14 Memorial Square, Martinborough, Other
Martinborough is an unusual character amongst New Zealand rural towns, in it's origins, layout and focus.
With a large historic hotel on the side of a central square, radiating roads in a Union Jack pattern, it differs from the standard Wairarapa 'strip towns' built either side of roads or railways. The reason for this is that Martinborough was planned, by a Mr John Martin. He was the Irish immigrant (with an obviously British influence) who drew up, planned and built this town on part of his enormous sheep station, Huangarua.
There were already two small settlements here at the confluence of the Ruamahanga and Huangarua rivers, the Pakeha one maned Wharekaka and a Maori village called Waihenga (a variation of which has been chosen as the name for the 2018 community centre). Mr Martin chose to make more of the place by carving several hundred sections out of the flat land in 1879, adding to the church, schools and hotels already at the Ruamanhanga ferry crossing. The bridge went in later.
The roads emanating from the new square, he proudly named for places he had visited on a world tour; Venice, Suez, Panama, New York, Texas and more. A slow establishment of the town as a service centre gradually gathered momentum until the Featherston County Council came to town in 1904, quickly followed by a Town Board in 1905. Though the planned railway branch line never happened, a racecourse and a golf course did, and slowly again, Martinborough began to establish itself in a new role, as a recreation ground for visitors, mainly from Wellington. That is the role cemented by popular annual fairs hosted by the South Wairarapa Rotary since since 1977, which in turn gave rise to the annual Jazz and wine festivals.
Wine is the main business now, with intensive concentration of small vineyards, many specialising in Pinot Noir. Toast Martinborough is the major wine and food festival held in November each year with 10,000 people in attendance. Tickets are sought after and sell out early when they go on sale in October. The Websiteprovide gives vineyard opening times.
Accommodation is easier in the off season and can be very difficult during the festivals, but most is well presented and the standard of hospitality in most establishments is of an international standard. Wine tours are popular and self-tours are possible with most vineyards are within walking or cycling distance of the town centre.
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