BLENHEIM
AND THE MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS NEW ZEALAND
Blenheim
is a town in Marlborough, in the north east of the South
Island of New Zealand. It has a population of 29,700 (June
2008 estimate). The area which surrounds the town is well
known as a centre of New Zealand's wine industry. It enjoys
one of New Zealand’s sunniest climates, with hot,
relatively dry summers and crisp winters.
The
Marlborough region in which Blenheim is situated has
a wide range of leisure activities, from swimming with
dolphins in the Marlborough Sounds to watching whales
in Kaikoura; from walks through the bush and along the
rugged coastline, as well as scenic boat cruising, fishing,
water-skiing and kayaking. The relaxed lifestyle and
the flourishing wine and gourmet food industry in Marlborough
are enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike.
Blenheim
is named after the Battle of Blenheim (1704), where
troops led by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
defeated a combined French and Bavarian force.
The
commercial hub of Marlborough (population 42,300) is
Blenheim (population 28,200). Originally a provincial
service town to the farming community, it is increasingly
geared towards urban lifestyle, visitor needs and the
dominant wine industry, a meld of modern sophistication
and relaxed ambience. North is Picton (population 3,700),
seaport gateway to the stunning Marlborough Sounds.
Blenheim is the focal
point for the Marlborough wine growing region. A number
of wineries are located on the towns edges, with many
more just a short drive away.Synonymous internationally
for its distinctive, herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc. It is
New Zealand’s largest winemaking region with around
65 wineries and 290 grape growers and over 4000 hectares
planted in grapes, mainly Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay,
Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer.
The annual Wine Marlborough
festival (second Saturday in February each year) is held
in Blenheim. It is a show-case for the region's bounty
and draws people from all over the world to taste Marlborough's
wines.
Marlborough is
also known for its idyllic Sounds, sunken valleys which
create a network of tranquil clear waterways amidst
regenerating and virgin native forests. The Sounds are
home to treasured bird and sealife terns, shags, herons,
blue penguins, dolphins, seals, and native forest birds,
all easily viewed by private boat or charter tour. The
renowned 71km Queen Charlotte Track, a 3-4 day walk,
curls around these coves and inlets and along skyline
ridges between the breathtaking Kenepuru and Queen Charlotte
Sounds
Marlborough has
a diverse economy, emerging from a base of primary industry.
The largest sector, apart from tourism, is aquacultureprimarily
Greenshell mussels, along with oysters, salmon, paua,
and fresh water crayfish. Wine is a major player, with
vineyards taking over central and southern valleys from
traditional cropping, stonefruit orchards and sheep.
However, sheep and cattle farming remain a major contributor,
including high country stations specialising in finest
merino wools. Forestry and commercial fishing are strong
in the North. Technology based industry and consultancy
is increasing as more people shift to Marlborough for
the environment and lifestyle.
History
The sheltered coastal
bays of Marlborough supported a small Maori population
possibly as early as the 12th century. Anthropologists
have christened this part of central Aotearoa, Waenganui,
a region that stretched from inland Ureweras to Kaiapohia.
Maori in the Marlborough Region cultivated crops, including
kumara (sweet potato) and exploited marine resources.
Although the early history
of Marlborough was closely associated with the Nelson
settlement, the people of Marlborough wanted independence
from Nelson. Nineteen years after the original Nelson
settlement the request of Marlborough settlers was granted,
and Marlborough became a separate province in 1859.
Although gold was discovered in the province in the
early 1860s the boom did not last and, while it helped
to expand the region, the development of pastoralism
provided the greatest long-term benefits. Marlborough
squatters developed huge sheep runs that dominated the
countryside, rivalling Canterbury's sheep stations in
size and wealth.
Today the region's economy
is still rurally based with pastoral and horticultural
farming, providing a major source of income. The region's
inhabitants continue to utilise the marine resources.
Lake Grassmere is the country's only source of salt,
and fishing and mussel farming are also extremely important
in the region. Grape growing has been one of the fastest
growing industries and Marlborough is now New Zealand's
largest wine producing region, receiving worldwide recognition
for its sauvignon blanc wines. Olive growing has also
become popular in recent years.
The sunny, pleasant
climate has attracted people to the region, either 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 a contemporary
chronic shortage of affordable housing for low and middle
income earners.
Geography
Blenheim, situated on the Wairau
Plain, is mostly flat with surrounding hills, which
do not, however, give it as much protection from prevailing
winds as might be expected. Open areas in and around
Blenheim are hit quite hard by winds blowing in from
Cook Strait. Blenheim sits at the confluence of the
Taylor and Opawa Rivers. Blenheim 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.
