Discover Wakefield

Wakefield is one of New Zealand’s earliest European settlements and has several buildings of historical interest. The Town to Country section of the Tasman’s Great Taste Trail also leads to Wakefield. This gives you a choice of very different interests when planning your trip: local history and a specific cycling route.

Church, cemetery and local history

St John’s Church is the oldest surviving church on New Zealand’s South Island. Marianne Reay designed it in 1846; it is considered the first known work of New Zealand architecture designed by a woman. The church stands among mature trees and a historic cemetery. Here, architectural history and the established cemetery grounds meet in one place.

The St John’s Cemetery Walk offers another way to explore local history. It leads to the gravestone of Mary Ann and Edward Baigent, who are often described as the founders of Wakefield. Willow Bank Heritage Village features recreated shops and historical exhibits. It is located at 79 Wakefield-Kohatu Highway in Wakefield. Traditional high tea is offered there on selected dates; check the current dates if you plan to include it in your itinerary.

The Historic Transport Museum collects, displays, preserves and restores vehicles, machinery, artefacts and memorabilia relating to the transport history of Nelson, Marlborough and the West Coast. The collection at Pigeon Valley Steam Museum includes steam-related exhibits, among them two Fowler traction engines: one rated at 8 hp and one at 5 hp. On Steam-Up days, free rides are available on a trailer pulled by a traction engine and on the bush tramway. These rides are offered only on Steam-Up days; check the dates in advance if they are important to your trip.

Cycling the Great Taste Trail

The Great Taste Trail is part of Nga Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail. The Town to Country section leads to Wakefield and is 34 km long; the estimated cycling time is about two to three hours. The Rural Tasman section starts in the village of Wakefield and runs through the historic Spooners Tunnel to Tapawera. It is 31 km long, also with an estimated cycling time of about two to three hours, and descends via Kohatu to Tapawera. The tunnel itself is 1.4 km long.

The two sections offer a clear choice based on distance and route: Town to Country ends in Wakefield, while Rural Tasman continues from there through the tunnel towards Tapawera. The estimated cycling times are about the same for both, despite the difference in distance. Allow for the fact that these are approximate times when planning, and check current route conditions before setting out.

Golf and disc golf

Redstone Golf Park has a flat golf course with 9 or 18 holes. The park also has a disc golf course with three marked layouts, each with nine holes. The layouts suit different experience levels. This gives you two distinct options: a round of golf with a choice of hole count, or disc golf on marked layouts. If you plan to play on a particular day of your trip, check current operating conditions in advance.

Wakefield brings together historic sites, collections relating to architectural and transport history, and clearly described options for cycling and golf. When choosing where to stay, you can decide whether you are most interested in the historic townscape, the Great Taste Trail route, or a round on the golf or disc golf course.

Discover more destinations: Upper Moutere, Motueka, Mapua, Brightwater, Mahana, Saint Arnaud, Marahau, Anatori.

For the broader travel overview: Tasman District.