Nelson (New Zealand)

Nelson (Māori: Whakatū) is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island. It is in a region often known as Nelson Bays or the "Top of the South" and is actually slightly north of the capital city of Wellington in the North Island.

Nelson is the geographical centre of the country and, together with the satellite town of Richmond, has a population of around 55,000 (2022) ranking it as New Zealand's tenth most populous city.

It's surrounded by three national parks and is the smallest city in the world to have its own symphony orchestra.

Understand
Nelson is named after the British Admiral, Lord Nelson. It's a beautiful coastal city set amongst some of New Zealand's most stunning scenery. With over 2,500 hours of sunshine a year, Nelson is also usually New Zealand's sunniest city. The city is the economic and cultural centre for the Nelson-Tasman region and offers an excellent range of shopping, eating and cultural experiences with an abundance of parks, rivers, beaches and nature trails to explore.

The Nelson region covers five distinct geographic areas:
 * The urban agglomeration of Nelson & Richmond
 * The highways of Mapua, Motueka, Moutere, through rolling horticultural land
 * The idyllic coastline of Abel Tasman National Park
 * The heart of the parks, Golden Bay between Kahurangi and Abel Tasman national parks
 * The alpine lakes and rivers around St Arnaud: Nelson Lakes & Murchison including Nelson Lakes and Kahurangi national parks

The Nelson economy is based on the ‘big four’ industries of seafood, horticulture, tourism and forestry. Port Nelson is the biggest fishing port in Australasia and there are also a range of growth industries, including arts and craft, aviation, engineering technology, and information technology.

Nelson is New Zealand's oldest city. (Although it was only proclaimed a Bishop's See and city under letters patent by Queen Victoria on 27 September 1858 and after Christchurch's city charter, Pakeha settlement had started in earnest in Nelson in 1841, a full nine years before the good ship Charlotte-Jane arrived in Christchurch on 16 December 1850.)

Nelson is the city where, if asked, most Kiwis say they would like to move to and has a small but rapidly growing Māori population. per capita, Nelson also has the highest settled population of people from Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, the Philippines and the United Kingdom in New Zealand. There are also large concentrations of settled refugees from Bhutan and Burma, in the Victory Square and Wood areas, including the largest population of Kayan (Yan Pa Doung in Shan or "Padaung") outside of the Golden Triangle. The Kayan Lahwi (some of whose high status women used to wear brass neck coils) were treated as a sort of "human zoo" before they left South East Asia because of their long ("giraffe") necks. All this harmonious ethnic diversity means that the shops and Saturday morning market (in Montgomery Square) are a great place to buy foods and delicacies difficult to find elsewhere in New Zealand.

The Top of the South region's tourism organisation is Nelson Tasman Tourism, which operates i-SITE Visitor Information Centres in Nelson City, Takaka in Golden Bay and in Murchison.

By bus
InterCity is the national coach company, with daily services to Nelson from around the South Island, including from Picton, the port for the Cook Strait ferries from Wellington.



By plane

 * Air New Zealand offers regular flights to and from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and other provincial cities.
 * Originair flies direct to and from Palmerston North four times a week.
 * Sounds Air offers flights around the Nelson Bays and on to Wellington.
 * Sounds Air offers flights around the Nelson Bays and on to Wellington.

EBus Route 4 connects the airport to central Nelson; every 30 minutes during the day (last departure from airport 6:22pm). Supershuttle offers door-door van services.

By car
Two hours driving from Picton, 1.5 hr from Blenheim and 6 hr driving from Christchurch via either SH1 and Kaikoura or the slightly shorter and more scenic SH6 route over the Lewis Pass and via Murchison.

Get around
The original city centre, comprising the CBD and The Wood is small enough to walk around, but for access from the surrounding suburbs and around the sites and attractions of the whole city and region you'll likely want to rent a car, take a taxi, or have a fresh set of legs and a bicycle.

By bus
Ebus is Nelson's city bus service. Four routes in Nelson city operate at 30 minute intervals. Less frequent regional routes to Wakefield and Motueka. Fares $2 in Nelson/Richmond with a Beecard.
 * 1) Richmond via Tahunanui and Stoke
 * 2) Richmond via Bishopdale and Stoke
 * 3) Atawhai via The Wood and central Nelson to Victory Square/Hospital
 * 4) The Brook via central Nelson to Washington Valley/Port Hills and Airport.
 * 5) Nelson to Richmond, Mapua, Motueka (4/day Monday-Friday).
 * 6) Nelson to Richmond, Brightwater, Wakefield (6/day Monday-Friday).

