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71-610: The company was formed by Norman Nairn (1894–1968) and his brother Gerald (1897–1980) of Blenheim, New Zealand who had served under Allenby in the British Army in the Middle East during World War I . In 1905, their doctor father had been one of the first in New Zealand to own a motor car, a Reo , and the brothers had a successful motorcycle dealership there prior to World War I. Among other brands, they were

142-553: A bypass. Blenheim is on the Main North Line , the northern part of the unofficially-named South Island Main Trunk Railway . The Coastal Pacific , a long-distance passenger train between Picton and Christchurch, stops at Blenheim railway station . The 1906 station has been listed NZHPT Category II since 1982. It is a standard Vintage station , with Tudor half-timbering and tile. A major rail freight facility

213-503: A contemporary chronic shortage of affordable housing for low and middle income earners. The Marlborough Region has a wide range of predominantly outdoor leisure activities and the relaxed lifestyle and the flourishing wine and gourmet food industry in Marlborough are enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike. Omaka Aerodrome , south of the town centre, is the setting for the two-yearly Classic Fighters Marlborough airshow. With

284-653: A five-year contract with the Iraqi government to transport mail from Baghdad to Damascus and Haifa, and back again. With the help of the Nasser trading family, the Nairn Transport Company was established and the first official trip made on 18 October 1923. The Nairn's purchased seven type 63 Cadillacs , finding these cars the most reliable, rugged and well equipped for the arduous desert treks. In addition to carrying two or three passengers plus luggage and mail,

355-580: A journey of 880 kilometers (550 miles) using a Buick , an Oldsmobile and a Lancia . Having demonstrated the feasibility of the plan, Norman Nairn proposed to British officials in Baghdad that the brothers start a postal service between Damascus and Baghdad. The British agreed, as did the French in Damascus, and the French even provided gold to pay-off desert tribes to ensure safe transit. The brothers signed

426-538: A large emphasis on aircraft of World War One, it has been held since 2001. Seymour Square and Pollard Park are two of the town centres main attractions for walks and general tourism. Seymour Square is an open public area in the centre, containing the War Memorial and Clock Tower, unveiled in 1928, classified as a "Category I" ("places of 'special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value'") historic place by Heritage New Zealand . The Square

497-527: A population density of 1,114 people per km . Before the 2023 census, the urban area had a smaller boundary, covering 17.20 km (6.64 sq mi). Using that boundary, the Blenheim urban area had a population of 26,835 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 2,229 people (9.1%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 3,141 people (13.3%) since the 2006 census . There were 10,644 households, comprising 13,050 males and 13,776 females, giving

568-444: A problem however. On one occasion Gerald Nairn journeyed from Rutbah to an Iran Petroleum Company post more quickly than an Imperial Airways aircraft that left at the same time. The Nairn cars were also cheaper, costing £30 ($ 40) per passenger from Beirut to Baghdad, compared to £150 ($ 199) by air from Cairo to Baghdad. At first, only two cars made the trip weekly, but by 1925, eight or nine, or even twelve, cars were travelling at

639-473: A sex ratio of 0.95 males per female, with 4,674 people (17.4%) aged under 15 years, 4,461 (16.6%) aged 15 to 29, 11,526 (43.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 6,162 (23.0%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 85.3% European/ Pākehā , 13.7% Māori , 3.9% Pasifika , 5.6% Asian , and 2.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.3, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer

710-616: A threat. In 1920 they began a mail and passenger service between Beirut and Haifa. In 1923, the British consul in Damascus, C.E.S. Palmer, asked them to examine the possibility of crossing the Syrian Desert by car. Iraq was under a British League of Nations mandate at the time and a quicker route home would have been a great advantage to the British staff there. Plans for a rail link to the Mediterranean coast had faltered and

781-464: A translation of " flax stream" for the town's Māori name, Waiharakeke . The sheltered coastal bays of Marlborough supported a small Māori population possibly as early as the 12th century. Archaeological evidence dates Polynesian human remains uncovered at Wairau Bar to the 13th century. The rich sea and bird life of the area would easily have supported such small communities. As the Māori population of

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852-483: A trip, though one was wounded and a driver was shot and later died from his wounds. The drivers were wary of carrying weapons in case they were used against them and in one case a revolver owned by a driver was held to his chest by an Arab and only failed to discharge because the man did not know how to release the safety catch. On another occasion, two Buicks were stolen by raiders and later used to launch attacks against convoys. The Nairns received strong co-operation from

