Picton Regional Information

Picton | Regional Information | Activity Highlights | Scenic Highlights | History

Located at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound, Picton is an important port town nestled deep in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. View Picton scenic video.

Picton Overview

Marlborough, New Zealand

Picton is situated deep in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds which are renowned for the safe opportunity they provide for outdoor activities.

The Marlborough Sounds are located at the top of the South Island, Marlborough boasts the highest sunshine hours in New Zealand. The warm dry summer weather, safe swimming, secluded bays and scenery all combine to make the Marlborough Sounds a preferred holiday destination.

Located at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound, Picton is an important port town serving as the South Island terminal for the busy interisland ferry service. Inter-island ferries go to and from Wellington by way of the Marlborough Sounds providing passenger, car and rail transport across the Cook Straight. The trip follows a stunning cruise through the Marlborough Sounds and out into Cook Strait before turning into Wellington Harbour. Most of the sheltered part of the route is through Tory Channel, south of Arapawa Island.

Image Source: Tourism New Zealand. Picton in Marlborough

Picton, Marlborough
New Zealand
Photographer: Ivor Wilkins
(ivorw@xtra.co.nz)

The town of Picton was named after Sir Thomas Picton, the Welsh military associate of the Duke of Wellington, who was killed at the Battle of Waterloo. In 2006 Picton had a resident population of 4,086, making it Marlborough Region's second-largest town.

Picton Street Names

Many of Picton's first streets were named after New Zealand provinces and English counties - reflecting the English heritage of New Zealand. The town centre has Taranaki, Auckland, Wellington and Otago streets and a Nelson Square alongside Devon, Oxford, York, Kent and Durham streets.