MetService is New Zealand’s national weather authority, providing accurate town, city and rural forecasts across the country. Kaikōura is the northern-most district within the Canterbury region and is easily accessible with a 2.5hr drive from Christchurch. The full line south to Kaikōura and on to Christchurch wasn't completed until 15 December 1945. The borough council was abolished as part of the 1989 local government reforms, and Picton became part of the Marlborough District. The familiar Scenic Class experience is also still available with a range of fresh food and beverages available from the café car. [21], The town is also the usual starting point for holidays in the Marlborough Sounds. State Highway 1 links Picton southwards to Blenheim, Kaikoura, Christchurch and beyond, while the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive (shorter in distance but usually slower than via State Highways 1, 62 and 6) winds westward to Havelock. Picton is a major hub in New Zealand's transport network, connecting the South Island road and rail network with ferries across Cook Strait to Wellington and the North Island. Travelling between Christchurch and Picton, the Coastal Pacific meanders breathtakingly close to the sea, where the roaring Pacific Ocean meets the rising Kaikōura mountains. Amazing Things to do. All units will provide guests with a microwave. Melbourne and Victoria. Providers of luxury tours and cruises in the stunning Marlborough region, including food and wine tours, seafood, boat and helicopter cruises and more. The Marlborough Electric Power Board (MEPB) took control of the town supply in 1947. If there's no visitor centre in your area, ring or email the local DOC office. [35][36], The first school in Picton opened in 1861 at the corner of Devon Street and Broadway. PADI accredited scuba diving and dive tourism instruction, "Heritage: The early days of rail in Marlborough", "Search the List | Picton Railway Station | Heritage New Zealand", "Cook Strait ferry terminal stays in Picton", "Picton Ferry Precinct Redevelopment | Providing great journeys & secure freight connections", "Picton ferry terminal upgrade to be fast-tracked", "Ready or not? Within the harbour, Kaipupu Point splits the inlet into two, Picton Harbour proper to the east and Shakespeare Bay to the west. In March 1850, Sir George Grey and Sir Francis Dillon purchased the land from Te Āti Awa, who moved to neighbouring Waikawa Bay. Roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferries link Picton with Wellington, forming the main link between the North and South Islands across Cook Strait. [30][31], Cruise ships regularly visit Picton between October and April. If you're staying in the Picton city centre or arriving at the ferry terminal, we offer an optional free shuttle service to our Picton car rental depot. It is located on State Highway 1, 180 km north of Christchurch.The town has an estimated permanent resident population of 2,400 (as of June 2020). Northland, the Bay of Islands and Paihia. There is an open air viewing carriage where all your senses are awakened with the clean, fresh sea air and a Café Carriage offering a selection of alcoholic and non alcoholic hot/cold drinks, snacks and light meals. Picton Harbour is flanked to the west by Wedge Point, which separates it from Grove Arm, and to the east by The Snout, which separates it from Waikawa Bay. Situated in Kaikoura, Futuna Rocks Motel features a garden. Alexandra 95.9FM Dunedin 96.6FM Southland 94FM Experience Oz is your go to website for all the top things to do in Australia and New Zealand. At the national level, Picton is part of the Kaikōura general electorate and Te Tai Tonga Māori electorate. Highlights include fishing, walking, the Queen Charlotte Track, and diving. The tohi is a baptisimal ritual of warriors before they went into battle. The warriors would line the bank of the sacred stream, and as they filed past, the tohunga (chosen experts) dipped a branch of karamū bush into the stream, striking each warrior on the right shoulder. It is a standard class B station, of weatherboard and tile,[27] and has been listed NZHPT Category II since 1991. Between 1947 and 1950, the town was re-reticulated with the national standard of 230/400 volts three-phase AC, and a 33,000-volt line was built from Picton to Springlands in Blenheim to connect the town with the rest of the MEPB's distribution network. There were 2,277 males and 2,223 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.02 males per female. Thomas Picton's connection to the slave trade and controversial governorship of Trinidad has resulted in calls for places named after him to be renamed. