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List of Marlborough Mountains

Last Modified: 1-9-2021 10:12

Black Birch Range
Black Birch Range
Altimarloch left, Mount Harkness right.
© Christopher Cookson  License this image

Marlborough is a mountainous region, with over 50 percent of the region classified as either mountainous or steep hill country, and has over 30 peaks over 2000m. There is no clear international consensus on what constitutes a mountain versus a hill, with definitions of over 300 metres, or over 600 metres having been used, but no consistent application of either of these altitudes. The steepness and rockiness can also be taken into account in determining whether to define a mountain. Within Marlborough there is inconsistent use of the term 'hill' and 'mountain', with Mount Vernon on the Wither Hills for example only 422 metres high, so just barely qualifying as a mountain using the lowest international definition that has been used, while Star Hill in the Richmond Range is 1322 metres high. Adding to this confusion, many high peaks in Marlborough remain unnamed, or they lie on unnamed ranges. In this article, peaks will be listed by mountain range,  with the ten highest named peaks in each range, or by the name of the nearest river valley, when the range is not named.

Inland Kaikoura Range

This range in south Marlborough has the ten highest peaks in Marlborough, and the highest peak in New Zealand outside the Southern Alps.

  • Tapuae o Uenuku 2885m
  • Mount Alarm 2877m
  • Pinnacle 2720m
  • Mitre Peak 2621m
  • Crows Nest 2449m
  • Mount Symons 2408m
  • Mount Gladstone 2370m
  • Mount Cold 2348m
  • Mount Union 2295m
  • Mount Major 2269m

Raglan Range

Most of the peaks in the Raglan Range are unnamed, however it is the second highest mountain range in Marlborough, with over 20 peaks higher than 2000m.

  • Scotts Knob 2160

Waihopai

The unnamed ranges at the head of the Waihopai Valley have several peaks over 2000m.

  • Blue Mountain 2051
  • Boundary 2003

Crimea Range

  • Mount Sebastopol 2013

Rachel Range

  • Barefell 1928m

Red Hills

  • Maungakura/Red Hill 1791m
  • Chrome 1646m

Richmond Range

The Richmond Range is the most accessible mountain range in Marlborough as most of it is within the Mount Richmond Forest Park, and the Staircase Road climbs up to follow the ridge line above Lake Chalice.

  • Mount Richmond 1760m
  • Mount Rintoul 1731m
  • Porters Knob 1710m
  • Mount Patriarch 1665m
  • Johnston Peak 1647m
  • Mount Fishtail 1641m
  • Grass Knob 1595m
  • Slaty Peak 1544m
  • Purple Top 1532m
  • Old Man 1514m

Black Birch Range

The Black Birch Range is unique in that it is the only mountain range in Marlborough where it is possible to drive to the summit of the highest peak in the range. (Permission is required, and the road is only suitable for high clearance four wheel drive is necesssary.)

Schooner Range

  • Mount Elliot 1513m
  • Star Hill 1240m

Blairich Range

  • Blairich 1504m

Blue Mountain Range

  • Blue Mountain 1243m
  • Saddle Hill 1204m

Marlborough Sounds

  • Mount Stokes 1203m
  • Mount McMahon 1075m
  • Mount Rutland 1008m
  • Mount Kiwi 993m
  • Mount Stanley 971m
  • Matapehe 935m
  • Opouri Peak 920m
  • Lookout Peak 900m
  • Kahuroa Hill 892m
  • Grants Lookout  853m

Chalk Range

  • Brian Boru  1110m
  • Whales Back 1006m
  • Sleepy Peak 905m

Robertson Range

  • Mount Robertson/Tokomaru 1036m
  • Piripiri 970m
  • Mount McCormick 965m
  • Strachan Peak 611m

Taylor

By some standards, the Taylor is more a stream than a river, however the mountain at the head of the valley is the closest mountain to Blenheim.

Location and altitude of mountains souced from NZ topomaps.

Cite this page

List of Marlborough Mountains. (2021) Retrieved March, 29, 2024, from https://www.marlboroughonline.co.nz/marlborough/information/geography/high-country/list-of-marlborough-mountains

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