The Wairarapa region retains a globally unspoilt pedigree
Surrounded by New Zealand’s majestic landscape, the Wairarapa region is 75 minutes drive from the capital Wellington, or a 15 minute helicopter flight. Ponatahi House is close to the Ruamahanga River, The Tararua mountain range, Castlepoint and Ngawi beaches yet also 10 minutes drive from Martinborough – a delightful wine village.
Known for its hot, languid summers, the Wairarapa provides a relaxed, refined country region away from the pressure of urban life.
Big skies, rural settings and characterful towns define the Wairarapa experience. The historic towns of Martinborough and Greytown are a short distance from Ponatahi House with the main regional town – Masterton – providing the hub for rural industries, schools and a small regional airport.
The local vibrant wine community produces some iconic, intensely flavoured, internationally acclaimed boutique wines. The region is renown for Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and the Aromatics.
Numerous outdoor recreational activities are available in The Wairarapa: several golf courses, hiking in the mountains, fly fishing, mountain biking – all within easy reach of Ponatahi House.
Martinborough may be small in size, but it is huge in style. The region is home to around 30 wineries that are mostly family owned.
The wineries are all within walking distance from the town's picturesque colonial centre. Cycling is also a popular option for visitors flocking to the region to taste its world-renowned wines.
Wairarapa celebrates its wine legacy with a number of annual festivals, including Toast Martinborough, The Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival and The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail.
Historic Greytown was New Zealand’s first planned inland town and was named after Governor Sir George Grey. It was established in 1854 is home to New Zealand’s largest street of Victorian colonial architecture that line the main street.
Greytown has a wide choice of cafés and restaurants serving seasonal menus and local wines, as well as designer boutiques, furniture and antique stores, art galleries and quirky local shops.
The Ponatahi Valley gently winds for 15 kilometers through rolling rural countryside heading north from Martinborough.
Ponatahi House sits proudly atop a natural plateau amidst rural surroundings looking towards the majestic Tararua mountain range.
The Ponatahi EcoZone was recently established between rural residents living within the Ponatahi Valley.
The purpose is to develop long term collaboration for native planting, pest control, and continue to source funding from the independent charitable trust (The Queen Elizabeth II National Trust) to protect native species on private land.