923-675: A winery established in 1824 in Haifa by the Gold family, which formerly made vodka in Ukraine before establishing an arak distillery in Israel . The winery, which later moved to Tirat Carmel outside Haifa, produces different arak brands, including Elite Arak, Alouf Arak and Amir Arak. Other major arak producers include Barkan Wine Cellars (which produces Arak Ashkelon) and Kawar Distillery (which produces Arak Kawar, Arak Yuda, and Arak Noah). After

994-576: Is a little more than 700mm, with 81.5 precipitation days. Thunderstorms are an uncommon occurrence due to the sheltered climate. There is a higher likelihood in summer, when afternoon heating can generate a buildup of clouds above the ranges. The highest recorded temperature is 37.8 °C, recorded on 7 February 1973. The lowest is −8.8 °C. The Blenheim urban area, as defined by Statistics New Zealand, covers 27.46 km (10.60 sq mi) and incorporates thirteen statistical areas. It had an estimated population of 30,600 as of June 2024, with

1065-483: Is a minimum of 50% alcohol by volume (ABV), and can be up to 70% ABV (126 proof ). A 53% ABV is considered typical. The word arak comes from Arabic ʿaraq ( عرق , meaning 'perspiration'). Its pronunciation varies depending on the regional varieties of Arabic , e.g.: [ˈʕæræʔ] or [ˈʕæræɡ] . Arak is a traditional alcoholic beverage of the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean . It

1136-526: Is also home to the first serious clash of arms between Māori and the British settlers after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi . The Wairau Affray which occurred in what is now the village of Tuamarina . The settlement was originally known to Europeans as The Beaver or Beaverton due to its frequent flooding. Although the early history of Marlborough was closely associated with the Nelson settlement,

1207-489: Is distilled and consumed across a wide area in the Levant, including in Lebanon , Syria , Jordan , Egypt , Israel and Palestine . Arak is a stronger flavored liquor , and is usually mixed in proportions of approximately one part arak to two parts water in a traditional Eastern Mediterranean water vessel called an ibrik (Arabic: إبريق ibrīq ) from Middle Persian or Parthian *ābrēq . The mixture

1278-489: Is held biennially at Easter. State Highway 1 runs through Blenheim and State Highway 6 terminates at the junction of the two state highways. Blenheim is notable for a town of its size in that it does not have traffic lights at any intersection. Instead, roundabouts speed arterial traffic flow. Since the installation of roundabouts traffic volumes have quickly increased and upgrading options are being considered, e.g. traffic lights, longer two-lane approaches and even

1349-604: Is north of Blenheim at Spring Creek . The narrow-gauge Blenheim Riverside Railway runs through the town. The Marlborough Electric Power Board (MEPB) was formed in October 1923 and established the Blenheim's first public supply in April 1927, following the commissioning of the Waihopai hydroelectric power station 40 km southwest of Blenheim. Two diesel generators were commissioned at Springlands in 1930 and 1937 to supplement

1420-614: Is often served with meze , which may include dozens of small traditional dishes, as well as with grilled meat. It is also commonly served as an apéritif . Arak is often called the national drink of Lebanon. Often made from the Marawi and Obaideh grape varieties , a center of production is the Bekaa Valley vineyards, particularly the Kefraya , Ksara , Domaine des Tourelles, and Massaya vineyards. Zahlé , where Arak Zahlawi

1491-647: Is produced, is considered a capital of arak. The water used in the production of Arak Zahlawi is traditionally drawn from the Berdawni River. In Syria, arak is common. Before the outbreak of the Syria Civil War in 2011, production was dominated by two state-run firms, Al-Rayan (based in the Druze city of Sweida ) and Al-Mimas (based in a Christian settlement near Homs ). Together, the two companies held about 85% of Syria's market share in arak. Since

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1562-475: Is relatively well protected from the frequent southerly weather fronts occurring during winters. The area does however experience some high wind events during the course of the year, especially from the west where the wind is funnelled down the Wairau Valley directly at the town. Open and exposed areas in and around Blenheim are also hit quite hard by winds blowing inland from Cook Strait. Blenheim sits at

1633-421: Is then poured into ice-filled cups, usually small, but can also be consumed in regular sized cups. This dilution causes the clear liquor to turn a translucent milky-white color; this is because anethole , the essential oil of anise, is soluble in alcohol but not in water. This results in an emulsion whose fine droplets scatter the light and turn the liquid translucent, a phenomenon known as the ouzo effect . Arak