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries on 0800 143 669 or info@newzealandtravelteam.com. Wheelchair hoists provide access to the café carriage from track level. The Picton Borough Council was established in 1876 to govern the town. This page was last edited on 24 February 2021, at 05:03. The Coastal Pacific train connects at Picton with various Cook Strait ferry sailings to and from Wellington in the North Island. Kaikōura weather forecast, two hourly data, maps, rain radar and current conditions. You can take a day excursion from Christchurch to Kaikoura travelling on the Coastal Pacific train. Now you can locate good quality, pet friendly holiday homes in New Zealand quickly and easily. [26] The current station on Auckland Street was completed in 1914. Being a small town, the train station, town centre and port are all within walking distance. A Catholic Convent school opened in 1915, and was replaced by St Joseph's in 1924. The town is named after Sir Thomas Picton, the Welsh military associate of the Duke of Wellington, who was killed at the Battle of Waterloo. You can take a day excursion from Christchurch to Kaikoura travelling on the Coastal Pacific train. [22] Dive charter boats leave from Picton for the last resting place of the Mikhail Lermontov, one of the world’s largest, most accessible and most recent shipwrecks. [33] Today, Marlborough Lines (the successor to the MEPB) owns and operates the distribution network in Picton and the wider Marlborough region. A new school opened in 1882, and part of the old school was moved to the new site, but was destroyed by fire in 1928. Commercial driving. There have been proposals in recent years (the latest in 2011) to relocate the ferry terminals from Picton to Clifford Bay, south of Blenheim, to reduce travel times. A beginner's guide to train travel in New Zealand, with Kiwi Rail Tranz-Scenic train timetalbles, fares, practical train information and accounts of the journeys with photos, including Wellington to Picton, Blenheim, Kaikoura & Christchurch on the Interislander Ferry & "Coastal Pacific" (previously TranzCoastal) train, and bus connections for Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill. Dunedin, Oamaru and Otago. A move to demolish the old Kaikoura council building has been put off in the hope of finding someone with deep pockets who might pay to use it. Take it easy, with The Breeze. Guiding is essential as the 1986 wreck is in 30 metres of water and divers can become disoriented inside the hull, which lies on its starboard side.[23]. Waitohi River starts in Essons Valley and passes through the town, draining into the sound near the ferry terminal. There is a barbecue and guests can make use of free WiFi and free private parking. Driver licences. Queen Charlotte College opened to serve the town in 1965, while also taking over the town's intermediate school provision (Years 7 and 8) from Picton and Waikawa Bay schools. The best day trips from Kaikoura according to Tripadvisor travellers are: Kaikoura Whale Watch Day Tour from Christchurch; Kaikoura Day Tour with Whale Watching; Kaikoura Albatross Encounter Tour from Christchurch; Chauffeur Tour Transfers from Blenheim or Picton - Top of The South NZ; Kaikoura Quad Bike Tour from Christchurch [2][3][4], The town's Māori name, Waitohi, translates into English as "waters of the tohi ritual". Introductory dives (discover scuba dive) and PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certification courses from open water diver to dive master are available from Picton. Search from over 3,000 experiences to make your holiday or weekend extraordinary. The units feature a living room with a sofa, free WiFi, a kitchen, a private bathroom with a hairdryer, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a patio and views of the mountain. Picton School is a state contributing primary (Year 1 to 6) school with a roll of approximately 101 students. Catch InterCity buses to hundreds of destinations across the South Island of New Zealand. Services connect main centres like Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown with smaller towns and communities all over the mainland, as well as popular tourist destinations like the … The Edwin Fox Maritime Centre features the remains of the Edwin Fox, the only surviving ship that transported convicts to Australia, and a small museum. The