The Valleys (Wairau, Waihopai, Awatere)

The Wairau Valley runs from the coastline in the east to the Rainbow Valley just out of St Arnaud village in Nelson Lakes National Park. The Wairau Valley has always offered the region a small scenic alternative highway south, which has been hugely important for sustaining tourism in the year following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake. The Waihopai Valley to the southwest of the Wairau Valley has the Waihopai River feeding into the Wairau River just west of Renwick. 

The Awatere Valley to the south of Blenheim has the Awatere River flowing to the sea near the Redwood Pass on the east coast, northeast of Seddon. In these valleys, the flat fertile easy land is now mainly in grapes with a total planted area of 25,000 hectares and still expanding. Orchards, honey and olives are also located throughout. Towards the southern end of the valley, Marlborough still has large sheep and cattle stations, merino studs and deer farms. The Awatere hosts the 37,500 hectare Muller Station and 18,500 hectare Molesworth Station. The Awatere Valley is also home to the largest of Marlborough's shallot and garlic farms, which converts some of its garlic into Marlborough's famous garlic noir. There are a lot of wild game animals in these areas, and they are utilised by chefs up and down the country via a local game company. Eels are exported overseas from the rivers in these areas as well.