1704-511: The ECHELON network, is near Blenheim. Woodbourne Airport is a domestic airport and an RNZAF operational base. There are direct flights from Auckland and Wellington with Air New Zealand and from Wellington , Christchurch , and Paraparaumu with Sounds Air . Omaka Aerodrome , to the south of the town centre, is used solely by private and vintage aircraft. The Classic Fighters airshow (based mainly on World War I and II aircraft)

1775-628: The Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, some former South Lebanon Army members who settled in Israel began to produce arak using Lebanese (Zahle) methods. Arak is locally produced by Palestinian Christians . The West Bank city of Ramallah is a center of arak distillation. Imports of Palestinian arak to the U.S. increased after imports of Syrian arak was disrupted by the Syrian civil war . Several arak brands are produced outside of

1846-638: The New Zealand wine industry. It enjoys one of New Zealand's sunniest climates , with warm, relatively dry summers and cool, crisp winters. Blenheim is named after the Battle of Blenheim (1704) in the War of the Spanish Succession , where troops led by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough defeated a combined French and Bavarian force. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives

1917-772: The North Caucasus area of Russia. Arak is very similar to other anise-based spirits, including the Turkish rakı and the Greek ouzo , the Greek tsikoudia , the Italian sambuca and anisette , the Bulgarian and Macedonian mastika , and the Spanish anis. However, it is unrelated to the similarly named arrack , a sugarcane -based Indonesia liquor. Manufacturing begins with the vineyards, and quality grapevines are

1988-554: The Suez Canal , around the Arab Peninsula to the port of Basrah and then by rail to Baghdad. The ground route was also seen as more comfortable than the air route. The Nairn Cadillacs could travel at up to 112 kmh (70 mph) over flat, sun-baked, ground for around two-thirds of the route as the desert was a mud and gravel one rather than sand. Mud and standing water in the rainy season, and rocky ground, were sometimes

2059-704: The eastern Mediterranean . The Sudanese araqi is a similar drink. Arak is also produced in north Africa . The Arak Carmel brand is produced in Spain, while the Arak Julenar brand is produced by an Iraqi in Greece . Arak was once produced in Iran , until it was banned following the 1979 Iranian Revolution . Iranian Armenians locally manufacture black-market arak in Iran, and some foreign brands are also smuggled in

2130-530: The 2010s. Arak is distilled and consumed by Iraq's Yazidi and Christian minorities , although many members of these groups fled after ISIL seized control of large portions of northern Iraq in 2014. Amid a rise in Islamic conservatism , the Iraqi parliament passed a ban on the import, manufacture, and sale of alcoholic beverages in 2016, prompting protests from Iraqi non-Muslims and rights activists. The ban

2201-476: The Cadillacs were modified to carry extra gasoline , an icebox , a tank of drinking water plus enough food and provisions for one week. The cars also carried tools and many spare parts should repairs be required along the way. The new arrangements cut the transit time for mail from Baghdad to Europe to around 10 days from the 30 days previously required. Mail had previously travelled by ship from Port Said , via

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2272-484: The French who recognised early on the advantages of the service and gave the Nairns the French overland mail contract, allowed them to import equipment without customs duties and gave a small subsidy. They sometimes provided an escort and after one skirmish, allowed the Nairns to chase down the raiders in two Cadillacs. The cars soon outran the camels and after the raiders' ammunition ran out they surrendered their knives to

2343-555: The Marlborough wine industry has come to be dominated by large firms, owned by major New Zealand companies or offshore investors. There are over 50 vineyards near Blenheim. Agricultural land prices in the Wairau Valley increased dramatically in the 1990s and 2000s. The sunny, pleasant climate has long attracted people to the region, as holiday-makers or as permanent settlers . The region is especially popular among retired people, as well as people seeking an alternative lifestyle. Rapid population growth and other factors though have led to

2414-453: The Nairn men expecting their throats to be cut. In fact, the Nairns handed them over to the French who hanged them. The British, the other major European power in the region, also recognised the advantages of the service but provided no subsidy. One problem may have been that the Nairns never used British vehicles. They didn't use French ones either but the French didn't care. British cars, even

2485-417: The Nairns gave each one a house and a girl for company. One-eyed John Reid used a Cadillac to chase down and shoot a cheetah. Ryan, an Australian, was often drunk and filled his water bottles with arak , a local spirit. Although the convoys were always armed and were often attacked, the Nairns preferred to give the raiders what they wanted rather than risk the death of a passenger and no passenger ever died on

