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37-516: The Awatere River is a large river flowing through Marlborough , New Zealand. Flowing along the trace of the active Awatere Fault , it runs northeast through a straight valley to the west of the Inland Kaikōura mountains . This valley is parallel with that of the Waiau Toa / Clarence River , 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the south. It flows for 110 kilometres (68 mi) from its source in

74-433: A Christchurch based company, began two years after. Back in those times, bridge building lacked the modern engineering technology that is used today, and much of the construction was done via human and animal power. The laying of caissons which formed the foundations of the bridge was notoriously treacherous to workers at the risk of developing the bends due to long exposure of working in pressurised conditions. Construction

111-602: A clip-on structure was added to the State Highway 1 bridge over the Wairau River , to provide a safer crossing for cyclists and walkers on the section between Picton and Blenheim. A 33-kilometre-long (21 mi) section of the trail between Blenheim and Seddon was opened in 2023. This section of trail passes across the historic Awatere road/rail bridge , originally opened in 1902 and decommissioned for road traffic in 2008. The former single-lane vehicle deck below

148-749: A population density of 0.5 people per km. Awatere had a population of 1,617 at the 2018 New Zealand census , a decrease of 9 people (−0.6%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 9 people (0.6%) since the 2006 census . There were 594 households, comprising 855 males and 759 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.13 males per female. The median age was 42.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 324 people (20.0%) aged under 15 years, 222 (13.7%) aged 15 to 29, 822 (50.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 246 (15.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 89.8% European/ Pākehā , 13.2% Māori , 4.6% Pasifika , 1.9% Asian , and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas

185-502: Is a shared-use long-distance trail under construction from Picton to Kaikōura in the South Island of New Zealand. When completed, the trail will provide a route between Picton, Blenheim , Seddon , Ward , Kekerengu , Clarence and Kaikōura. Construction of the trail has included modifications to bridges, and environmental enhancement of places along the route with native plantings. A 33-kilometre-long (21 mi) section of

222-482: Is one of the 16 regions of New Zealand , located on the northeast of the South Island . Marlborough is a unitary authority , both a district and a region. Marlborough District Council is based at Blenheim , the largest town. The unitary region has a population of 52,300 (June 2024) . Marlborough is known for its dry climate, the Marlborough Sounds , and Sauvignon blanc wine. It takes its name from

259-905: Is the region's main seaport. Interislander and Bluebridge both operate roll-on-roll-off ferry services between Picton and Wellington. There are 29 primary and secondary schools in Marlborough. There are 22 state primary schools, one state intermediate school (Bohally Intermediate in Blenheim), three state secondary schools ( Marlborough Boys' College and Marlborough Girls' College in Blenheim, and Queen Charlotte College in Picton), and one state area school (Rai Valley Area School). There are two state-integrated schools , one Catholic primary school and one Christian composite school, both in Blenheim. Whale Trail (New Zealand) The Whale Trail

296-734: The 2013 census . There were 24,594 males, 24,681 females and 156 people of other genders in 20,187 dwellings. 2.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age was 46.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 8,232 people (16.7%) aged under 15 years, 7,119 (14.4%) aged 15 to 29, 22,239 (45.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 11,838 (23.9%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 85.9% European ( Pākehā ); 14.9% Māori ; 3.7% Pasifika ; 5.4% Asian ; 1.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English

333-837: The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) and part of the ECHELON network, is located in the Waihopai Valley 11 km (7 mi) southwest of Renwick. Marlborough is administered by a unitary authority , the Marlborough District Council . Between 1859 and 1876 Marlborough had its own provincial government, and was known as the Marlborough Province , which ended when the Abolition of

370-584: The Southern Alps , although that name is rarely applied to mountains this far north. Between those two sections is the long, straight valley of the Wairau River . This broadens to wide plains at its eastern end, in the centre of which stands the town of Blenheim . This region has fertile soil and temperate weather, which has enabled it to become the centre of the New Zealand wine industry. The fourth geographic zone lies along its north coast. Here,

407-600: The MP for the Te Tai Tonga electorate since 2023. A combined District and High Court at Blenheim serves the region judicially. Marlborough is served by four state highways : State Highway 1 , State Highway 6 , State Highway 62 , and State Highway 63 . State Highway 1 is the main highway in the region, connecting Picton and Blenheim, and connecting the region south to Christchurch via Seddon and Kaikōura . State Highway 6 connects Blenheim and Renwick, and connects

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444-626: The Provinces Act came into force on 1 November 1876. The Marlborough District Council consists of a mayor and 14 councillors. The councillors are elected from three wards: seven from the Blenheim ward, three each from the Marlborough Sounds and Wairau-Awatere wards, and one from the Marlborough Māori ward. The mayor is elected at-large. Elections are held every three years in conjunction with nationwide local elections , with

