Story: City images

Chelsea Whinray cuddles her pet sheep Roxy on her family’s lifestyle block at Coatesville, Auckland, in 2007. Lifestyle blocks were promoted as a restorative for world-weary city dwellers. Their rapid growth since the 1980s has sometimes caused friction between newcomers and farmers. Lifestylers have been criticised for creating hobby farms and not making the most of productive land, but they have also re-energised rural economies by starting new businesses.