Located in the Nelson/Tasman region
With a population of approximately 750 people, Murchison has a museum, information centre, petrol station, and a wide variety of accommodation, several shops, hotels and cafés.
Along the Kahikatea Walk many forest-dwelling birds can be observed and heard, including bellbirds, tui, kereru, robins, fantails, silvereyes and kingfishers.
On Johnsons Creek Track robins, tui, tomtits, grey warblers and bellbirds are commonly heard and seen, with kaka, kakariki, shining cuckoo and long-tailed cuckoo heard at times.
There are many rivers that makes this area good for anglers.
There are many rivers in the area which you can raft on.
Murchison is centrally located in the upper South Island on SH6.
It's 2 hours south of Nelson, 2 hours 30 minutes west of Blenheim, 1 hour 30 minutes east of Westport and 4 hours northwest of Christchurch.
A number of companies offer bus services to Murchison from Nelson, Blenheim, the West Coast and Christchurch.
The area is steeped in history from the days of the gold miners and early settlers.
In 1846 the well-known early New Zealand explorers Heaphy, Brunner and Fox—with their Māori guide, Kehu—were the first Europeans to see the area where Murchison now stands.
After gold was struck in the Upper Buller in the 1860s the Nelson Provincial Government lost no time in planning for a future settlement.
Murchison was taken from the name given by renowned geologist Julius von Haast to a nearby mountain in honour of a famous Scottish geologist.
| Rotoiti / Nelson Lakes Visitor Centre | |
| Phone: | +64 3 521 1806 |
| Fax: | +64 4 471 1117 |
| Email: | nelsonlakesvc@doc.govt.nz |
| Address: |
View Road St Arnaud |
| Postal Address: |
PO Box 55 St Arnaud 7053 |
| Full office details | |
| Whakatū / Nelson Visitor Centre | |
| Phone: | +64 3 546 9339 |
| Fax: | +64 4 471 1117 |
| Email: | nelsonvc@doc.govt.nz |
| Address: |
Millers Acre/Taha o te Awa 79 Trafalgar Street Nelson 7010 |
| Postal Address: |
Private Bag 5 Nelson 7042 |
| Full office details | |