For late night party goers there is also an excellent "Late Late Bus" which runs on the hour Friday and Saturday nights only from 11PM until 3:15AM from Trafalgar Street to Richmond. The outbound service travels via Tahunanui and stops as required at designated, well-lit stops. The inbound service leaves Richmond on the half hour and travels into the city via Bishopdale. (There is no midnight service from Nelson and no 12:30AM service from Richmond). Fare: $4.

By bicycle
Nelson has a network of cycle routes for leisure and mountain biking.

See

 * The
 * The
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Do

 * Participate in a
 * Go swimming in the river up the Maitai Valley or Lee River Valley. You can hitch hike up there if you don't have a car. Take a sandwich and some water.
 * Participate in a
 * Go swimming in the river up the Maitai Valley or Lee River Valley. You can hitch hike up there if you don't have a car. Take a sandwich and some water.
 * Participate in a
 * Go swimming in the river up the Maitai Valley or Lee River Valley. You can hitch hike up there if you don't have a car. Take a sandwich and some water.
 * Participate in a
 * Go swimming in the river up the Maitai Valley or Lee River Valley. You can hitch hike up there if you don't have a car. Take a sandwich and some water.
 * Participate in a
 * Go swimming in the river up the Maitai Valley or Lee River Valley. You can hitch hike up there if you don't have a car. Take a sandwich and some water.
 * Participate in a
 * Go swimming in the river up the Maitai Valley or Lee River Valley. You can hitch hike up there if you don't have a car. Take a sandwich and some water.
 * Go swimming in the river up the Maitai Valley or Lee River Valley. You can hitch hike up there if you don't have a car. Take a sandwich and some water.
 * Go swimming in the river up the Maitai Valley or Lee River Valley. You can hitch hike up there if you don't have a car. Take a sandwich and some water.
 * Go swimming in the river up the Maitai Valley or Lee River Valley. You can hitch hike up there if you don't have a car. Take a sandwich and some water.

Eat
Nelson has a wide variety of excellent cafes and restaurants using fresh local produce. Nelson is the largest fishing port in Australasia, so the fresh seafood is always great!

For the best fish and chips within 10,000 miles (according to the Wikimapia author, click the highlighted link to see the exact location right next to Guytons Fisheries Ltd on Wakefield Quay.)



Craft brewing
Early settlers from both England and northern Germany found the hops that they had brought with them grew well in this region and they soon started to develop and propagate peculiarly New Zealand varieties such as Motueka, Nelson and Riwaka. Within a century or so, Nelson grown hops became valued as both high quality and disease free. Nowadays, all of New Zealand's commercial crop is grown in a triangle roughly formed by Brightwater, Motueka and Tapawera. The six week harvesting period in early autumn provides seasonal work for backpackers.

How natural then that Nelson is now renowned as the craft brewing capital of Oceania. A baker's dozen of craft breweries of varying size now stretch from the Mussel Inn Brewery of Onekaka in Golden Bay to the swanky new bar of Founders Brewery opposite the windmill in Founders Park, Nelson. Most of these breweries welcome visitors for tours and subsequent sampling at their in-brewery bars.



Bars
Many bars are located in the Central Business District on Bridge Street between Collingwood and Trafalgar Streets.


 * The Oyster Bar (115 Hardy St) has fancy drinks and a small menu of seafood items. Fresh oysters are available most of the time while the bar is open Th-Su.
 * The Oyster Bar (115 Hardy St) has fancy drinks and a small menu of seafood items. Fresh oysters are available most of the time while the bar is open Th-Su.
 * The Oyster Bar (115 Hardy St) has fancy drinks and a small menu of seafood items. Fresh oysters are available most of the time while the bar is open Th-Su.
 * The Oyster Bar (115 Hardy St) has fancy drinks and a small menu of seafood items. Fresh oysters are available most of the time while the bar is open Th-Su.

Sleep
Nelson offers a range of accommodation including backpackers, bed and breakfasts (B&Bs), holiday homes, hotels, lodges, resorts, serviced apartments and motels.

Connect
The local public library offers both free Wi-Fi and free Internet connected computers to locals and non-locals alike!

Consulates

 * 🇮🇸 Iceland

North

 * Mapua
 * Motueka - visit the district museum in Motueka.
 * Marahau
 * Abel Tasman National Park - Nelson is close (60min drive) to Abel Tasman National Park which offers sea kayaking and the 51 km Abel Tasman Coast Track (one of NZ's Great Walks). Also see Tramping in New Zealand.
 * Golden Bay - visit the district museums in Takaka and Collingwood.

East

 * Rai Valley – first stop in the Marlborough region

South & west

 * Wakefield – small town 25 km to the south-west
 * Nelson Lakes
 * Murchison - visit the district museums in Murchison
 * Reefton
 * Westport