Coastal Pacific train connects at Picton with various Cook Strait ferry sailings to and from Wellington in the North Island. Waikawa Bay School is a state contributing primary (Year 1 to 6) school in Waikawa with a roll of approximately 149 students. The tohi rite was last performed on soldiers of the 28th Māori Battalion during World War II. Cairns and Port Douglas. The Picton urban area, as defined by Statistics New Zealand, covers an area of 9.16 km2 (3.54 sq mi) and is incorporates two statistical areas: Waitohi and Waikawa. It is the easternmost town in the South Island with a population of at least 1,000 people. [13], Ethnicities were 87.9% European/Pākehā, 18.3% Māori, 1.9% Pacific peoples, 2.4% Asian, and 1.9% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). Waikawa lies just north-east of Picton and is considered to be a contiguous part of the Picton urban area. All rooms at the motel are fitted with a seating area and a flat-screen TV. [17] For electoral purposes, Picton is part of the Marlborough Sounds ward, which elects three of the council's thirteen councillors. Stops along the route include Blenheim, Kaikoura, and Rangiora. For visitor information including hut passes, contact a DOC visitor centre or i-SITE. The Coastal Pacific is running on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Roads and rail. This train connects at Blenheim with bus and coach services to Nelson and services from Nelson to Blenheim. [8][9], The roll-on/roll-off (RORO) road and rail ferry service between Picton and Wellington started on 11 August 1962, operated by the New Zealand Railways Department with the ship GMV Aramoana. Motu Kaikoura Island (NZKD) Motueka (NZMK) Mount Cook (NZMC) Murchison (NZMR) Murchison Hospital (NZUR) Napier (NZNR) Nelson (NZNS) Nelson Hospital (NZNH) New Plymouth (NZNP) ... Picton (NZPN) Pikes Point (NZPK) Porangahau (NZPO) Pudding Hill (NZPH) Pukaki (NZUK) Pukekohe (NZPU) Queens Wharf (NZQW) Queenstown (NZQN) Raglan (NZRA) Rangiora (NZRT) To the North is the port of Picton just 2hrs drive, where you can catch the ferry across to Wellington. [13], Picton's economy is largely influenced by its status as a major transport hub, in addition to servicing tourists and residents in the Queen Charlotte Sound. Book now and pay later with After Pay and Zip Pay accepted. All carriages are centrally heated, air conditioned with on board washroom/toilet facilities, forward facing or 'Table' (4 people around a table) seating allowing you to share experiences through large panoramic windows. Welcome to New Zealand. Kaikōura (/ k aɪ ˈ k ɔː r ə /) is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Book one of our modern Picton rental cars online and head to our CBD depot to collect your vehicle. MetService is New Zealand’s national weather authority, providing accurate town, city and rural forecasts across the country. 70 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 KAIKOURA CHRISTCHURCH Kaiapoi Woodend Leithfield Waipara Cheviot Culverden Waiau Parnassus Blenheim Cook Strait Picton Amberley WELLINGTON Caring for Our Natural Environment We are privileged to have the abundance of marine life here in Kaikoura … The two main shipping companies operating this route are the Interislander and Strait Shipping, with both taking passenger and road vehicles, and, for the Interislander on one ferry, rail wagons. You drive for free and help rental companies relocate their cars. Clicking on the Club Name will take you to information about the club.. Clicking on the PAIRS link or TEAMS AND SWISS PAIRS link will take you to another webpage in a new tab showing results for that club.. Club Results She included a reference to the port in her short story "The Voyage" (in the collection The Garden Party), which is "an account of a trip to Picton from Wellington on the Cook Strait ferry". [28] The Coastal Pacific long-distance passenger/tourist train from Christchurch makes a daily return trip to Picton during the summer months. [10], Picton is located in an inlet known as Picton Harbour, on the true right (south) side of the upper Queen Charlotte Sound / Tōtaranui. [25] Technical diving and TDI (Technical Diving International) courses can be completed in Picton, diving in the Marlborough Sounds. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries on. Gale-force winds trap Interislander, Bluebridge ferry passengers in 12-hour trip from Wellington to Picton 16 Feb, 2021 06:04 PM 4 minutes to read By: Michael Neilson Whitsundays. The Main North Line railway opened on 17 November 1875 between Picton and the Opaōa River just north of Blenheim (the bridge over the river wasn't completed until 1880). 