Travel guide: New Zealand’s spectacular Wairarapa region
Rural sophistication. Town meets country. A peaceful retreat from city life. There are many ways to describe the Wairarapa, a region located only one hour’s drive or train ride from Wellington. With its townships full of character and surrounded by vineyards, olive groves, orchards and rolling pastures in sheep, beef and dairy farms – there is always a constant reminder why this region is home to some of New Zealand’s leading artisan food producers and wine-makers. It is lies at the heart of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trial – a self-drive journey along State Highway 2 that links Wairarapa with New Zealand’s other wine growing regions of Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough.
Colonial townships
The Wairarapa is made up of the five townships of (from north to south) Martinborough, Featherston, Greytown, Carterton and Masterton, each with a distinctive feel.
Martinborough
Packed with colonial charm, Martinborough features over 20 boutique wineries, most within walking or cycling distance of the quaint village square which is laid out in a Union Jack pattern. Some of New Zealand’s best pinot noir comes from the town’s vineyards thanks to its climate and terroir whilst other varieties such as Rose, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer are also made here. Martinborough isa popular weekend destination for neighbouring Wellingtonians, who enjoy the vineyard cafes, boutique stores, quality accommodation, olive groves and restaurants serving up seasonal menus.
Featherston
Featherston’s history is strongly linked to the railway, but these days it’s the place to rest and recover after biking the nearby Rimutaka Cycle Trail, a 115km trail on Nga Haerenga The New Zealand Cycle Trail network. It is home to The Fell Locomotive Museum which houses H199, the only locomotive of its type in the world, and is the gateway to the wild stretch of cliffs, rocks and water that is Palliser Bay. Palliser Bay is one of region’s scenic highlights with an historic lighthouse, native fur seals and the Putangirua Pinnacles, which provided an eerie backdrop in Sir Peter Jackson’s The Return of the King movie.
Greytown
A little further north is Greytown, a Victorian country village with metropolitan style. It’s the kind of place where you don’t want to forget your credit card because its eclectic mix of independent boutiques, restaurants and cafes make it a premier shopping destination. Greytown is also home to Cobblestones Museum, where people can step back in time and learn about the Wairarapa’s pioneering past; Schoc Chocolate studio with its more than 80 different flavours of chocolate and the iconic White Swan bar and restaurant with its wide verandahs making it the perfect place to sample local wine on a sunny afternoon.
Carterton
Continue north to Carterton and visit Stonehenge Aotearoa, a modern, working version of England’s Stonehenge. The town is also the gateway to the northern Wairarapa wine producing area of Gladstone and nearby is Mt Holdsworth, one of the main access points into the enormous Tararua Forest Park which offers endless walking, tramping, hunting and fishing opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts.
Masterton
Masterton is a great family destination. There you can find the beautifulQueen Elizabeth Park with towering English trees and fabulous Kids Own Playground. Just along the road you will also find the indoor and outdoor swimming pools and hydro-slide; The Wool Shed — the National Museum of Sheep and Shearing and Aratoi: Wairarapa Museum of Art & History.
Masterton is also a great base to explore nearby Castlepoint, Wairarapa’s most spectacular beach with its 100-year-old lighthouse, giant limestone outcrop and landmark Castle Rock. The road north offers rich pickings with Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre, home to Manukura the first all-white kiwi chick to be hatched in captivity and the Tui Brewery in Mangatainoka.
Events
The Wairarapa has a full events calendar, especially over spring and summer with several festivals held outside making the most of the settled, warm weather and the surrounding scenery.
Perennial favourites include Toast Martinborough: New Zealand’s premier wine and food festival held each November; the biennial Kokomai: Creative Festival Wairarapa, a 10-day arts festival held throughout the region in October; The Golden Shears, the world’s premier shearing and wool handling championships; The Wings Over Wairarapa airshow being held at Hood Aerodrome in Masterton from February 17 – 19th 2017 and the Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival held each autumn in a beautiful riverside setting near Gladstone. Many of the region’s restaurants and vineyards are also involved in the annual VISA Wellington on a Plate culinary festival being held from August 12th – 28th 2016.
How to get there
The Wairarapa is located at the lower right-hand corner of New Zealandʼs North Island. It is only an hour’s drive or train ride north-east of Wellington, which has daily domestic and international flights; and just over an hour’s drive from Palmerston North’s domestic airport. Driving to the Wairarapa is easy, with The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail (SH2) weaving through pretty rural landscapes including vineyards, olive groves and beef, sheep and dairy farms. The region’s five townships are serviced by train, bus or shuttles. There is a wide variety of accommodation from luxury lodges and 5 Star hotels to motels and charming B&Bs, many of which are in historic villas that have been sensitively restored.
For more information please visit www.wairarapanz.com
Image source: Destination Wairarapa
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