Townships

Find out more about the towns and places of Tasman and the projects planned for them.

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Pronouncing our place names

Correct spelling and pronunciation helps keep important stories behind place names alive. We've created a pronounciation guide which covers some commonly mispronounced place names in our District, and shows you how to say them correctly. Master the vowel sounds and the rest will follow.

Download the Te Reo Māori Place Names Guide (pdf 685 KB)

Something to remember is 'r' is commonly called a ‘rolled’ r - the sound you should aim for is something similar to an English ‘d’ – but softer e.g. judder. The ‘ng’ is said as it sounds in the English word ‘singer', and ‘wh’ is usually pronounced as an English ‘ f’ sound.

Check out this website for more pronunciation tips and sounds(external link).

Related pages

Learn more about the make-up of our region

Appleby is the country district around the lower Waimea River about five kilometres outside Richmond.

Belgrove is the last settlement before heading south on State Highway 6 over Spooner’s Range.

Brightwater has been a popular residential centre in Tasman District ever since it first came to life in the 1840s.

Collingwood is nestled in the peninsula jutting into the Ruataniwha Inlet with the Aorere River on one side and Golden Bay on the other.

The picturesque Dovedale Valley was surveyed in 1863.

The extension of the railway from Tadmor to Glenhope in 1912 brought life to this country district located 41 kilometres from Murchison.

Golden Downs has been a centre of forestry since the late 1920s.

Gowanbridge is farming country dominated by large holdings and is best known as the gateway to Lake Rotoroa.

The golden sand of Kaiteriteri is synonymous with summer sun, sea and camping, attracting holidaymakers from all over the country since the 1920s.

Mangarākau is a remote settlement south of the Whanganui Inlet on the northwestern edge of Tasman District.

Mapua / Ruby Bay started life as the fruit basket of Tasman District, servicing the surrounding apple orchards.

Marahau is a small tourist settlement located close to the southern entrance to the Abel Tasman National Park.

Motueka is the second largest town in Tasman District and is the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park, Kaiteriteri Beach, and Golden Bay.

Murchison is the District's southern-most settlement.

The rural district of Onekaka is north of Tākaka on the Onekaka Road.

Pōhara, Ligar Bay, Tata Beach and Tarakohe are the coastal settlement area at the southernmost end of Golden Bay.

Richmond is the district's largest population centre.

Riwaka is famous for its horticulture industry, especially apples, pears, kiwifruit and hops.

St Arnaud is part of the Lakes-Murchison Ward and gateway to Nelson Lakes National Park.

Tākaka is the largest urban settlement in Golden Bay.

Tapawera is a friendly rural centre nestled in the Motueka River Valley.

Tasman village is a scenic, serene spot between on the coast between Motueka and Māpua.

Tōtaranui is the northern end of the Abel Tasman National Park coastal track, about an hour’s drive from Tākaka on an unsealed road or two hours by boat from Mārahau at the other end of the track.

Upper Moutere is a small rural community with an attractive setting on the rolling Moutere Hills, with views of Mt Arthur from some sites.

Wakefield sits at the southern end of the Waimea Plains.