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Up until last week I was driving a Toyota Hilux Surf 4WD. I had intended replacing in a year or two as it's a big wagon and is quite expensive to run and repair, however on the roads of Chch eastern suburbs it was a godsend. Unfortunately last week it got stolen ! now it looks like I am going to be doing some rapid car shopping as I will end up with only a couple of days to purchase. So I need some advice about what to look at.
Budget will be about $10-$11,000 by the looks of it, I transport tall teenage boys and a dog (she goes to the beach so is often wet, so a wagon or similar is necessary). I do mainly around town travel, but do the odd 3 hour journey. Reliability and comfort my biggest requirements. Would love some guidance.

By the sounds of it, the Surf was the perfect vehicle for your requirements, so you could do a lot worse than go for a later model diesel Surf - especially in the current icy conditions!
Transporting tall teenagers and a wet dog isn't going to be easy in a smaller car, and even wagons have their limitations as most don't have a huge amount of room in the back.
If the running cost is a bigger consideration, medium sized wagons such as the Toyota Caldina, Mazda6 (imports are called Atenza), Subaru Legacy (although be wary - the larger engine and turbo Legacy models may not be any cheaper to run than the Surf) may suit. The best advice is for you to try one for size first to see if it meets your needs.

Thanks for that. Anything I need to be aware of if I'm looking at an import? and is there a guideline on max km a car should have done?

Not really. These days, imports are part of NZ's vehicle fleet and are thoroughly checked when they arrive to ensure safety and that the odo has not been tampered with.
Try to find something that has a NZ equivalent if possible (or at least, something not too obscure).

Having a look at some of the cars you have recommended... any thought on a Honda Viva wagon (ex lease)

I think you'll find it's a Holden Viva (not Honda). This was a car, badged and sold in Australia and NZ as a Holden, but was a Daewoo built in Korea. It did not enjoy a great reputation and is not regarded as one of Holden's finest.
In general, I've absolutely no problem with ex-lease at all, but you could probably do better than a Holden Viva.

First off a big thank you, having a starting point with recommended models has made this exercise to much easier, I really appreciate your guidance. Looked at a couple of caldinas today but the roof line tapers off and the doggy head height in the back was a little short lol Tried a Mazda Atenza S 4WD 2300cc 114,000 km 2004 just under $15k... it's between that and a Toyota Avensis 2004 85 000km nearer $17k .... any thought on the avensis? my inclination is the cheaper option but open to an educated opinion. thanks again

Both the Mazda Atenza and Toyota Avensis are good models - but with some provisos. Neither will be the most fuel efficient cars around, but given your requirements, this just may have to be something you're prepared to live with.
But I think the 4WD Atenza is likely to be even more thirsty than you need, so wonder if a 2WD one might be preferable.
With the Toyota, some models had an engine known as the D4 which was prone to carbon deposits and rough running which can be difficult and expensive to repair. If this car doesn't have the D4 engine it would be a good option.