poet, resident, supporter and visitor who helped make the exhibition such a memorable success.

30/06/2026

☀️ A Chilly Tradition with a Warm Finish! 🏊🍅

Blue skies, sunshine and plenty of laughter made this year's Mid Winter Plunge at Karaka Lifestyle Estate one to remember.

Our brave ladies took the plunge into the pool, proving that a little winter chill is no match for great company! After the initial splash, they stayed in the water chatting and laughing together, while fellow residents cheered them on from the poolside.

Of course, no Mid Winter Plunge would be complete without warming up afterwards with a delicious cup of tomato soup and a fresh bread roll – a true Kiwi winter favourite enjoyed by everyone.

It's moments like these that make life at Karaka Lifestyle Estate so special. Community, friendship and plenty of fun, whatever the season. 💙

03/06/2026

What happens when you move into a retirement village and later decide to leave?

For many New Zealanders, the answer can have a significant impact on their finances.

Our latest blog takes a closer look at why the retirement village model you choose matters, and how retaining your capital gains can make a real difference to your future.

Read more:

With proposed retirement village reforms on the horizon, many New Zealanders are pausing their decision. Karaka Pines Villages explains why its fairer model already gives residents more confidence, choice, and capital gain.

27/05/2026

🧶💛 Small stitches. Big hearts.

Our Knit, Stitch & Natter Group at Karaka Lifestyle Estate has been busy creating Peggy squares for the national Premmie Knitting Group initiative recently featured on Seven Sharp.

The group has also lovingly made adorable premmie diaper babies and knitted slippers for charity - all to help bring comfort to those who need it most.

A beautiful example of community, creativity, and caring in action. 💕

07/05/2026

May the Fourth brought a little extra fun to Karaka Lifestyle Estate this year.

In a village not so far away, Jedi Steph and the team made sure the laughs were strong, the costumes were out, and the residents were well entertained.

And not to be outdone by KLE, the team from the Tauranga office joined in the fun too, bringing their own May the Fourth spirit to the day.

It’s a lovely reminder that life at Karaka Pines Villages is shaped by the people who make each community feel like home. Yes, there are beautiful homes, gardens and spaces to enjoy, but it’s the everyday moments, the shared humour, and the people who join in the fun that make village life feel special.

Karaka Pines Villages. More to Gain.

29/04/2026

Girls Day Out done right ✨

A full day of laughter, great food, a touch of ch*****ne 🥂 and some beautiful local spots along the way…

From Totara Hospice (2nd Edition) in Takanini to Oohlala Vintage Studio in Waiuku, Red Trinity at Glenbrook Beach, The Flower Stall, and Bespoke Living Room - it was the perfect mix of browsing, relaxing, and enjoying time together.

A day our ladies won’t forget anytime soon (and yes… we were a bit jealous waving them off!)

💛 More to gain

28/04/2026

A really special morning at Karaka Lifestyle Estate.

Our residents came together for this year’s ANZAC Parade, with a moving service led by speakers from within the community and a beautiful bagpipe procession to begin. It was a calm, sunny day, making it all the more meaningful as everyone gathered in the new clubhouse carpark to reflect and remember.
A lot went into bringing it all together, and it showed - from the setup and sound, through to the ANZAC biscuits and time shared afterwards.

Lest we forget.

15/04/2026

A lovely moment from the recent Seniors Expo.

Congratulations to Gary Rudolph, our raffle winner, who picked up his $500 New World voucher this week. Safe to say he was pretty pleased!

It was great meeting so many people at the Expo and having the chance to give a little something back.

15/04/2026

The green’s open at Karaka Lifestyle Estate… and no one was going to wait.

Our KLE bowlers were straight out there the moment they got the news - and they’ve been back every day since.

It’s already become a bit of a hub. A few games rolling, a few watching from the side, plenty of chats, and the odd coffee in hand.

Still a few finishing touches to come, but it’s already doing exactly what it should - bringing people together.

That’s life at Karaka Lifestyle Estate.

06/04/2026

Fresh from the garden and straight to the table 🥕🥬

There’s something special happening at Karaka Lifestyle Estate. Our resident gardening team have been hard at work, growing a beautiful range of seasonal vegetables for the community to enjoy. From crisp lettuce to fresh carrots (and even bananas growing right here in the village), it’s all part of everyday life here.

It’s not just about the produce - it’s the shared effort, the pride, and the simple pleasure of enjoying something grown together.

26/03/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱 - 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗨𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝟯

This weekend - come and see us at the Seniors & Travel Expo.

Karaka Pines Villages will be there across both days, with a focus on our Waihi Beach and Papamoa communities.

If you're considering retirement living in the Bay of Plenty, this is a great chance to meet the team and learn more in a relaxed setting.

📍 Mercury Baypark Stadium - 81 Truman Lane, Mount Maunganui
📅 28–29 March
📍 Find us at Stand 13

See you there.

24/03/2026

The clubhouse turned green… and so did the smiles ☘️

What a night at Karaka Lifestyle Estate. Residents went all in for St Patrick’s Day, with a clubhouse full of laughter, great company, and yes… even green food.

It’s moments like this that show what life here is really about. Not just beautiful spaces, but people coming together and making the most of them.

A brilliant evening, and a perfect way to enjoy the new clubhouse.