481-422: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 5,586 (13.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 22,905 (55.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 10,971 (26.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 39,400, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 3,513 people (8.5%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15

518-614: The drowned valleys of the Marlborough Sounds make for a convoluted and attractive coastline. The town of Picton is located at the southern end of one of the larger sounds, Queen Charlotte Sound . The town of Havelock is at the southern end of the Pelorus Sound; this sound feeds into Kenepuru Sound. In line with most of New Zealand, the Marlborough Region has a temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen Cfb ) with warm summers, cool winters, and rainfall distributed across

555-479: The earlier Marlborough Province , which was named after General The 1st Duke of Marlborough , an English general and statesman. Marlborough's geography can be roughly divided into four sections. The south and west sections are mountainous, particularly the southern section, which rises to the peaks of the Kaikōura Ranges . These two mountainous regions are the final northern vestiges of the ranges that make up

592-791: The export market, the Marlborough wine region now produces three quarters of all New Zealand wine . The most important varietal is Sauvignon Blanc , which is recognised as world-class; wine writers Oz Clarke and George Taber have described Marlborough's Sauvignon Blanc as the best in the world. Also, important is the production of méthode traditionelle sparkling wine made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which has attracted investment from large Champagne producers Mumm , Deutz , Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot . The New Zealand Defence Force operates RNZAF Base Woodbourne , co-located with Woodbourne Airport west of Blenheim. The Waihopai communications monitoring facility , run by

629-608: The first under the new MMP voting system . From 1938 to 1996, the region was covered by the Marlborough electorate . Marlborough is considered a safe area for the National Party , with the region held continuously by the party since the 1975 general election . Stuart Smith of the National Party has been the MP for the Kaikōura electorate since the 2014 general election . Tākuta Ferris from Te Pāti Māori has been

666-588: The former single-lane vehicle deck below the rail deck was restored and re-opened for cyclists and walkers in December 2023, as part of the Whale Trail , a long-distance trail under construction between Picton and Kaikōura . Marlborough Region Marlborough District or the Marlborough Region ( Māori : Te Tauihu-o-te-waka , or Tauihu ), commonly known simply as Marlborough ,

703-491: The mountainous interior to reach Cook Strait close to the town of Seddon . The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "swift river" for Awatere in Māori . The Awatere River valley, which corresponds to the statistical area of Awatere, covers 3,273.52 km (1,263.91 sq mi), and includes the settlements of Seddon and Ward . It had an estimated population of 1,800 as of June 2024, with

740-677: The next election in 2025. As of October 2022, the mayor and councillors are: Nationally, Marlborough is part of the Kaikōura electorate , which also includes the Canterbury region north of the Ashley River / Rakahuri . For the Māori roll, Marlborough is part of the Te Tai Tonga electorate, as is the entire South Island. The electorate was first contested in the 1996 general election ,

777-504: The only other crops with more than 100 hectares of planted area. The Marlborough climate has a strong contrast between hot sunny days and cool nights, which extends the ripening period of the vines. This results in more intense flavour and aroma characters in the wine. The first commercial vineyards were planted around Blenheim in 1973, and Marlborough subsequently grew to become New Zealand's largest and most internationally well-known wine-producing region. Due to this growth, particularly in

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814-437: The platform, which was only wide enough for one lane of traffic. A new $ 15 million two-lane road bridge was constructed with the railway being the sole use of the original bridge. The new road bridge opened to traffic in December 2008 and was officially opened on 31 January 2009. The vehicle deck on the original bridge was then decommissioned as it was deemed too expensive to retain its use for pedestrians and cyclists. However,

851-461: The rail deck was restored and re-opened for cyclists and walkers in December 2023. In 2024, work began on the construction of a 13 km (8.1 mi) section from Kaikōura northwards to Hāpuku. As at June 2024, 74 km (46 mi) of the full length of trail from Picton to Kaikōura had been completed. At the other end of the trail, in August 2024, organisers expressed frustration that funding

888-767: The railheads met at Kaikōura. Today, the line is used by the Coastal Pacific passenger train, which operates one return journey per day during the summer months. The line is also heavily used by freight trains between Christchurch and the Cook Strait rail ferry at Picton. Woodbourne Airport (trading as Marlborough Airport) is the region's main airport. Air New Zealand Link operates flights from Woodbourne to Auckland and Wellington and Sounds Air operates flights from Woodbourne to Wellington and Christchurch Airport . Sounds Air also operates flights from Picton Aerodrome to Wellington. Port Marlborough at Picton