100.9 - Blenheim 104.3 - Seddon & Awatere Valley 105.9 - Picton 100.1 - Havelock 105.9 - Okiwi Bay & French Pass 105.9 - Ward 100.3 - Kaikoura [37] St Joseph's closed in 2017 due to a declining school roll. So, sit back and enjoy a genuine kiwi rail experience through the South Island's north eastern rugged coastline. Transfercar offers free one-way rental cars and campervans. Picton Blenheim Kaikoura Takaka Havelock Seddon Ward Wairau /-F NEW ZEALAND TOURING MAP Haast The Great Alpine Highway: From Christchurch, this Many destinations in New Zealand are just hours from each other. Picton is home to a collection of art galleries, hiking trails and Oxley's Gastro Pub. New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) Tell us your NZBN; Traffic and travel information. FREE. Featuring a private bathroom with a shower and free toiletries, rooms at Futuna Rocks Motel also feature a garden view. Due to Covid 19 Level 3 for Auckland and Covid Level 2 for the rest of New Zealand all train services are cancelled until Saturday 06 March 2021. Scenic Plus is now available to book. However these plans never got past the design proposal, and were eventually dropped. Click -->> See how it works Please view the links below. Picton 7 day weather forecast, rain maps, rain radar and current conditions. The Coastal Pacific train's carriages have advanced air bag suspension for quieter and smoother travel, un-tinted, non-reflective, panoramic side and roof windows to capture the dramatic coastal and mountain views of the magnificent South Island, GPS triggered journey commentary in five languages at your seat via passenger headphones, plus information displays and overhead HD video. [15] At the 2018 census, the three largest industries (ANZSIC divisions) of employment for Picton residents were acommodation and food services, transport postal and warehousing, and retail trade.[16]. Picton (Māori: Waitohi) is a town in the Marlborough Region of New Zealand's South Island. Initially one carriage will be dedicated to Scenic Plus on each service. TruckR is a new app designed to help truck drivers travelling on the alternate Picton to Christchurch route after the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. [19][20], In October 2020, the Government committed $242,386 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae, creating 18 jobs. Sydney. The line's climb from Picton to Elevation saddle required a steep 1-in-37 (2.7%) grade and a viaduct across the Waitohi River. Cairns. Find your free rental car now! Welcome to Pets Can Come Too, Pet Friendly Holiday Homes in New Zealand. Abel Tasman, Nelson and Picton. Situated in Kaikoura in the Canterbury region, Barnacle Bills features accommodation with free private parking. The grey shading corresponds to nighttime hours between sunset and sunrise at Kaikoura. Food from local producers will be on offer, including Marlborough salmon and Kaikoura crayfish. We understand that Covid-19 continues to add uncertainty in planning. Services from 07 March onwards are still operating. Playing cards, duplicate boards. Electricity was generated by a Pelton wheel on the Waitohi River, which was later supplemented by suction gas engines, and was reticulated to customers using a 230/460-volt three-wire DC system. The completion of the highway link south ended the relative isolation of this scenic area in the 1950s and encouraged modern motels, beginning with the American Luxury Motels, and many more after the ferry service to Wellington began. Call us on +64 3 573 5580 the day before your arrival to book your place on the shuttle. Record-breaking cruise ship season forecasted for Picton", "Picton Water Supply - Marlborough District Council", "THE NEW PICTON HARBOUR WASTEWATER OUTFALL-A CLEAR AND EFFECTIVE SOLUTION", "Picton sewerage system gets further upgrades", "Pin pulled on Picton's two-pupil school", "Goodbye Pork Pie producer Nigel Hutchinson dies, aged 75", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Picton,_New_Zealand&oldid=1008611360, Populated places in the Marlborough Region, Former provincial capitals of New Zealand, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. [18], Waikawa Marae is located in Picton. Get official travel information, maps, itineraries, activities & accommodation to help you plan your next holiday to New Zealand. The North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) was