Wairarapa

An hour’s scenic drive from New Zealand’s capital city Wellington, the Wairarapa region is located in the south-eastern corner of the country’s North Island. Wairarapa, named for its largest lake, means ‘glistening waters’; the name was reportedly given to the area by the early Maori explorer Huanui who glimpsed the lake and surrounding rivers from the ranges to the west. The region was settled by Maori beginning in the 14th century, and Europeans arrived in the 1840s. Wairarapa remained a peaceful farming region even during the tumultuous New Zealand Wars, and even people head there from the cities to enjoy a quieter pace of life.

Wairarapa is largely rural, a wide sprawl of open space stretching from the rugged, bush-clad Tararua Range to the east and south coasts. Masterton is the region’s main town; others include Carterton, Greytown, Martinborough and Featherston. Each town has a unique character: Carterton is regarded as an arts hub; Masterton plays host to the annual Golden Shear sheep-shearing contest; Greytown is known for its architectural charm and beautiful trees; Featherston is a mecca for railway and military buffs; and Martinborough is famous for its wineries.

The Wairarapa is a small wine region, with just 3% of New Zealand’s total land under vine and 1% of its total production. However, despite its size, Wairarapa wine country is home to some of the most iconic and sought after wineries including Te Kairanga and Craggy Range. There are 20 wineries around Martinborough, most of which can be reached on foot or by bicycle from the Martinborough’s village square. Each November, the Toast Martinborough festival celebrates the region’s wines and showcases Wairarapa’s boutique wine and food producers. The festival brings 10,000 people to the town, which has a permanent population of just 1300.

Perhaps unsurprisingly due to its rural character, Wairarapa’s economy is centred on agricultural industries. Forestry and sheep, beef and dairy farming are major land users. The move into viticulture in the 1980s brought diversity and prosperity to the sector. Tourism is a growth area today, with Wairarapa marketing itself as ‘New Zealand’s Capital Country,’ pitched at Wellington visitors seeking a country experience with city comforts. A number of regional festivals and fairs attract thousands to the area, and lifestyle blocks and weekend holiday homes are sought after by Wellingtonians seeking peace and quiet not far from the city.

Wairarapa is the birthplace of numerous notable New Zealanders, including comedians Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) and Raybon Kan, and champion golfer Sir Bob Charles. Wairarapa was also the site of a major political milestone, when in 1995 Georgina Beyer was elected mayor of Carterton, making her the world’s first transsexual mayor. She went on to become the Wairarapa’s Member of Parliament in 1999, making her the world’s first transsexual MP.