Economy
The Marlborough region is famous for its wine production,
although other forms of agriculture are significant
and the services sectors is also important.
With the growing international critical recognition
of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, much of the wine industry
has come to be dominated by large firms, owned by major
New Zealand companies or offshore investors. Wages for
most industry participants are low (around NZ$10-NZ$13/hour)
and often calculated on a piece rate basis. Employment
arrangements are often insecure and frequently not in
accordance with New Zealand employment law. Agricultural
land prices in the Wairau Valley have increased dramatically
in value through the 1990s and 2000s.
Overall, income and wealth distribution in the town
and wider region is highly uneven by New Zealand standards.
Education
The first school was opened in Blenheim in 1859. By
1875 there were three classes: Blenheim Upper Boys,
Blenheim Lower Boys, and Blenheim Girls and Infants.
A Blenheim High School was formed within the school
in 1879.
Catholic schools for boys and girls also were established
in Blenheim in 1872. St Mary's Boys' school replaced
it in 1886. In 1929, St Mary's was rebuilt after a fire.
A coeducational secondary school called Marlborough
High School was founded in Blenheim in 1900. It moved
to the Marlborough Boys' College Stephenson Street site
in 1901. In 1919 it changed its name to Marlborough
College. The intermediate section was split to form
Bohally Intermediate in 1956, and the girls moved to
form Marlborough Girls' College in 1962, at which time
the school took its current name.
Marlborough Boys' College is a boys' secondary (years
9-13) school with a roll of 1006.[6] Marlborough Girls'
College is a girls' secondary (years 9-13) school with
a roll of 1029.[7] Both have a decile rating of 7.
The other schools in Blenheim are all coeducational.
Bohally Intermediate is an intermediate (years 7-8)
school with a roll of 407 and a decile rating of 6.
Blenheim School and Whitney Street School are contributing
primary (years 1-6) schools with decile ratings of 3
and 5, respectively. Blenheim School has a roll of 81,
and Whitney Street School has a roll of 248
St Mary's School is a state integrated full primary
(years 1-8) school with a decile rating of 8 and a roll
of 376.
Other primary schools are in the suburbs of Redwoodtown,
Witherlea, Mayfield, and Springlands, and in the surrounding
localities of Fairhall, Grovetown, Rapaura and Riverlands.
The Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology has
a campus in Blenheim.
Transportation
Air
Woodbourne
Airport is a domestic airport and is also used by the
RNZAF as an operational base. There are direct flights
from Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland. Omaka Aerodrome,
to the south of the city centre, is used solely by private
and vintage aircraft pilots. An airshow (based mainly
on World War I and II aircraft) is held at Omaka Aerodrome
every two years on Easter.
Road
State
Highway 1 runs through Blenhiem 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 were installed to speed arterial
traffic flow. Since the installation of these roundabouts,
traffic volumes have quickly increased and upgrading
options are being considered, eg. traffic lights, longer
2-lane approches and even a bypass.
Rail
Blenheim
is on the northern section of the South Island Main
Trunk Railway. A daily long-distance passenger service
between Picton and Christchurch, the TranzCoastal, stops
at the Blenheim Railway Station.
A
major railway classification yard is located north of
Blenheim at Spring Creek.
A
heritage railway, the Blenheim Riverside Railway runs
through the town.
Events
and points of interest
Omaka Aerodrome, south
of the town centre, is the setting for the biennial
Classic Fighters Marlborough airshow. The show, with
a large emphasis on aircraft of World War One, has been
held biannually since 2001, with the next show set to
be held over the weekend of 10-12 April 2009.
In December 2005 the
third meeting of the biennial Australasian Ornithological
Conference series, initiated and organised by the Royal
Australasian Ornithologists Union, and jointly sponsored
by the RAOU and the Ornithological Society of New Zealand
(OSNZ), was held in Blenheim.
Seymour Square and Pollard
Park are two of the town's main attractions for walks
and general tourism.
The first weekend in
February sees the festival "Blues, Brews and BBQ's",
which comprises of Blues and Jazz music, food and a
variety of Beer and wine. It starts at 12pm and ends
at 7pm, and its located at the A and P park near Redwood
Town.
The Wither Hills are
just out of Blenheim and have many attractive walks
found just off Maxwell Road. They are dry and arid and
have seen many severe forest fires in the past.
The GCSB Waihopai communications
monitoring facility, part of the ECHELON network, is
situated near Blenheim.
