Access to Queen Charlotte Sound

The wider Marlborough Sounds are quite simply a relatively undiscovered gem of New Zealand, and yet to achieve global icon status they deserve.

Visitation remains largely dominated by domestic visitors with a focus on Christchurch and Canterbury visitation associated with holiday homes and boat ownership. Further visitation is frequently from the Wellington or Nelson Tasman districts providing a short break destination.

A selection of local water–based transport operators offers a range of transfer, walking, adventure tourism, boating, seafood, and mail run tour options. The key focus of visitor experiences tends to revolve around the Queens Charlotte Track, accommodation options, and the heritage surrounding Meretoto Ship Cove and Endeavour inlet.

Perception problems endure for the Marlborough Sounds as many visitors will perhaps see the interisland ferry as their “Sounds Experience”.

As the axis of access, and the roading gateway to the South Island, Waitohi Picton continues to positively develop and transition. Foreshore and visitor wharf and ticketing office options have provided a focal point for visitor interactions with the water. Future planned redevelopments of the Ferry terminal will provide challenges and opportunities in the visitor flow and smaller cruise ship handling spaces.

The currently under construction extension to the Waikawa marina will allow a further 320 berths and the consequent support and accommodation spin off opportunities.

Initiatives to develop new visitor attraction concepts to assist with visitor retention in Waitohi Picton are already underway and led by Marlborough District Council.

Future opportunities lie in the appropriate consideration of the town main street visitor experience – especially for transitional travellers and the likely need for a wider range of accommodation options both in Waitohi Picton and the Marlborough Sounds as the industry recovers in a post Covid setting.

Initiatives that assist in transitioning Picton from a gateway to a destination include new visitor attractions, and potential resort or apartment accommodation options.

Key Strengths Key Concerns

Located on main visitor route between North & South Islands Lack of accessible commercialised accommodation out in the Sounds – few hotels of variable quality and individual holiday homes – lacking in commissionable volumes

Stunning setting visually Higher price point of boating transport limiting easy access for all

Safe harbour for boating in NZ climate Fuel costs

Existing boating access Perception of summer positioning

Queen Charlotte Track as a destination driver Ownership of land on Queen Charlotte Track

Home port of Picton to use as base for sounds exploratio. Lack of access to iwi–based experiences

Established local operators invested in future of Sounds Lack of existing visitor volume to grow infrastructure viability

Natural environment and wildlife experiences Few overnight on–water experiences

Well–developed leisure/ visitor boating wharf side facilities and expanding marina facilities for boat owners Lack of easy & quick access to Pelorus from Picton

Passionate local environmentally focused community Lack of commercialised visitor attractions out in Sounds – a packaged destination driver for industry distribution chains

Nationally valuable heritage status – iwi & colonial Existing long term environmental damage

Pressure on fishing stocks

Roading vulnerability

Uncertainty around future aspiration by Sounds based community

Key Opportunities Key Strategies

Enhance Picton as gateway to the Sounds – a destination Development of alternative sounds–based walking experiences to reduce risk and exposure around Queen Charlotte Track

Secure land tenure on Queen Charlotte Track – future security Development of new Picton based visitor attraction(s) to retain existing throughflow traffic longer

Evolve environmentally aware groups under one common plan Consideration of higher quality hotel in central or near Picton

Activate iwi visitor spaces and build narrative Investigation around the development of a high quality wellness resort that include quality water views, spa facilities and easy quick road access from Picton

Consider what a new commercialised visitor attraction in the Sounds may look like Work with wider community, DOC, and iwi to further develop regenerative visitor plans and wider iwi narrative

Development of environmentally and socially acceptable accommodation in the Sounds

Complete Picton resort package/ experience