The remote former hydro village in South Otago, which sits at the top of the Waipori River Gorge and is overseen by a body corporate, has made headlines for long-standing water infrastructure issues leading to occasionally fractious disputes among residents during recent years.
However, current residents say the village has experienced a "shift in thinking" recently, due to changing government regulations, allied with some fresh faces on its committee — in effect the village council.
Retired police officer Ian Clay said he had stepped down from the committee in order to let newcomers shape the future of the village he described as "close to heaven".
"I’m a doer, so there are others who have more patience with the slow wheels of bureaucracy than me, and they’re slowly making the changes we’ve needed for a long time in order to secure the village’s future, in terms of infrastructure, proper administration and community cohesion.
"People get excited by the negative. When you add that to the remoteness and ‘mystery’ of the village, you can understand why the headlines have maybe been a bit dramatic. But 99% of the time this is a fantastic place to live, and I genuinely don’t believe we have any more problems here than any small settlement in the South."
Committee member Dave Monahu, who has been helping wrangle the village of 33 households’ long-standing water infrastructure issues into shape, said he did not recognise the Waipori sometimes described in the media.
"Yes, we face occasional challenges like any town. But since the government has tightened the Unit Titles Act, gone are the days when residents could head out and conduct repairs; everything has to go through the body corporate, and be carried out by professional tradesmen.
"Our ‘rates’ are a bit more expensive as a result of carrying that infrastructure, but the upsides are cheap property, and genuine ownership of your home, and the village itself. As residents, we can shape its future."
Mr Clay said recent property sales ranged from about $50,000 to $300,000.
His total rates spend to Clutha District Council, Otago Regional Council and the village body corporate amounted to about $7000 a year.
"What we’re finding is that Waipori is becoming more and more attractive to retirees seeking genuine peace and privacy. People here will leave you to your own devices if you wish, or you can join in informal social activities, working bees and so on with your neighbours. It’s a unique place."
Mr Monahu said Waipori enjoyed all the benefits of any village.
"Despite what people may believe, it’s a very safe, friendly, peaceful place to live. I’ve never lived anywhere with such good neighbours, there’s no anti-social behaviour, and we’re catching up with technology, with full 4G coverage next year.
This allowed him to work from home, online.
"I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else."
