Editing Nelson, New Zealand

{{Short description|City in the South Island, New Zealand}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Nelson
| official_name      = 
| native_name        = {{native name|mi|Whakatū}}
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in New Zealand|City]] and [[List of regions in New Zealand|unitary region]]
| image_skyline      = Nelson New Zealand.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = View of Nelson from the "[[Centre of New Zealand]]" in November 2006
| image_flag         = nelson flag.svg
| flag_alt           = 
| flag_link          = Flag of the City of Nelson
| image_seal         = 
| seal_alt           = 
| image_shield       = File:Nelson coat of arms.png
| shield_alt         = 
| nickname           = Sunny Nelson
| motto              = {{langx|la|Palmam qui meruit ferat}}<br/>(Let him who has earned it bear the palm)
| image_map          = {{New Zealand region map|Nelson|250px}}
| mapsize            = 200px
| map_caption        = Nelson region within New Zealand
| coordinates        = {{coord|41|16|15|S|173|17|2|E|region:NZ|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint      = 
| coordinates_footnotes = 
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[New Zealand]]
| subdivision_type1  = Island
| subdivision_name1  = [[South Island]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Territorial authorities of New Zealand|Unitary authority]]
| subdivision_name2  = Nelson City
| established_title1 = Settled by Europeans
| established_date1  = 1841
| founder            = [[Arthur Wakefield]]
| named_for          = [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Horatio Nelson]]
| parts_type         = Suburbs
| p1                 = [[Nelson Central]]
| p2                 = [[Annesbrook]]
| p3                 = [[Atawhai]]
| p4                 = [[Beachville, New Zealand|Beachville]]
| p5                 = [[Bishopdale, Nelson|Bishopdale]]
| p6                 = [[Britannia Heights, New Zealand|Britannia Heights]]
| p7                 = [[Enner Glynn]]
| p8                 = [[Maitai, New Zealand|Maitai]]
| p9                 = [[Marybank, New Zealand|Marybank]]
| p10                = [[Moana, Nelson|Moana]]
| p11                = [[Monaco, New Zealand|Monaco]]
| p12                = [[Stepneyville]]
| p13                = [[Stoke, New Zealand|Stoke]]
| p14                = [[Tāhunanui]]
| p15                = [[The Brook, Nelson|The Brook]]
| p16                = [[The Wood, New Zealand|The Wood]]
| p17                = [[Toi Toi]]
| p18                = [[Wakatu]]
| p19                = [[Washington Valley, New Zealand|Washington Valley]]
| government_footnotes = 
| seat_type          = Electorates
| seat               = [[Nelson (New Zealand electorate)|Nelson]]<br/>[[Te Tai Tonga]]
| leader_title       = [[Mayor of Nelson, New Zealand|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = [[Nick Smith (New Zealand politician)|Nick Smith]]
| leader_title1      = Deputy mayor
| leader_name1       = [[Rohan O'Neill-Stevens]]
| leader_title2      = [[New Zealand Parliament|MPs]]
| leader_name2       = [[Rachel Boyack]] ([[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour]]) <br/> [[Tākuta Ferris]] ([[Te Pāti Māori]])
| total_type         = Territorial
| unit_pref          = 
| area_urban_km2     = 54.69
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 422.19
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_water_percent = 
| area_note          = 
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 
| population_footnotes = {{NZ population data 2018||||y}}
| population_total   = {{NZ population data 2018|Nelson region|y}}
| population_as_of   = {{NZ population data 2018|||y}}
| population_urban   = {{NZ population data 2018|Nelson|y}}
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_urban_km2 = auto
| timezone           = [[Time in New Zealand|NZST]]
| utc_offset         = +12
| timezone_DST       = NZDT
| utc_offset_DST     = +13
| blank_name_sec1    = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2022)
| blank_info_sec1    = 0.933<ref name="GlobalDataLab">{{Cite web|url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/table/shdi/NZL/?levels=1+4&interpolation=0&extrapolation=0|title=Sub-national HDI – Area Database – Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|access-date=18 February 2023|archive-date=18 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218034714/https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/table/shdi/NZL/?levels=1+4&interpolation=0&extrapolation=0|url-status=live}}</ref><br />{{color|green|very high}} · [[List of regions of New Zealand by Human Development Index|7th]]
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->| postal_code_type   = Postcode <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
| postal_code        = 7010, 7011, 7020
| area_code          = 03
| website            = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes          = 
| image_blank_emblem = 
| blank_emblem_type  = [[Logo]]
| governing_body     = [[Nelson City Council]]
}}

