Marlborough Towns and Settlements
Share this
Marlborough is sparsely populated, with the majority of the population concentrated on the Wairau plain in and around Blenheim, with other smaller settlements scattered throughout the region. Picton is the second largest town in Marlborough. A number of places that are now only small settlements, or that have even dissappeared from the map entirely were bustling towns during the gold rush era.
Under new local government boundaries created during the 1980's Kaikoura ceased to be part of the Marlborough region, however there remains a strong historical association.
Anakiwa
Anakiwa is a small settlement in the Marlborough Sounds that is the site of Outward Bound, and the western entry to the Queen Charlotte Track.
Blenheim
Blenheim is both the largest town, and administrative capital of Marlborough.
Canvastown
Canvastown is a small settlement near the confluence of the Wakamarina and Pelorus Rivers.
Grovetown
Grovetown is a small settlement about 2.5km north of Blenheim, mostly to the east of State Highway One.
Havelock
A small coastal town near the mouth of the Pelorus River. Gateway to Pelorus Sound, and host of the Havelock Mussel Festival.
Kaikoura
A small town in southern Marlborough Land District, administered separately from the rest of Marlborough since 1989 local government reforms. Renowned for eco-tourism, particularly whale watching.
Kēkerengū
Kēkerengū is a small coastal settlement on the east coast of the South Island half way between Blenheim and Kaikōura.
Koromiko
Koromiko is a small rural settlement between Blenheim and Picton
Linkwater
Linkwater is a small settlement in an area of low lying flat land between Queen Charlotte and Pelorus Sounds.
Okaramio
Okaramio is a small Marlborough settlement on State Highway 6 between Renwick and Havelock.
Picton
Picton is a port town which acts as a gateway to the Marlborough Sounds, and provides a major passenger and freight link between the North and South Islands.
Rai Valley
Rai Valley is a small settlement that has the distinction of being the most northwestern in Marlborough.
Rarangi
Rarangi is a small beach settlement at the north end of Cloudy Bay on the edge of the Wairau Plain, Marlborough
Renwick
Renwick is the third largest town in Marlborough District, about 10km west of Blenheim named after Dr. Thomas Renwick, its founder.
Seddon
Seddon is a small town south of the Awatere River in the Marlborough District, and acts as a service centre for the wine industry in the Awatere Valley.
Spring Creek
Spring Creek is a small township in Marlborough at the intersection of State Highway One and State Highway 62 (Rapaura Road).
Tennyson Inlet
Tennyson Inlet is a remote part of the Marlborough Sounds off Pelorus Sound with a small resident population and a number of holiday homes.
Tuamarina
A small town north of Blenheim, once notable for its cheese factory, but also the site of a bloody confrontation between European and Maori during the early years of colonisation.
Wairau Valley
Wairau Valley township is the westernmost settlement in the Wairau Valley, located on State Highway 63.
Ward
Ward is a small settlement in the south of Marlborough, named after Sir Joseph Ward, a former Prime Minister of New Zealand.