Marlborough District – the Sounds, dry skies and Sauvignon blanc
Marlborough is known above all for three things: its dry climate, the drowned valleys of the Marlborough Sounds and the Sauvignon blanc that carries the district's name around the world. Sitting at the north-eastern corner of the South Island, it is known in Māori as Te Tauihu-o-te-waka, the prow of the canoe, a name that captures its position at the top of the island. Since local government reform it has been run by the Marlborough District Council, a unitary authority with the functions of both a district and a regional council, based at Blenheim, the largest town. Around 50,800 people live here. Members are warmly invited to share their own memories, stories and photographs.