[[File:Richmond And Nelson From Southeast.jpg|thumb|upright=1.39|Southern suburbs of Nelson (right) and the nearby town of Richmond (left) seen from the air]]<!-- this image was previously alleged to be "forced to infobox width" at 250px but that is neither correct no necessary! [[WP:IMGDD]] states "Don't set fixed image sizes". You too can help with converting image parameters to relative sizing -->

'''Nelson''' ({{langx|mi|Whakatū}}) is a [[List of cities in New Zealand|city]] and [[Districts of New Zealand|unitary authority]] on the eastern shores of [[Tasman Bay]] at the top of the [[South Island]] of [[New Zealand]]. It is the oldest city in the South Island and the second-oldest settled city in the country; it was established in 1841 and became a city by British [[royal charter]] in 1858.<ref name=TeAra_places1>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Walrond |first=Carl |date=22 April 2015 |title=Nelson places – Nelson city |url= https://teara.govt.nz/en/nelson-places/page-1 |encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |access-date=27 February 2025}}</ref>

Nelson City is bordered to the west and south-west by the [[Tasman District]] and to the north-east, east and south-east by the [[Marlborough District]]. The Nelson urban area has a population of {{NZ population data 2018|Nelson|y|4=}},{{NZ population data 2018|4=y}} making it New Zealand's 15th most populous urban area.

Nelson is well known for its thriving local arts and crafts scene; each year, the city hosts events popular with locals and tourists alike, such as the Nelson Arts Festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nelsonartsfestival.co.nz|title=Nelson Arts Festival|access-date=22 April 2015|archive-date=31 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331075522/http://www.nelsonartsfestival.co.nz/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Naming ==
Nelson was named in honour of Admiral [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Horatio Nelson]], who defeated both the [[First French Empire|French]] and Spanish fleets at the [[Battle of Trafalgar]] in 1805. Many roads and public areas around the city are named after people and ships associated with that battle. Inhabitants of the city are referred to as Nelsonians; Trafalgar Street is its main shopping axis.

Nelson's [[Māori language|Māori]] name, {{lang|mi|Whakatū}},<ref name=Maori>{{cite web|url=http://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/english/resources_e/list_placenames.shtm |title=NZ government Māori Language Commission |access-date=25 August 2007}}{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> means 'construct', 'raise', or 'establish'.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023 |title=whakatū |url=https://www.maoridictionary.co.nz/ |access-date=15 January 2023 |website=Te Aka Māori Dictionary |archive-date=17 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117134741/https://maoridictionary.co.nz/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In an article to ''The Colonist'' newspaper on 16 July 1867, Francis Stevens described Nelson as "The [[Naples]] of the [[Southern Hemisphere]]".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TC18670716.2.10 |title=Papers Past – Colonist – 16 July 1867 – NELSON, COBDEN, AND WESTPORT RAILWAY |publisher=Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |access-date=30 November 2019 |archive-date=21 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121024802/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TC18670716.2.10 |url-status=live }}</ref> Today, Nelson is nicknamed "Sunny Nelson" due to its high sunshine hours per year and the "Top of the South" because of its geographic location.

