Just spent about 2 hours on top of Mt Roskill, a small (extinct) volcanic cone about 3 km from home looking for M31. It should have been visible but @ 11.44 degrees off the northern horizon it was like sifting through soup in the LP and fine haze. Very difficult to locate any pointer stars or recognise patterns. few drifting clouds didn't help much either.
So in the end I pointed the scope at the Skytower, about 12 km away. I could see them in the restaurant eating. But I didn't see any stars.
I think I'm going to have to go north to a darker site to find M31.