set up by the government late December 2016 to restore the earthquake damaged infrastructure between Picton and Christchurch. Melbourne. For hearing-impaired passengers - a hearing loop covers all of the café carriage saloon and serving area. A popular dive trip is to the 177-metre long wreck of the cruise liner MS Mikhail Lermontov, which lies at Port Gore, 37 metres underwater. Click on your city or town on the map below to see your Sun Protection Alert time for today. Picton Aerodrome at Koromiko 7.4 km to the south of the town has regular services to Wellington with Sounds Air and charter flights around the Marlborough Sounds. Of the total population, 582 people (12.9%) were aged up to 15 years, 507 (11.3%) were 15 to 29, 2,031 (45.1%) were 30 to 64, and 1,380 (30.7%) were 65 or older. Along the way you pass though the town of Kaikoura, where you can break your journey to take in whale watching or get up and close by swimming with the dolphins. The Coastal Pacific train is a non-smoking, reserved seating service. Bay of Islands. Vehicles. Cook Strait ferry bookings and some daytours and bus routes are also open for sale. [34], Prior to the commissioning of the Picton wastewater treatment plant in 1999, all the town's sewage was discharge raw into Queen Charlotte Sound. Last Spring High Tide at Kaikoura was on Tue 02 Mar (height: 2.11m 6.9ft). Whitsundays, Airlie Beach and Townsville. Seating is comfortable '2 Seat-Aisle-2 Seat' reclining seats with head rests or 'Table Group' (4 people around a table) seating - great for families, small groups or meeting new friends. [12] It had a usual resident population of 4,500 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 486 people (12.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 453 people (11.2%) since the 2006 census. Cook Strait ferry bookings and some daytours and bus routes are also open for sale. [4][5], Prior to European settlement, the Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui iwi occupied Waitohi Pā on the site of the present town. Picton's main water supply is from a bore at Speeds Road in Koromiko; during high demand, this is supplemented by a stream-fed supply in Essons Valley. The Elevation Saddle connects southwest of the town with the Tuamarina River valley and contains the main land transport routes between Picton and the rest of the South Island. The original viaduct was the largest wooden structure in the southern hemisphere at the time of its completion, and lasted until 1963 when it was replaced by the current concrete and steel structure. Your journey takes you through the wine growing region of Blenheim to the rugged Kaikoura mountain ranges on one side of your train, the Pacific Ocean coastline on the other with views of marine wildlife such as seals and penguins to some of New Zealand's finest horticultural and farmland areas of the Canterbury Plains, all from the comfort of your carriage. Abel Tasman. The Picton urban area has a population of 4,730 (June 2020),[1] making it the second-largest town in the Marlborough Region behind Blenheim. Bridge players supplies. The average daily water demand in the town is 3,800 m3 (130,000 cu ft), with demand in summer peaking at 5,770 m3 (204,000 cu ft). Kaikoura tide chart key: The tide chart above shows the height and times of high tide and low tide for Kaikoura, New Zealand. REPLAY hands. Upgrade to Scenic Plus, a new option at a higher ticket price than the familiar Scenic Class, offering regional delicacies, and local commentary, delivered straight to your seat as you sit back and enjoy the spectacular views. Tide Times are NZDT (UTC +13.0hrs). Other dive sites in the Picton region[24] include Fish Reserve, the Koi wreck, and Long Island Marine Reserve. Amazing Discounts. The original Picton railway station was located on London Quay; the platform still exists, bisected by the Memorial Archway steps. [33], Coordinates: 41°17′S 174°00′E / 41.283°S 174.000°E / -41.283; 174.000, Professional Association of Diving Instructors, "Calls for colonial statues to go start to pick up in New Zealand", "Hamilton statue's removal raises debate over artefacts of British colonialism", "Calls to rethink name 'Picton' as history emerges of 'cruel' slave-owner", "Sir Thomas Picton (1758-1815) and the naming of Picton", "Picton ferry Aramoana enters service | NZHistory, New Zealand history online", "Urban Rural 2020 (generalised) - GIS | | GIS Map Data Datafinder Geospatial Statistics | Stats NZ Geographic Data Service", "Age and sex by