2556-446: The Nairns introduced two Marmon-Herrington buses specially adapted for them which had 18 tyres and two passenger levels. The Nairn's archetypal vehicle was the "Pullman" bus, introduced in 1937, and built using different companies' components to their design. The Pullmans were single-level but air-conditioned with refreshment facilities. They were articulated, ran on 10 instead of 18 tyres and cost £12,000 each. The time taken for each run

2627-432: The air route to Cairo was infrequent and expensive. The Nairns also received encouragement from local traders who were using camels which were slow and liable to attack by tribesmen. One was local sheik and gold smuggler Mohammad Ibn Bassam who had made trial runs of different routes using his own cars. In April 1923, the Nairns made the first of six trial runs from Damascus to Baghdad. The first trip took them three days for

2698-550: The area increased, they developed the land to sustain the growing population. In the early 1700s canals and waterways were dug among the natural river courses, allowing for the first forms of farming in the area including that of fish and native water fowl. A total of approximately 18 km of channels are known to have been excavated before the arrival of European settlers. Māori in the Marlborough Region also cultivated crops, including kūmara ( sweet potato ). The area

2769-482: The census's question about religious affiliation, 50.8% had no religion, 37.6% were Christian , 0.6% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.8% were Hindu , 0.2% were Muslim , 0.7% were Buddhist and 1.9% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 3,177 (14.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 5,022 (22.7%) people had no formal qualifications. 2,673 people (12.1%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15

2840-465: The civil war, however, the companies' profits and the price of arak, has declined, with their combined market share falling to under half. Low-quality counterfeits also proliferated, using pure alcohol (rather than fermented grapes) and an aniseed substitute (rather than aniseed). Iraq formerly manufactured arak, including in Bashiqa in northern Iraq, but most arak production facilities shut down in

2911-616: The company required a variety of vehicles. The first used were Buick and Cadillac motor cars, and Buick in the United States issued an advertisement in the Saturday Evening Post in 1927 with the legend "Buick carries the Desert Mail". Cadillacs proved very reliable, even in the extreme heat, due to their large radiators and excellent cooling systems. Gerald Nairn said "The Cadillac's ability to take punishment

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2982-587: The confluence of the Taylor and Ōpaoa rivers. It is in a tectonically active zone and experiences several (usually small) earthquakes each year. The boundary between the Pacific plate (on which Blenheim sits) and the Indo-Australian plate passes just north of Blenheim. It lies east of Renwick, and just south of Spring Creek. The climate is generally very settled, largely due to the rain shadow effect of

3053-472: The country. A locally made Iranian arak moonshine , aragh sagi , is made from fermented raisins; in 2020, it sold on the black market for about US$ 10 for 1.5 liters. The Persian Empire Distillery, established in 2006 by a Shiraz -born Persian Canadian entrepreneur, distills an arak brand, Arak Saggi, at its distillery in Peterborough , Ontario . Arak has achieved popularity among consumers in

3124-518: The desert-proven Rolls-Royce , tended to be built for comfort over smooth European roads rather than endurance and lacked the power, high ride and cooling necessary for the long desert runs. They were also too expensive. Lord Nuffield sent a Morris Commercial six-wheel vehicle out but it was a complete failure in desert conditions. In 1926, the brothers took over the Eastern Transport Company and merged it with Nairn. They sold

3195-489: The dominant industry in the region; employment is derived not only from the production of wine, but also from 'wine tourism' in the area. Olive growing has also gained some importance in recent years. Despite being located several kilometres inland, maritime industries are also important sources of employment for Blenheim. Lake Grassmere has New Zealand's only salt works , producing 50% of the country's total salt requirement. Fishing and mussel farming are also important in

3266-603: The end. In 1936, the Nairn Eastern Transport Company Limited was renamed the Nairn Transport Company Limited after a takeover by founder Norman Nairn, backed by British investors. In 1952, Norman, by now retired and facing a more difficult local political situation, sold the company to his employees. In 1959, the firm was liquidated after border disputes, competition from air transport and political problems made

3337-409: The first two decades of the 21st century, however, arak had a resurgence of popularity in Israel. Arak also continues to be popular among Moroccan Jews in Israel, some of whom regard arak as having folk medicine properties. Israeli tax reforms in 2013 substantially increased the alcohol tax , and this led to consolidation of the arak market. The most popular producer is Joseph Gold & Sons,

3408-467: The gilhooley maneuver where a car would spin several times, without turning over, on the polished mud flats that were part of the journey, before the driver regained control. Temperatures were very high in the desert and sometimes the tyres caught fire. The drivers were a colourful group of mostly English, Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, or Americans, known for their drinking and whoring. In order to keep them out of brothels and know where to find them,

