Kevin's Guide to Nelson, New Zealand - Photo of Nelson
Nelson
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For details on points of interest, landmarks, etc., scroll down the page.
This photo was taken form the air on a dull day while flying in to Nelson in late October 2000.
Don't despair about the weather - when I left Auckland about an hour and a quarter earlier, it was at least three degrees colder, raining, and a strong wind was blowing (calm
and dry in Nelson). This photo will be replaced when I get another chance to fly to Auckland or Wellington, and the weather is better, and I am sitting on the right side of the plane for a similar
shot.
Port Nelson. This flat area was re-claimned from the sea. The original coastline was is to the right at the foot of the dark green hills.
2
The southern end of the Boulder Bank, Nelson's 12km long natural breakwater.
3
The Cut, put through the end of the Boulder bank in 1906 to form a new entrance to the harbour, and also forming Haulashore Island.
4
Haulashore Island was originally the end of the Boulder Bank until 1906. Today it is a Council owned reserve and there is a small ferry
available to take day-trippers over to the island for picnics etc. Overnight camping does occur, but is strongly discouraged as there are no
facilities on the Island.
The original entrance to Nelson Harbour was above Haulashore Island (as it appears in this photo) but is a very narrow, shallow, and tricky
place to try and navigate, especially at low tide when it is easiest to wait until the tide comes in to give yourself some leeway for error (unless
you are in a dinghy or canoe).
The light patch on the mainland just above the number 4 is where the first European settlers to Nelson landed in 1842.
5
The centre of Nelson City is only about 5 or 6 minutes away from opposite the Cut (number 3 above). The dark green patch just to the right of
the number 5 is the Church Hill where Nelson's Cathedral is located, at the end of Trafalgar St., Nelson's main shopping street, and the large
white building immediately to the right of it is the Copthorne Rutherford Hotel, at 9 stories, Nelson's tallest building.
6
The Port Hills are one of Nelson's older residential areas. Running along the shore line at the foot of the Port Hills is Rocks Road, built by
convict labour at the end of the 19th Century, and which today forms part of State Highway 6 from Blenheim to Invercargill
(over 1100km away to the south [right]) via the West Coast and Queesnstown.
7
The hill just below the number 7 is the (geographic) Centre of New Zealand [it's actually about a third of the way down the hill on the other
side from the city]. It is about a 20 minute walk from the Botanics Reserve to the summit for views out over the central city, the Port, and North.
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