MidCentral
Get the best of both worlds - the perfect blend of rural and city living with the mountains, city and sea at your fingertips.
Photo credit: ManawatuNZ
About the Region
The MidCentral region is in the lower part of the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. The region includes the Manawatū, Horowhenua and Ōtaki on the west coast, and Tararua on the east in its catchment area, with the majority of the population living in Palmerston North city.
MidCentral District is well-known for its visually stunning rolling hills, rugged mountains and the Manawatū River. The main city Palmerston North, a "university city", is a hub for travel to the central North Island ski fields and river adventures. Palmerston North is also home to the iconic New Zealand Rugby Museum!
Health New Zealand - MidCentral
About Health New Zealand
Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora is the Government organisation that provides publicly-funded universal health care to 5 million Kiwis. The management and delivery of health services are broken down into 'Districts' across the country, determined by both geographic location and population.
Health New Zealand - Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral
Health New Zealand – MidCentral serves over 200,000 people in Horowhenua, Manawatū, Palmerston North, Tararua, and Kapiti Coast (The Ōtaki ward). The regional base hospital is Palmerston North Hospital, which has an Intensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit, trauma centres, and Regional Cancer Treatment service.
Photo location: Manawatū - Credit: ManawatuNZ
Palmerston North Regional Hospital and Horowhenua Health Centre
MidCentral's multicultural workforce provides healthcare to people from all walks of life, committed to supporting all New Zealanders to live longer, healthier lives. With state-of-the art facilities and advanced treatment equipment in our modern hospitals, we offer everything you need for a successful career—and life!
Palmerston North Regional Hospital is one of New Zealand's prestigious teaching hospitals providing leading specialised care and emergency treatment to the MidCentral region. Community Health services like Māori health, mental health, district nursing and inpatient services are also provided from both Palmerston North and Horowhenua Health Centre.
MidCentral Health Services
Services A to P
| BreastScreen Coast to Coast |
| Child Health |
| Dental Health |
| Dietetic Services |
| Disability Support Services |
| ElderHealth |
| Emergency Department |
| Laboratory |
| Māori Health Service |
| Medical Imaging |
| Medical Services |
| Mental Health & Addiction Services |
| Pharmacy |
| Planned Care (Elective Services) |
| Primary health organisations and general practice |
| Public Health |
Services R to Z
| Regional Cancer Treatment Service |
| Rehabilitation Services |
| Renal Specialist Care / Unit |
| Rural Health |
| Sexual Health Services |
| Support and Advocacy Services |
| Surgical and Anaesthetics |
| Te Whare Rapuora |
| Therapy Services |
| Women’s Health |
Horowhenua Health Centre
Day Services
| Dental Procedures |
| Surgical Procedures |
Emergency and Urgent Care Services
| Ambulance Services |
| Urgent Community Care Access via Healthline |
General Practice and Community Services
| Cancer - Community Nurses | Long Term Conditions Community Nurse - Diabetes and other Long Term Conditions |
| Cardiac Rehabilitation | Long Term Conditions Community Nurse - Respiratory |
| Cervical Screening | Mental Health - Primary |
| Child & Adolescent Oral Health Service | Mental Health - Secondary care, including child, adolescent and family |
| Community Cardiology | Midwifery Service |
| Community Laboratory | Mobile Community Nurse |
| Community Pharmacy | Neurodevelopmental Therapy |
| Community Radiology | Oncology - Specialist |
| Diabetes Podiatry | Physical Education |
| Diabetes Specialist | Problem Gambling |
| Dietitian | Psychology Support |
| District Nursing | Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme |
| Echocardiography | Quit Smoking |
| Echocardiology | Recovery at Home |
| Eczema Clinic | Respiratory - Specialist |
| General Practice | Retinal Screening |
| Health of Older Persons Service | Social Work |
| Health Promotion | Supportlinks |
| Hearing Assessments | |
| Long Term Conditions Community Nurse - Cardiac |
Inpatient Services
| Assessment, Treatment & Rehabilitation |
| Maternity |
| Rural Inpatient Hospital Beds |
Outpatient Clinics
| Alcohol and Drug | Antenatal |
| Cardiology | Colposcopy |
| Diabetes | Dietitian |
| Elderhealth | ENT |
| Gastroenterology | Gynaecology |
| Hearing and Vision (children) | Lymphoedema |
| Medical | Occupational Therapy |
| Orthopaedic | Orthoptist |
| Orthotics | Ostomy/Incontinence |
| Paediatrics | Physiotherapy |
| Podiatrist | Pssychogeriatric |
| Quit Smoking | Radiation Oncology |
| Respiratory (nurse led) | Rheumatology |
| Sexual Health | Smokefree |
| Speech Therapy | Surgical |
| Urology (nurse led) | Wound (nurse led) |
| Youth Clinic | |
Relocating to MidCentral
You can dive into a new chapter in MidCentral! Whether solo or with family, MidCentral's perfect mix of nature and community awaits.
Getting around
Traveling around MidCentral is an experience filled with variety, offering everything from beaches and rugged mountains to city life and tranquil countryside.
Getting around
Image location: Palmerston North - Credit: ManawatuNZ
When you arrive
Driving in New Zealand
You're allowed to use your current driver's license in New Zealand for up to 12 months during your visit. After that, you'll need to change it to a New Zealand license. You can find out more about driving in New Zealand here.
Other ways to travel around MidCentral
- The Horizons Regional Council runs Connect buses. Purchase a Bee card to travel on buses and download a bus timetable.
- InterCity buses also travel daily to Palmerston North.
- Taxis and Ubers also operate in Palmerston North and rental vehicles are available.
Housing options
From coastal, to rural, to urban, there is a wide range of housing options in MidCentral. Each town offers a unique community feel and lifestyle benefits.
Housing options
Image location: Manawatū- Credit: ManawatuNZ
When you arrive
Short term accommodation
You may consider booking short-term accommodation ahead of your arrival, then search for long-term accommodation when you arrive. The cost and availability of short-term accommodation varies widely through the year. It can be affected by tourism peak season, university start dates and school holidays, to name a few. Familiarise yourself with the city and view available long-term accommodation to ensure it suits your preference. Several considerations to make are proximity to the workplace available nearby schools for the kids, and the ideal size of the property. Some may also find that flatting would be a more suitable arrangement.
Temporary accommodation options
Rentals
Renting is a great way to get to know the area before making a commitment to buy or build a house. Local rental agencies can help you to locate a property. Note that most rentals in Aotearoa are unfurnished, however, furniture and whiteware can be rented in some parts of the country. Searching online is a good place to start, you can check out these websites:
Rental agencies
Buying or building a house
We know that moving to a new country is a major move, and buying or building a house there makes it even more significant. If you're in a healthcare profession on New Zealand's "Green List" of occupations, you're in a unique position to fast-track your residency, bringing you closer to the dream of owning a house in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Usually, only residents and NZ citizens can buy a house to live in, in Aotearoa. When you can, use the "Help us assess if you can buy a house to live in" tool to learn more about the process.
Bring your new life to your career
Take the next step
Made the decision to move to Aotearoa, New Zealand?
Fill out our five-minute form with your details, and we'll match you to your preferred location based on your experience and preferences.
Photo location, from left: Manawatū - Credit: ManawatuNZ
We'd love to help, reach out to us!
Interested in relocating to the Mid Central District? Our dedicated team is here to provide guidance and support throughout your journey, so don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.