The Top-of-the-South Island is one of the best places to live. 

As well as having great work opportunities here, there is balance; less time in the car and more time to play.

Living in Nelson Tasman

Nelson Tasman - where else are you surrounded by three National Parks within 90 minutes of the city? Where else can you can ride from your door to a number of bike trails, or kayak in a marine reserve straight after work in the CBD?

Nelson Tasman is for real people, so you would be welcome. In fact, one in every five residents was born outside of the region, and of all the places in the world they chose to live here.  There is a unique combination of people here: joiners, scientists, farmers, fishers, engineers and settled refugees, all rubbing shoulders at the pub, sports field side lines, or mountain bike tracks.

Just a few extraordinary facts:

  • 48 different cultures, the third highest total of residents born outside of New Zealand.
  • Geographic centre of New Zealand, with up to 600 flights in and out per week.
  • Three national parks within 90 minutes of the city: Abel Tasman, Kahurangi, and Nelson Lakes.
  • The Murchison 'four rivers plain' has some of the best all-grades white-water kayaking and rafting in NZ, plus world-class fly fishing.
  • Rainbow ski field is only 90 minutes away.
  • About 30% more sunshine hours than the national average.
  • Acclaimed cycle network for all ages and terrains - one of six regions in the world graded Gold.
  • 80% Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) coverage, with 98% coverage by 2023.
  • The only New Zealand region to grow hops on a large commercial and export scale, and the craft brewing capital using Nelson Tasman hops.
  • Top cider city, according to National Geographic magazine.
  • World-class sporting facilities – Saxton Fields, Trafalgar Centre and Trafalgar Park, hosting regular national and international fixtures.
  • Great schools, achieving the Government NCEA goal two years ahead of target.
  • The largest city and commercial centre across the Top of the South Island.

What do locals say about living in Nelson Tasman?

Nelson Tasman Gallery

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Living in Marlborough

Marlborough is unique for many reasons. One major reason is that one-fifth of the New Zealand coastline is in the Marlborough Sounds. Oh, and the wine is also pretty good!

Real people choose to live here –people who love wine, water and wilderness, and genuinely value the way-of-life. It is a cool and connected community to live in.

A few unique facts:

  • New Zealand’s largest grape growing and wine making region - 168 wineries, 568 grape growers and about 24,000 hectares in grape production (2014 figures) and 36 cellar doors.
  • Home to the world’s best WW1 aviation museum, the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, a collaborative project between passionate Marlburians, Sir Peter Jackson, and Weta Workshop.
  • Mount Tapuae-o-Uenuku or “Tappy” as he called it in the Awatere Valley, was Sir Edmund Hillary’s first major climb, a pathway that ultimately took him to Mount Everest.
  • D’Urville Island in the Marlborough Sounds is New Zealand’s third largest island.
  • Unemployment is lower than the national average.
  • One of New Zealand’s most vibrant and successful regional economies - from tourism to aeronautical engineering.
  • Often the sunniest place in New Zealand, Marlborough has about 2400 sunshine hours per year with a mean daily max temp in summer 23.8C.
  • Queen Charlotte Track is 70km from start to finish for walkers and mountain-bikers.
  • Thirty schools in the region, including two large single sex secondary schools.

Marlborough Gallery

Scroll right or left using the arrows below to view images of Marlborough.