3479-527: The greatest long-term benefits. Marlborough squatters developed huge sheep runs that dominated the countryside, rivalling Canterbury's sheep stations in size and wealth. Situated on the Wairau Plain, the town is mostly flat with only its southernmost fringe rising to the base of the Wither Hills. As the plain is surrounded by mountains on all but the eastern flank, which is open to Cook Strait, it

3550-430: The high power of the transmitters. Arak (drink) Arak or araq ( Arabic : ﻋﺮﻕ ) is a distilled Levantine spirit of the anise drinks family. It is translucent and unsweetened. Arak is traditionally made of grapes and aniseed (the seeds of the anise plant); when crushed, their oil provides arak with a slight licorice taste. Dates , figs , and other fruits are sometimes added. Typically, arak

3621-480: The key to making good arak. The vines should be very mature and usually of a golden color. Instead of being irrigated, the vineyards are left to the care of the Mediterranean climate and make use of the natural rain and sun. The grapes, which are harvested in late September and early October, are crushed and put in barrels together with the juice (in Arabic el romeli ) and left to ferment for three weeks. Occasionally

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3692-502: The mountain ranges to the west which shelter Blenheim from the heaviest of rains that hit the western part of the South Island. Summers are typically warm, dry and sunny. Winter mornings are cool and frosty. Snowfall is rare as the town is sheltered from cold southerly weather by the mountain ranges to the south. Rainfall and humidity is highest in winter and early spring, between June and October. The town's average annual rainfall

3763-471: The new company to English and French investors and Norman Nairn became managing director of the new entity which from 20 September 1926 became incorporated with limited liability as the Nairn Eastern Transport Company Limited. The main route was Damascus to Baghdad but local troubles and commercial opportunities often involved variations. After the Druze Revolt of 1925, a new route was required around

3834-419: The people of Marlborough desired independence from Nelson. In 1859, nineteen years after the original Nelson settlement, the request of Marlborough settlers was granted, and Marlborough became a separate province . Although gold was discovered in the province in the early 1860s the resulting boom did not last, and while the gold rush helped to expand the region, it was the development of pastoralism which provided

3905-533: The region. Viticulture also has a very large impact on the local economy both directly, by way of employment and servicing required, and also by way of 'wine tourism'. The local cellars attracted hundreds of thousands of domestic and international tourists every year. The area also hosts the annual Marlborough Wine & Food Festival . The Marlborough wine region is now New Zealand's largest, and receives worldwide recognition for its Sauvignon Blanc wines. With its growing international critical recognition, much of

3976-757: The remaining lines business renamed Marlborough Lines . Today, Marlborough Lines owns and operates the electricity distribution network servicing the town, with electricity fed from Transpower 's national grid at its Blenheim substation in Springlands. Blenheim's water supply is drawn from the Wairau aquifer via nine bores and is treated at two plants in Middle Renwick Road and Bomford Street. The first school opened in 1859. By 1875 there were three classes: Blenheim Upper Boys', Blenheim Lower Boys', and Blenheim Girls' and Infants'. Blenheim High School

4047-434: The same company and distributed throughout Marlborough. The Blenheim Sun is a twice-weekly free newspaper distributed each Wednesday and Friday while the locally owned Marlborough Weekly is published every Tuesday and delivered to every home in the region. Blenheim is served by 22 FM radio stations . The town can also receive AM and FM radio stations from Wellington, due to the straight line-of-sight across Cook Strait and

4118-406: The same time. The original Bedouin guides were dropped in favour of extra drivers and the cars changed from daytime travel to driving in the cooler temperatures at night. The cars travelled in convoy, following well established routes that avoided wells or wadis where raiders might be hiding, and regularly checking on each other. The drivers became acclimatised to the conditions and were experts in

4189-465: The service unviable. Blenheim, New Zealand Blenheim ( / ˈ b l ɛ n ɪ m / BLEN -im ; Māori : Waiharakeke ) is the most populous town in the region of Marlborough , in the north east of the South Island of New Zealand . It has an estimated urban population of 30,600 (June 2024). The surrounding Marlborough wine region is well known as the centre of

4260-457: The sole agents for Harley-Davidson . After the war, the brothers first traded in ex-army vehicles, then established a motor dealership in 1919 but it was not very successful and they decided to operate a taxi service between Beirut and Haifa with the cars they couldn't sell. There followed a process of experimentation with different vehicles and the brothers often came into conflict with the owners of horse-drawn vehicles to whose business they were