In [[New Zealand Sign Language]], the name is signed by putting the index and middle fingers together which are raised to the nose until the fingertips touch the nose, then move the hand forward so that the fingers point slightly forward away from oneself.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nzsl.vuw.ac.nz/signs/4652|title=Nelson – NZSL Online|website=nzsl.vuw.ac.nz|access-date=16 May 2018|archive-date=16 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516175301/https://nzsl.vuw.ac.nz/signs/4652|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
{{See also|History of the Nelson Region, New Zealand}}
[[File:Nelson cathedral.jpg|thumb|[[Anglican Diocese of Nelson|Diocese of Nelson]] [[Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson|Christ Church Cathedral]] on Church Hill, central Nelson]]

===Māori settlement===
Settlement of Nelson began about 700 years ago by [[Māori people|Māori]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/10289/2690/1/Lowe%202008%20Polynesian%20settlement%20guidebook.pdf|title=Polynesian settlement of New Zealand and the impacts of volcanism on early Maori society: an update|last=Lowe|first=David J. |year=2008 |publisher=University of Waikato|access-date=29 April 2010|archive-date=22 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522032853/http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/10289/2690/1/Lowe%202008%20Polynesian%20settlement%20guidebook.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> There is evidence that the earliest settlements in New Zealand were around the Nelson–Marlborough regions. Some of the earliest recorded [[iwi]] in the Nelson district are Ngāti Hāwea, Ngāti Wairangi, [[Waitaha (South Island iwi)|Waitaha]] and [[Kāti Māmoe]].<ref name="Walrond">{{cite web|last1=Walrond|first1=Carl|title=Nelson region – Māori history |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/nelson-region/page-4|website=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]]|publisher=[[Ministry for Culture and Heritage]]|accessdate=18 September 2021|date=7 September 2010|archive-date=18 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918070806/https://teara.govt.nz/en/nelson-region/page-4|url-status=live}}</ref> Waitaha people developed the land around the Waimea Gardens, are believed to have been the first people to quarry [[argillite]] in around Nelson. They also developed much of the Waimea Gardens complex – more than {{Convert|400|ha}} on the Waimea Plains near Nelson.<ref name="Te Tau">{{cite web|last1=Mitchell|first1=Hillary|title=Te Tau Ihu|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/te-tau-ihu-tribes|website=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]]|publisher=[[Ministry for Culture and Heritage]]|accessdate=15 September 2016|date=10 February 2015|archive-date=28 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828130409/http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/te-tau-ihu-tribes|url-status=live}}</ref> In the early 1600s, [[Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri]] displaced other [[te Tau Ihu Māori]], becoming the dominant tribe in the area until the early 1800s.<ref name="Walrond"/> Raids from northern tribes in the 1820s, led by [[Te Rauparaha]] and his [[Ngāti Toa]], soon decimated the local population and quickly displaced them.

Today there are eight mutually recognised tribes of the northwestern region: [[Ngāti Kuia]], [[Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō]], [[Rangitāne]], [[Ngāti Toa]]rangatira, [[Ngāti Koata]], [[Ngāti Rārua]], [[Ngāti Tama]] and [[Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui]].<ref name="Walrond"/>

===New Zealand Company===

====Planning====
The [[New Zealand Company]] in London planned the settlement of Nelson. They intended to buy from the Māori some {{convert|200000|acre|km2}} of land, which they planned to divide into one thousand lots and sell to intending settlers. The company earmarked profits to finance the free passage of artisans and labourers, with their families, and for the construction of public works. However, by September 1841 only about one third of the lots had sold. Despite this, the colony pushed ahead, and land was surveyed by [[Frederick Tuckett]].<ref name="DNZB Tuckett">{{DNZB|last=Somerville|first=Ross|id=1t108|title=Frederick Tuckett|access-date=16 February 2015}}</ref>
[[File:(Nelson_from_Church_Hill_looking_east).png|left|thumb|260x260px|1845 Nelson from Church Hill looking east]]
Three ships, the ''[[New Zealand Company ships#Arrow|Arrow]]'', ''[[New Zealand Company ships#Whitby|Whitby]]'', and ''[[New Zealand Company ships#Will Watch|Will Watch]]'', sailed from London, the expedition commanded by Captain [[Arthur Wakefield]]. Arriving in New Zealand, they discovered that the new Governor of the colony, [[William Hobson]], would not give them a free hand to secure vast areas of land from the Māori or indeed to decide where to site the colony. However, after some delay, Hobson allowed the company to investigate the Tasman Bay area at the north end of the South Island. The Company selected the site now occupied by Nelson City because it had the best harbour in the area. But it had a major drawback: it lacked suitable [[arable land]]; Nelson City stands right on the edge of a mountain range while the nearby Waimea Plains amount to only about {{convert|60000|acre|km2}}, less than one third of the area required by the Company plans.

