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I fi nd myself constantly amazed by the number of native New Zealanders who haven’t taken the opportunity to explore this amazing country and all it offers. Then again, it did take me four years of living here before I fi nally made it to Marlborough, arguably one our most beautiful and famous regions. That it took so long for us to explore this incredible area was a shocking oversight, particularly because it is so easily accessible by plane from all of New Zealand’s major centres. By the end of our four-day Easter weekend jaunt, I had fallen madly in love with Marlborough. ‘Let’s buy a bach here! Let’s start a business!’ my partner and I said to each other. The lure of the idyllic landscape had really begun to work its magic on our imaginations.This stunning area, famed the world over for its wine and its rugged beauty, is the perfect spot to enjoy a long weekend break. From hiking and fi shing to wining and dining, Marlborough offers something to tempt every visitor. No two days need pass the same way with its myriad of vacation possibilities. The hardest part is choosing what to do.Beginning our travels in Nelson as many visitors do, we took the opportunity to explore this historic city in earnest. As the second-oldest settled city in the country (founded in 1858), and the oldest on the South Island, Nelson is a treat for history buffs. A surprising number of historic buildings have survived, among them Amber House (built in 1897), Broadgreen House (built in 1855), and Fairfi eld House (built in 1872).Other buildings of note include the Nelson School of Music, Bishop’s School, Melrose House and Warwick House. It is a real treat to see so many beautifully restored buildings up close. Nelson is an eminently liveable city, compact enough to navigate on foot if necessary but large enough to have all of the big-city shops and services you crave.Of course, a visit to Nelson should include a visit to the beautiful Queen’s Gardens which were opened in 1892 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s jubilee. This lush park was designed in the style of Victorian ornamental parks and is a lovely refuge on a hot day. Bordering the park you should seek out Huangshi Chinese Gardens, which were designed to honour the friendship between Nelson and Huangshi in China. This tranquil garden is beautifully embellished with a number of defi ning features including the Fu dog statues which greet you at the entrance, and the beautiful ‘Rainbow Bridge’ which links the garden to the Queens Gardens.Finally, a brisk walk up Botanical Hill will take you to the centre of New Zealand, so classifi ed by John Spence Browning, the Chief Surveyor for Nelson in the 1870’s. While it isn’t the actual centre

of New Zealand, Botanical Hill is a marvellous place to enjoy the panoramic views of Nelson and surrounding area.Finally, before you head out of Nelson make sure you stop at Founders Heritage Park, a lovely collection of historic buildings and replicas which allows visitors to get a glimpse of what life was like in Nelson from the 1870’s until the 1930’s. Here you will also fi nd Founders Brewery, who have been brewing beer in Nelson for almost 160 years. Nelson is known as the ‘Craft Brewing Capital of New Zealand,’ and this tradition can be traced back to the 1840’s when German immigrants found the area to be perfect for growing hops.Other brewers of note in Nelson include Totara Brewing, McCashin’s Brewery and Golden Bear Brewery among others. Many of these are still family owned businesses and pride themselves on brewing using long-held traditional methods and recipes. There is a reason the craft beer industry is exploding in popularity. It all tastes so darned good!After leaving Nelson, we headed towards Queen Charlotte Sound on State Highway 6 for our fi rst overnight stop. On our way we stopped at the Pelorus Bridge and enjoyed the Circle Walk Track through the forest. The Pelorus Scenic Reserve offers keen walkers several short walks while the Pelorus Track, in Mt Richmond Forest Park, is a far more demanding multi-day hike for experienced trampers. Our next stop was historic Havelock where we enjoyed lunch in the marina. This picturesque town is a perfect starting point to explore Pelorus Sound and Kenepuru Sound by boat and is also a great place to devour vast quantities of locally caught green-lipped mussels. The mussels and seafood which fi gure prominently on local menus are all incredibly fresh and delicious. It is a treat to watch the boats returning with their catch of the day while you are gorging on kilo pots of musselsAfter reaching our accommodation in Portage on Kenepuru Sound we decided to have an early night so we could rise early to tackle a section of the world-famous Queen Charlotte Track. This 70 km long track, running from Ship Cove to Anakiwa, runs along the ridge which separates Kenepuru Sound from Queen Charlotte Sound. The trail attracts hikers and mountain bikers from around the globe, drawn by the truly spectacular views. The trail itself is well maintained and isn’t particularly diffi cult, although it is quite long. While many bush walks in New Zealand often leave you hidden in the bush with nary a view in sight, the Queen Charlotte Track is peppered with simply jaw-dropping scenery. Every turn in the trail offers views more stunning than the last. It is a simply

A Meander through Marvellous Marlborough

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superb experience. Even when the weather is overcast and rainy the views are still tremendous and the clouds and mist simply add drama and mystery. It is possible to do sections of the trail rather than committing to tackling the entire length, but bear in mind it is advisable to have accommodation and transportation organized before heading out. We chose to fi nish our hike at the Bay of Many Coves Resort but the trail leading down from the ridge was far more challenging than we had anticipated. The trail was unnervingly steep and slippery in some sections so it is wise to make inquiries about your intended route beforehand.We began the third day of our trip by driving toward Picton on the truly stunning Queen Charlotte Drive, a 40 km route running through some of the most beautiful scenery you will encounter anywhere. I found myself constantly asking for us to stop and take pictures because the beauty of the area is breath-taking. It simply has to be one of the most beautiful drives in the world.Leaving Picton after breakfast we had one thing on our mind – wine. The wineries of Marlborough have been calling me ever since we fi rst came to New Zealand and now here we were. Row upon row of fabulous vines straddled both sides of every road, and every cellar doors promised liquid riches. We were not disappointed. Admittedly it is easy to go crazy in wine growing regions, sampling everything and remembering nothing, so we decided to focus our energies on just a couple of wineries, namely Hans Herzog and Johanneshof, although there are heaps of others which are also worthy of a good-long visit.From major wineries like Cloudy Bay, Allan Scott and Wither

Hills to smaller producers, the area is an oenophile’s dream come true. You can sample wine from morning till night and not covered a fraction of what is on offer. Just make sure you have a designated driver handy! Also make time for a stop at Moa Brewery as well and enjoy a beer on the porch of their tasting room.After a day in the vineyards we headed back to Nelson on Highway 6 and stayed overnight, planning one last day exploring the vineyards and countryside. The next morning we drove to Lower Moutere through Nelson’s wine-growing region, where there are a number of cellar doors to visit. While you are in Moutere take some time to visit Riverside, a planned social community founded on teamwork and cooperation. Founded in 1941 by a group of Christian Pacifi sts, today the community’s income is shared based on family size rather than profession. There are no privately owned vehicles and decisions are made by a consensus of community members. The community is also focused on sustainability and environmentalism. It’s an eye-opening way of life in today’s highly competitive world. As we drove back to Nelson along the Coastal Highway we were again treated to intoxicating scenes of beautiful coastline. The whole afternoon was spent slowly working our way back, stopping occasionally to relax on the beach, and to bask in the glorious sun. And thus four days passed in a blur. It was a truly wonderful time; so much so that we have already booked tickets to return at Christmas. This time we will explore Abel Tasman Park as well. If you haven’t been to Nelson and Marlborough don’t you think it is time you did? It is truly a special place.- Mark Garrison