NELSON INFORMATION

Nelson's Maori name Whakatu, means 'build', 'raise', or 'establish' and is the geographical centre of New Zealand, is a region renowned for warm sunshine, fine beaches, lakes, mountains and native forests. The City of Nelson is large enough to offer all the services and amenities of a large city yet is small enough to be intimate, welcoming and friendly.

It is New Zealand's largest fishing port and the gateway to a major forestry and horticulture industry. Add to this the attraction of fine foods, superb wines, an innovative craft industry, spectacular scenery and traditional "Kiwi" hospitality and you can understand why Nelson is a place to which holiday makers flock all year round.

The journey from the city of Nelson into the western region of Golden Bay and the Abel Tasman National Park is truly spectacular. Here the beautiful coastline is famous for clear blue waters and pristine golden sand beaches. The Abel Tasman national Park can be explored by guided walks, sea kayak, cruise boat, water taxi or freedom walking - you will experience penguins, seals, dolphins and native birds all set in lush native forest that has a semi tropical appearance.

Inland Nelson is a wonderland of water adventure, including kayaking, rafting, boating and for those who prefer fishing, the Nelson Lakes area provides some of the best trout fishing in the world. And for those who enjoy their water as snow, skiing and even ice skating make the Nelson Lakes a popular winter destination as well.

The area is well served by some exquisite luxury lodges hidden away among mountains, lakes and exotic settings of native bush. Because of its mild climate, Nelson is a region of great diversity, a microcosm of New Zealand in one district. There is extensive horticulture, including vineyard, fruit and the more traditional farming scenery of sheep and cattle that New Zealand is famous for.

The people of Nelson are well known for being skilled and innovative artisans, especially in pottery, glass making, bone carving, knitting, basket making and jewellery. Until recently Nelson was home to the internationally acclaimed International Wearable Art Awards - this is a celebration of New Zealand and International creativity when artisans produce and wear their own wearable art creations.

The geographical "Centre of New Zealand" allegedly lies in Nelson; on a hilltop near the centre of the city. However, this supposed "centre" was simply the convenient starting point for the original trigonometrical surveys of the South Island. The true geographical centre lies in a patch of unremarkable dense scrub in a forest in Spooners Range near Tapawera, 35 kilometres south-west of Nelson.

Nelson, blessed by nature as a destination which offers almost everything, is not to be missed in any tour of New Zealand.

Nelson hosts two Tertiary Education Institutions, the main one being Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology. The institute has two main campuses, one in Nelson and the other in Blenheim, in the neighbouring Marlborough region. The Institute has been providing tertiary education in the Nelson-Marlborough region for the last 100 years. Nelson also has a University of Canterbury College of Education campus which currently has an intake two out of every three years for the Primary sector.