The Company secured land, which was not clearly defined, from the Māori for £800: it included Nelson, Waimea, [[Motueka]], [[Riwaka]] and Whakapuaka. This allowed the settlement to begin, but the lack of definition would prove the source of much future conflict. The three colony ships sailed into Nelson Haven during the first week of November 1841. When the first four immigrant ships – ''[[New Zealand Company ships#Fifeshire|Fifeshire]]'', ''[[New Zealand Company ships#Mary Anne|Mary-Ann]]'', ''[[New Zealand Company ships#Lord Auckland|Lord Auckland]]'' and ''[[New Zealand Company ships#Lloyds|Lloyds]]'' – arrived three months later, they found the town already laid out with streets, some wooden houses, tents and rough sheds. The town was laid out on a [[grid plan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schrader |first=Ben |date=26 March 2015 |orig-date=11 March 2010 |title=City planning – Early settlement planning |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/city-planning/page-1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923041133/https://teara.govt.nz/en/city-planning/page-1 |archive-date=23 September 2023 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |quote=The New Zealand Company settlements – including Wellington, New Plymouth and Nelson – were highly planned...All towns were laid out on a rectilinear or grid plan. |ref=Schrader}}</ref> Within 18 months, the company had sent out 18 ships with 1,052 men, 872 women and 1,384 children. However, fewer than ninety of the settlers had the capital to start as landowners.

====Cultural and religious immigrants====
[[File:Lutheran Church of Upper Moutere, February 2007.jpg|thumb|St Paul's Lutheran Church, [[Upper Moutere]]]]
The early settlement of Nelson province included a proportion of German immigrants, who arrived on the ship ''Sankt Pauli'' and formed the nucleus of the villages of Sarau ([[Upper Moutere]]) and Neudorf. These were mostly [[Lutheranism|Lutheran Protestants]] with a small number of [[Bavarians|Bavarian Catholics]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theprow.org.nz/society/german-settlement-in-nelson/ |title=German Settlement in Tasman Nelson New Zealand |website=Theprow.org.nz |access-date=8 August 2016 |archive-date=17 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417072526/http://www.theprow.org.nz/society/german-settlement-in-nelson/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1892, the [[New Zealand Church Missionary Society]] (NZCMS) was formed in a Nelson church hall.<ref name="NZCMS-Mission">{{cite web |url=http://www.nzcms.org.nz/our_mission.html |title=NZCMS |access-date=18 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014031447/http://nzcms.org.nz/our_mission.html |archive-date=14 October 2008 }}</ref>

====Problems with land====
After a brief initial period of prosperity, the lack of land and of capital caught up with the settlement and it entered a prolonged period of relative depression. The labourers had to accept a cut in their wages. Organised immigration ceased (a state of affairs that continued until the 1850s). By the end of 1843, artisans and labourers began leaving Nelson; by 1846, some 25% of the immigrants had moved away.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

The pressure to find more arable land became intense. To the south-east of Nelson lay the wide and fertile plains of the Wairau Valley. The New Zealand Company tried to claim that they had purchased the land. The Māori owners stated adamantly that the Wairau Valley had not formed part of the original land sale, and made it clear they would resist any attempts by the settlers to occupy the area. The Nelson settlers led by Arthur Wakefield and Henry Thompson attempted to do just that. This resulted in the [[Wairau Affray]], where 22 settlers and 4 Māori died.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Wairau incident |url= https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/wairau-incident |website=NZHistory |access-date=31 March 2020 |archive-date=16 January 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200116101013/https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/wairau-incident |url-status=live}}</ref> The subsequent Government inquiry exonerated the Māori and found that the Nelson settlers had no legitimate claim to any land outside Tasman Bay.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Wairau massacre |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NENZC18440622.2.11 |date=22 June 1844 |work=Nelson Examiner |via=Papers Past |access-date=31 March 2020 }}</ref> Public fears of a Māori attack on Nelson led to the formation of the [[Nelson Battalion of Militia]] in 1845.

