While on a map it may look like it lies somewhere in the middle of the Cook Strait, the geographical centre of New Zealand is actually a hilltop just outside Nelson City.
Starting from the city centre, an easy walk along the Maitai River will take you across a bridge to the base of the Botanical Reserve. From there, it’s a 20-minute steep but pretty walk through poplar trees and stands of kauri.
The summit is marked by a large white pin identifying the trig point from which the first surveys of New Zealand were started in the 1870s.
With stunning views over Nelson, Tasman Bay and the surrounding hills and mountain ranges, the hilly lookout is a great spot to get your bearings.