925-641: The region to Nelson and Tasman via Havelock . State Highway 63 leaves State Highway 6 at Renwick and travels via the Wairau Valley and Saint Arnaud to meet SH 6 again at Kawatiri, providing a direct route to the West Coast and bypassing Nelson. State Highway 62 is a short highway linking SH 1 at Spring Creek with SH 6 north of Renwick, providing a direct route between Picton and Nelson and bypassing Blenheim. The Main North Line railway serves

962-580: The region, running roughly parallel to State Highway 1. The first section of the line in Marlborough opened on 18 November 1875 between Blenheim and Picton. The line south of Blenheim opened to Seddon in October 1902, to Ward in April 1911, and to Wharanui in December 1915. The line finally opened across the present-day Marlborough border in October 1942 when the line was extended to Clarence . The entire line through to Christchurch opened on 15 December 1945 when

999-609: The trail between Blenheim and Seddon was opened in 2023. The trail is expected to become one of the New Zealand Cycle Trail Great Rides on completion. The Marlborough Kaikōura Trail Trust was formed in 2017 to develop plans for a trail between Picton and Kaikōura . In 2019, the project received NZ $ 322,000 from the New Zealand Government's Provincial Growth Fund for investigation of route options. A further $ 18m of funding

1036-444: The year. Marlborough District covers 10,457.89 km (4,037.81 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 52,300 as of June 2024, with a population density of 5.0 people per km . The district is home to 1.0% of New Zealand's population. Marlborough District had a population of 49,431 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 2,091 people (4.4%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 6,015 people (13.9%) since

1073-549: Was 13.5, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.6% had no religion, 37.7% were Christian , 0.2% were Muslim and 1.3% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 174 (13.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 249 (19.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 34,700, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 177 people (13.7%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15

1110-416: Was 17.4%, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people objected to giving their religion, 53.2% had no religion, 35.5% were Christian, 0.5% were Hindu, 0.1% were Muslim, 0.6% were Buddhist and 2.3% had other religions. The subnational gross domestic product (GDP) of Marlborough was estimated at NZ$ 3.25 billion in the year to March 2019, 1.1% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per capita

1147-502: Was completed on 18 July 1901. The original road/rail bridge was opened on 10 October 1902. Construction took three years at the cost of £22,500. A further £118 was spent to add a wind break to protect trains. State Highway 1 crosses the Awatere River at its current point just north of Seddon. The initial bridge remained the crossing until 2007 when most recently traffic signals were added to either direction to control vehicles on

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1184-600: Was estimated at $ 66,277 in the same period. In the year to March 2018, primary industries contributed $ 650 million (21.3%) to the regional GDP, goods-producing industries contributed $ 1.55 billion (37.9%), service industries contributed $ 1.56 billion (51.2%), and taxes and duties contributed $ 260 million (8.6%). Marlborough has 25,045 hectares (61,890 acres) of horticultural land as of 2017, the second-largest area in New Zealand behind Canterbury. Wine grapes make up 23,050 hectares of that area, with sweetcorn and peas being

1221-498: Was not available for the New Zealand Transport Agency to complete a 1.7 km (1.1 mi) section from Picton up to The Elevation. When completed, the trail will provide a route between Picton, Blenheim, Seddon, Ward , Kekerengu , Clarence and Kaikōura. Most of the length of the trail lies close to the path of the main road between the two trailheads, State Highway 1, with a major deviation between

1258-517: Was provided in 2020 by the Government's Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit. It was forecast that on completion, 43,000 people would use the trail each year, with around 7,000 international tourists. In 2021, there was public controversy about the choice of route through the small settlement of Tuamarina , between Picton and Blenheim . Local residents were concerned about safety, and possible unruly behaviour by cyclists. In 2022,

1295-556: Was spoken by 97.5%, Māori language by 2.8%, Samoan by 0.7% and other languages by 9.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.5, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 30.6% Christian , 0.8% Hindu , 0.3% Islam , 0.6% Māori religious beliefs , 0.7% Buddhist , 0.4% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.5%, and 8.1% of people did not answer

1332-593: Was that 20,424 (49.6%) people were employed full-time, 6,165 (15.0%) were part-time, and 699 (1.7%) were unemployed. Marlborough has three towns with a population over 1,000. Together, they are home to 72.9% of the region's population. (June 2024) Other towns and settlements include: Ethnicities in the 2018 New Zealand census were 87.8% European/Pākehā , 13.3% Māori , 3.1% Pacific peoples, 4.1% Asian, and 2.5% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). The proportion of Marlborough residents born overseas

1369-409: Was that 795 (61.5%) people were employed full-time, 231 (17.9%) were part-time, and 21 (1.6%) were unemployed. In 1887 the Awatere River was without any bridge crossing and at the time was noted by Parliament to be the only river not bridged between Picton and Bluff . Planning of a 325-metre joint road and rail bridge began in 1896, designed by Peter Seton Hay, and construction by Scott Brothers Ltd,

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