===City status===
[[File:NZL-nelson-christ-church-turm.jpg|thumb|Church Steps (sometimes called the ''Cawthron Steps'') from Trafalgar Street up to the 1960s bell tower of Christ Church Cathedral]]
Nelson township was managed by the [[Nelson Province|Nelson Provincial Council]] through a Board of Works constituted by the Provincial Government under the Nelson Improvement Act 1856 until 1874. It was proclaimed a Bishop's [[Episcopal see|See]] and city under letters patent by [[Queen Victoria]] on 27 September 1858,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/civic-symbols |title=Civic symbols |publisher=Nelson City Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120071325/http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/civic-symbols |archive-date=20 January 2011 }}</ref> the second New Zealand city proclaimed in this manner after [[Christchurch]]. Nelson only had some 5,000 residents at this time. [[Edmund Hobhouse]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theprow.org.nz/nelson-s-landmark-cathedral/ |title=Nelson's Landmark Cathedral |publisher=Prow |access-date=14 December 2010 |archive-date=30 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230054543/http://www.theprow.org.nz/nelson-s-landmark-cathedral/ |url-status=live }}</ref> was the first Bishop. The Municipal Corporations Act 1876 stated that Nelson was constituted a city on 30 March 1874.

===Nelson Province===
[[File:Nelson in New Zealand (1852).svg|thumb|The [[Nelson Province]] as constituted in 1853]]
From 1853 until 1876, when provincial governments were abolished, Nelson was the capital of [[Nelson Province]]. The province itself was much larger than present-day Nelson City and included all of the present-day [[Buller District|Buller]], [[Kaikōura District|Kaikōura]], [[Marlborough District|Marlborough]], Nelson, and Tasman, as well as the [[Grey District]] north of the [[Grey River / Māwheranui|Grey River]] and the [[Hurunui District]] north of the [[Hurunui River]]. The [[Marlborough Province]] split from Nelson Province in October 1859.

====Provincial anniversary====
[[Nelson Anniversary Day]] is a public holiday observed in the northern half of the South Island of New Zealand, being the area's provincial anniversary day. It is observed throughout the historic Nelson Province, even though the provinces of New Zealand were abolished in 1876. The modern area of observation includes all of Nelson City and includes all of the present-day Buller, Kaikōura, Marlborough, Tasman districts as well as the Grey District north of the Grey River / Māwheranui and the Hurunui District north of the Hurunui River. The holiday usually falls on the Monday closest to 1 February, the anniversary of the arrival of the first New Zealand Company boat, the ''Fifeshire'', on 1 February 1842.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theprow.org.nz/events/nelson-anniversary-day/#.V6aVedR94_4 |title=Nelson Anniversary Day |website=Theprow.org.nz |access-date=8 August 2016 |archive-date=16 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816064532/http://www.theprow.org.nz/events/nelson-anniversary-day/#.V6aVedR94_4 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Anniversary celebrations in the early years featured a sailing regatta, horse racing, running races, shooting and ploughing matches. In 1892, the Nelson Jubilee Celebration featured an official week-long programme with church services, sports, concerts, a ball and a grand display of fireworks.

