The Moutere Hills

Mahana in the Moutere Hills

The settlement of Mahana still produces apples, but many orchards have been replanted as vineyards and olive groves.

  • Pick up a bottle of award-winning wine or olive oil to accompany dinner or to complete the perfect picnic.
  • Old Coach Road provides spectacular views in either direction – east through farmland across the bay to the city and hills, or west to the Mount Arthur Range.
  • Frame this view through the massive Yantra for Mahana sculpture by Marté Szirmay at the gateway to Woollaston Estates.
  • The Settlers’ Cottage is a survivor of the early years of European immigration, built in 1910 by a German family. The cottage has been restored and is open to the public, entry by donation.

Upper Moutere in the Moutere Hills

German settlers gave the name Sarau to what is now Upper Moutere, an area famous for its wineries, many with cellar door tastings and delightful gardens for alfresco quaffing.

  • The village is still dominated by the Lutheran church, framed by leafy oaks. The building shows what European craftsmen were able to do with the native timbers they found in their new home.
  • More recent attractions are the general store with its great coffee, the old Post Office where delicious fruit chutneys and pickles are made and sold, the 160 year old Moutere Inn – a Mecca for craft beer drinkers, and potters’ galleries.
  • The Sarau Festival www.saraufestival.co.nz at the end of January  celebrates one of the star crops of the area, blackcurrants. There are cook-offs, a scarecrow competition, stalls offering local foods and arts and crafts – and the Moutere Valley Bike Race for those wanting to pedal off some steam.
  • The driving pleasure of the Moutere Highway with its long easy curves dates from its origin as an oxcart route to Nelson.

Neudorf in the Moutere Hills

Famed for wine and cheese, Neudorf was settled and named by German immigrants in the mid 19th Century.

  • Shop locally for your picnic and head to a vineyard for some of the region’s (and the world’s) finest wines, and views out over rolling and picturesque countryside to the Mount Arthur Range.
  • Neudorf is a truly working rural area -  a wide range of locally grown produce is on offer and can be purchased directly from the growers.
  • Look out for the tall supports and trailing vines of hops – the wider area produces this summer crop for local brewing and export.

Dovedale in the Moutere Hills

Dovedale is a classic pastoral area where sheep and cattle are still farmed, the names of the old families live on, the local school is still on its original site and pets’ day is the highlight of the year.

  • The historic church rewards a visit – it has been restored and is still in use for services, community carols and weddings.
  • Keep an eye out for the tobacco kilns that remain from when this crop dominated farming in the area.
  • The nearby Motueka River is one of New Zealand’s best for trout fishing – and is also great for swimming and picnicking.