4331-622: The supply from Waihopai. The town was connected to Cobb Power Station in 1945, which in turn was connected to the rest of the South Island grid in 1956. The diesel generators were relegated to standby duty, last generated power on 22 July 1992, and were decommissioned in 2003. The Energy Companies Act 1992 saw the MEPB corporatised and renamed Marlborough Electric. The 1998 electricity sector reforms required electricity companies to separate their lines and supply businesses. Marlborough Electric sold its generation and retailing business to Trustpower , with

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4402-427: The troubled area, Beirut-Haifa-Jerusalem-Dead Sea-Amman and Rutbah. This involved five-mile-long stretches of lava bed which was very destructive to the cars. A better route of 650 miles was found, Beirut-Homs-Palmyra-Rutbah-Baghdad. Eventually, the original route was reinstated. By 1927, the brothers had made nearly 4,000 crossings and carried 20,000 passengers and 4,500 sacks of mail. The very long journeys made by

4473-467: The whole mix is stirred to release the CO 2 . Both pot stills and column stills are used. Stills are usually made of stainless steel or copper. Copper stills with a Moorish shape are the most sought after. The alcohol collected in the first distillation undergoes a second distillation, but this time it is mixed with aniseed. The ratio of alcohol to aniseed may vary and it is one of the major factors in

4544-512: Was not enforced until it was officially gazetted in 2023, triggering border crackdowns. The ban is not enforced in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan Region . During the age of austerity in the early years of the State of Israel , arak was locally made, with few imports. The core market for arak was among older, working-class Israelis, and the drink was disfavored among younger and modern Israelis. In

4615-422: Was formed within the school in 1879. Catholic schools for boys and girls were established in 1872, replaced by St Mary's Boys' school in 1886. In 1929 St Mary's was rebuilt after a fire. Marlborough High School, a coeducational secondary school, was founded in Blenheim in 1900. In 1919 it changed its name to Marlborough College. The intermediate section was split to form Bohally Intermediate in 1956. The college

4686-516: Was just amazing" and by the time the firm dispensed with them they had done 200,000 miles each, at least 150-160,000 of which had been on the Damascus to Baghdad run. They were able to run comfortably at 70 mph, a great speed for a motor car in 1923. Cadillac advertising boasted "The Cadillac replaces the Camel". New, larger vehicles were tried, first Safeway six-wheelers from the United States in 1925, then A.C.F.s (American Car and Foundry). In 1934,

4757-579: Was named after Henry Seymour. Pollard Park is a large public park including children's play areas, native shrubbery, rose gardens, a landscaped waterway, and is home to the Blenheim Golf Club and its 9-hole course, the Marlborough Tennis club and its courts, and Blenheim Croquet Club. They are dry and arid ranges which have previously been the site of severe grass fires. The GCSB Waihopai communications monitoring facility, part of

4828-403: Was reduced from 24 to 18 hours. During WW2, New Zealand troops occupying Syria were free to use Nairn’s bus service between Damascus and Bagdad. It ran twice a week at the cost of £18 sterling for the return trip. Each bus could carry 18 passengers and by 1958 had travelled 2 million miles. The Nairns had a well-equipped workshop at their headquarters in Damascus where they employed 85 people near

4899-554: Was scrapped in 2024. There are currently 11 schools in the Blenheim urban area: Other primary schools are in the surrounding localities of Renwick , Fairhall , Grovetown , Rapaura and Riverlands . The Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology has a campus in Blenheim. Blenheim is served by a variety of print publications. The major daily newspaper serving the area is The Marlborough Express published by Fairfax NZ, with its headquarters in Blenheim. The Saturday Express and Midweek are community newspapers published by

4970-459: Was split into separate boys' and girls' schools in 1963, with Marlborough Boys' College (MBC) retaining the existing site and Marlborough Girls' College (MGC) moving to a new site. An intention to relocate both Marlborough Boys' College and Marlborough Girls' College on the site currently occupied by MGC and Bohally Intermediate was announced in 2019, with Bohally Intermediate relocating to the current MBC site on Stephenson Street. The relocation plan

5041-466: Was that 10,800 (48.7%) people were employed full-time, 3,258 (14.7%) were part-time, and 570 (2.6%) were unemployed. The town's economy is based on agricultural services, with pastoral and horticultural farming providing a major source of income. Historically, sheep farming, dairying, and wheat and barley were the major activities in the area. Marlborough's first commercial grape vines were planted in 1973, and since then viticulture has become

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