Outdoors

Locals Only: Marlborough TOur Company Offers Full Sounds Experience

StOry By Kat Duggan

Supplied As an autumnal serenity falls upon Marlborough, one tourism company is urging locals to get out amongst the crown jewel that is the Marlborough Sounds. Marlborough Tour Company, which has long operated transport and tour services in Marlborough, recently purchased two Queen Charlotte Sound lodges, Furneaux Lodge and Punga Cove Resort. Just last month, the company purchased Cougar Line, adding ‘water taxi’ to its repertoire of services. Marlborough Tour Company general manager Scott McKenzie says the purchase of the three companies has allowed them to expand their tour and transport offerings. “Marlborough Tour Company is [traditionally] what we have got here; the buses and the vehicles, we’ve got the wine touring and scenic touring, and we’ve got four boats which have been predominantly seafood related cruises, offering lunch cruises and dinner cruises,” he says. With a predominantly international market currently, Marlborough Tour Company hopes the move will enable them to help more local visitors to explore the Marlborough Sounds. “Both of those lodges attract a lot of day visitors and there’s nothing better than sitting at the waterfront and having a nice lunch [and] purchasing Cougar Line gives us five more

boats doing water transfers in the sounds,” Scott says. The Queen Charlotte Track is also a huge drawcard for visitors, and as part of the celebration of its expansion, the company is offering discounts to locals on their new Cruise-Walk-Lunch or Cruise-Lunch packages. “It’s about the international market but it’s also about Nelson and Marlborough locals going out in the sounds for the weekend,” Scott says. “A big part is going to be taking people out to do a cruise, walk, lunch, or just direct to a lodge for a cruise and lunch.” As international visitor numbers drop off throughout the cooler months, the opportunity is there for locals to cash in on the calm days so often gifted to the region during autumn and winter, Scott says. “Marlborough is awesome in the autumn and winter, you get these beautiful clear days, and we would like to see that Marlborough people don’t hibernate. “They can head to Picton, jump on a Cougar Line Boat and the next thing you’re at Furneaux Lodge or Punga Cove, or you can go out and do a track walk and get out and enjoy some of the sounds.” Marlborough is viewed internationally as a tourism destination, with visitor numbers swelling in during the summer. “The market drops right away in winter, but it really doesn’t need to, it’s still a good thing to do right through the year,” Scott says. “There’s extreme seasonality in Marlborough, there always has been … places do close up over the winter but we really do want the region to be shown as being open for business year-round.” For those looking for more than just a day cruise, there is the option of dinner and a night or two at one of the lodges, returning with the Cougar Line the following day. The Queen Charlotte Track has long been a drawcard for visitors, offering a challenge and stunning scenery while promising the luxury of world class lodges at the end of each day, with the added bonus of bag transfer options. “The Queen Charlotte Track is right on our back door step,” Scott says. “It’s one of the few walks where you don’t have to carry your own pack, you can just take a day back with your lunch and your bag gets carried by boat to the next stop, and you know there’s a nice lodge waiting for you.” Scott encourages Marlburians to add a day out in the Queen Charlotte Sound to their list of ‘to-dos’ this winter. “If any locals want a really good day out, they really do need to go and try the pizzas at Punga Cove … there’s craft beers, it’s a cool little waterfront location, it’s one of the absolute hidden gems on the track.” The locals promotion will run throughout May and June with enquiries to Cougar Line on 03 573 7925 or drop in to the Cougar Line office on the Picton Waterfront.