Spring Fun in Brilliant Marlborough
Lots of Family Fun to be had in Marlborough this spring, from planes and cars, wildlife experiences in Picton and the Marlborough Sounds – there is fun for everyone.
Start your day touring the Marlborough Sounds – comprising one-fifth of New Zealand’s coastline. The Marlborough Sounds is made up of four distinctly different Sounds – Queen Charlotte, Kenepuru, Pelorus, and Mahau Sound. The winding waterways of the Marlborough Sounds make for brilliant boating, fishing, diving and wildlife viewing including dolphin watching.
Visit Ship Cove (Captain Cook’s favourite New Zealand anchorage) and Motuara Island, one of four uninhabited wildlife reserve islands in the Queen Charlotte Sound. Look out for dolphins, seals, orca and the rare King Shag along the way.
For something a little different, experience a mailboat cruise of the Queen Charlotte or Pelorus Sounds. Help deliver the mail and crucial supplies to people living in secluded bays throughout the Sounds. No one day is the same as routes and delivery points change daily depending on what the residents of the sounds need. The Pelorus Mail Boat has been delivering mail by water to the residents of the Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere in the Marlborough Sounds, at the top of New Zealand’s South Island, since 1918.
Picton is a great place to be based to experience the Marlborough Sounds. Picton is a buzzing community with an eclectic mix of cafes and restaurants, many of which feature freshly caught or farmed local seafood. The foreshore is packed with things to do, from exploring the Edwin Fox, beating the family at mini-golf and window shopping for a boat, to relaxing with friends and a feed of fish and chips beside the beach. The Edwin Fox Museum, which houses the world’s only surviving Australian convict ship and the last remaining wooden New Zealand immigrant ship. This piece of world heritage, built in 1853, was almost left to disappear into the mud of Picton Harbour, but salvaged before she completely disappeared.
Picton has walking and cycle tracks lead through the native bush around the township, rewarding your efforts with wonderful views of the Marlborough Sounds. There are a number of walks from the Victoria Domain in Picton, from 10 minutes to several hours. From Picton, walk over the marina bridge to do the lovely Harbour View Track, Bob’s Bay walk or even push on to the Snout if you feel more energetic.
Pelorus/Te Hoiere is famous for its incredible scenery, and you won’t want to miss a visit to Havelock, the Greenshell™ Mussel capital of the world! Those mouth-watering mussels are farmed right here in the Sounds, so you know they’re as fresh as it gets.
Heading to Blenheim? Well, you must visit the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, which brings to life the heroes of World War One aviation with an unparalleled collection and dramatic lifelike scenes. Enjoy a long lunch at a local café and take a walk through the Wither Hills Farm Park in the afternoon – a network of walks with views over the vineyard-studded Wairau Plains. The Wither Hills Farm Park offers a brilliant range of walking and mountain biking tracks on a 1,100ha working sheep and cattle farm just minutes from Blenheim’s CBD.
If you’re visiting on a Sunday, head to the Marlborough Farmers’ Market. Taste your way around the stallholders, listen to the sounds of local musicians, see a local chef in action and listen to the resident storyteller. Buying direct from local growers and producers in a lovely market setting at New Zealand’s original Farmers’ Market. Cheese, bread, plants, fruit, vegies and more… it’s a foodie’s delight. Visit the Vines Village on Rapaura Road – Marlborough’s Golden Mile and sample cheeses, dine in the café or browse their gift shop. With its sunny climate, stunning scenery and huge variety of things to see, do and taste, Marlborough is the perfect spring destination for any type of holiday.
