Accommodation in Marlborough between Blenheim / Picton and Nelson
Mount Richmond Estate is located two kilometres from Rai Valley township towards Nelson on State Highway 6. It is the perfect centre for accessing the Marlborough Sounds as well as Blenheim and Nelson.
On a spacious ten acre sunny plateau high above Rai Valley, Mount Richmond Estate is surrounded by native and exotic forest. The peace and tranquility will completely recharge you.
Mount Richmond Forest Park stretches 100 km along the rugged backbone of the Mt Richmond Range from St Arnaud all the way to the coast. It forms the backdrop to Nelson city and dominates the skyline from Blenheim and the Wairau Valley. Over 80% of the vast area is covered in dense forest with manuka, kanuka, bracken and gorse common around the margins of the park. The high peaks like Mt Richmond (1,700 metres) and the 'Alpine Route' further south have small alpine grasslands.
Geological interest in the park is high as the main South Island alpine fault runs along the southern boundary. This is the largest active fault line in New Zealand and extends down to South Westland. The Red Hills and Dun Mountain have high levels of magnesium and iron, which gives them a distinctive rust colour. Over millions of years they have been moved 600 km north from the identical rocks in the Red Hills of South Westland.