ethnic group (grouped total response), for census usually resident population counts, 2006, 2013, and 2018 Censuses (urban rural areas)", "Calling Picton 'gateway to the South' not helping economy", "Industry (division) and status in employment by sex, for the employed census usually resident population count aged 15 years and over, 2006, 2013 and 2018 Censuses (RC, TA, SA2, DHB)", "2020 General Election electorates | Vote NZ", Wreck Diving in the Marlborough Sounds New Zealand. Face masks are now mandatory on all journeys, except when consuming food or drink. The Coastal Pacific train operates between the delightful port of Picton - the gateway to the beautiful Marlborough Sounds - to Kaikoura - the home of whale watching and onto Christchurch - the South Island's largest city. Queen Charlotte College is a state Year 7 to 13 secondary school. The town is the governmental seat of the territorial authority of the Kaikōura District, which is politically a part of the Canterbury region. Bay of Plenty, Tauranga and Whakatane. [11], The main town is located on flat to rolling land at the head of Picton Harbour. Find the latest info, photos & reviews, as well as deals on fun things to do, activities, attractions & tours in NZ. The provincial capital was moved to Blenheim in 1865. It is the marae (meeting ground) of Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui, and includes the Arapaoa wharenui (meeting house). Dunedin. The Breeze plays more music with less talk. NEW Premium service. During the 2018-19 season, 44 ships carrying 85,000 passengers visited Picton.[32]. [38], There was no secondary education provision (Years 9 to 13) in Picton prior to 1965, with secondary school students from Picton commuted to Marlborough College in Blenheim (split into Marlborough Boys' College and Marlborough Girls' College in 1963). Should there be cancellation of services due to Covid 19 restrictions, we will offer affected customers a transfer to an alternative date, a credit for 12 months, or a refund, regardless of the fare purchased less a $30 processing fee for the entire reservation. Picton 92.3FM Kaikoura 89.1FM Westport 90.1FM Christchurch 738AM Timaru 105.9FM Mackenzie Country (Tekapo and Twizel) 91.0FM Oamaru 100.8FM Queenstown 91.2FM. NCTIR is an alliance partnership between Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, KiwiRail, Downer, Fulton Hogan, HEB Construction and Higgins. The Picton Borough Council established the town's first electricity supply in September 1917. The town is located near the head of the Queen Charlotte Sound / Tōtaranui, 25 km (16 mi) north of Blenheim and 65 km (40 mi) west of Wellington. The town's wastewater system was upgraded in 2017, with a replacement main along Waikawa Road between Waikawa and central Picton and a bypass treatment plant to treat excess sewage that can't be processed at the main treatment plant. [29] In 2019, consultation began on a redevelopment of the ferry precinct ahead of Interislander introducing new and larger ferries in 2024. On the land side, Picton is surrounded by hills and monutains, including Te Tara-o-Te-Marama / Mount Freeth to the west, the Robertson Range to the south and Mount McCormick to the east. In 1859, the Marlborough Province was created and the newly-named Picton became the provincial capital. It has a roll of approximately 356 students. The township extends northeast along rolling land towards Waikawa Bay, separated from Picton Harbour by The Snout and Victoria Domain.[11]. Picton (Māori: Waitohi) is a town in the Marlborough Region of New Zealand's South Island.The town is located near the head of the Queen Charlotte Sound / Tōtaranui, 25 km (16 mi) north of Blenheim and 65 km (40 mi) west of Wellington. Tauranga. [6][7], Author Katherine Mansfield spent time in Picton where her grandparents, Arthur and Mary Beauchamp, and her father Harold, lived for some time when they came from Australia. This train connects at Blenheim with bus and coach services to Nelson and services from Nelson to Blenheim. Mikhail Lermontov, Lastingham, Koi and Rangitoto : Go Dive Marlborough, Charter Information Marlborough (NZ): Yacht, Launch & Boat Charters and Deep Sea Diving, Wreck and reef dive sites in the Marlborough Sounds including the Mikhail Lermontov, Lastingham, and Rangitoto wrecks, New Zealand Wreck Diving in the Marlborough Sounds, Diver Training, Liveaboard and live ashore expeditions. and Kaikoura. For mobility-impaired passengers, there are spaces for wheel chairs and a disabled public toilet.