====Time gun====
In 1858, the Nelson Provincial Council erected a [[Time signal#Signal guns|time gun]] at the spot on Brittania Heights where Captain Wakefield erected his flagpole in 1841. The gun was fired each Saturday at noon to give the correct time. The gun is now preserved as a historical relic and the [[Sequoiadendron giganteum|Songer Tree]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://register.notabletrees.org.nz/tree/view/749 |title=A unique record of the Notable Trees of New Zealand |publisher=Register.notabletrees.org.nz |access-date=23 March 2014 |archive-date=23 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323104528/http://register.notabletrees.org.nz/tree/view/749 |url-status=live }}</ref> marks the site on Signal Hill of the original flagpole.<ref>Jeff Newport: A Short History of the Nelson Province. Page 18.</ref>

== Geography ==
The Nelson-Tasman area comprises two [[unitary authority|unitary authorities]] – Nelson City, administered by the [[Nelson City Council]], and [[Tasman District]], administered by the [[Tasman District Council]], based in [[Richmond, New Zealand|Richmond]] {{convert|15|km|0|abbr=off}} to the southwest. It is between [[Marlborough Region|Marlborough]], another unitary authority, to the east, and the [[West Coast, New Zealand|West Coast Regional Council]] to the west.

For at least two decades, there has been talk about amalgamating Nelson City and the Tasman District to streamline and render more financially economical the existing co-operation between the two councils,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frethey |first=Max |date=2025-03-07 |title=Nelson councillors fear 'ambushing' Tasman on amalgamation question |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360605501/nelson-councillors-fear-ambushing-tasman-amalgamation-question |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Stuff}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://tdc.govt.nz/index.php?GoldenBayCommunityBoardNews |title=News |publisher=Tasman District Council |access-date=16 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523075841/http://www.tdc.govt.nz/index.php?GoldenBayCommunityBoardNews |archive-date=23 May 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Moorjani|first=Anita|url=http://taslib.govt.nz/index.php?SpecialCouncilMinutes,Friday2June2006 |title=Tasman District Libraries|publisher=Taslib.govt.nz|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312230334/http://taslib.govt.nz/index.php?SpecialCouncilMinutes%2CFriday2June2006 |archive-date=12 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tdc.govt.nz/index.php?SpecialCouncilMinutes,Thursday15June2006|title=Tasman District Council|publisher=Tdc.govt.nz|access-date=16 March 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523104651/http://www.tdc.govt.nz/index.php?SpecialCouncilMinutes,Thursday15June2006|archive-date=23 May 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> exemplified by the jointly owned [[Port Nelson, New Zealand|Port Nelson]] and the jointly funded Nelson Regional Development Agency.<ref>{{cite web |title=About us |website=NelsonTasman.nz |publisher= Nelson Regional Development Agency |url= https://www.nelsontasman.nz/about-us/ |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> However, an official poll conducted in April 2012 showed nearly three-quarters of those who voted in Tasman were opposed to the proposal, while a majority of Nelson voters were in favour.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gee |first=Samantha |date=2025-01-30 |title=Report urges re-consideration of Nelson-Tasman councils merger |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/540445/report-urges-re-consideration-of-nelson-tasman-councils-merger |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}</ref>

Nelson has beaches and a sheltered harbour. The harbour entrance is protected by a [[Boulder Bank]], a natural, {{convert|13|km|0|abbr=in}} bank of rocks transported south from Mackay Bluff via [[longshore drift]]. The bank creates a perfect natural harbour which enticed the first settlers, although the entrance was narrow. The wreck of the ''Fifeshire'' on [[Arrow Rock, New Zealand|Arrow Rock]] (now called Fifeshire Rock in memory of this disaster) in 1842 proved the difficulty of the passage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzine.co.nz/features/nelson_city_history.html|title=Nelson – the early years|publisher=Nzine.co.nz|date=3 December 1932|access-date=15 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218120905/http://www.nzine.co.nz/features/nelson_city_history.html|archive-date=18 December 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> A cut was later made in the bank in 1906 which allowed larger vessels access to the port.

The creation of Rocks Road around the waterfront area after the [[Tāhunanui]] slump<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geo-logic.co.nz/publications/tahunanuislump.aspx|title=Housing Development on a Large, Active Landslide: The Tahunanui Slump Story, Nelson, New Zealand|first1=Paul C|last1=Denton|first2=Mike R|last2=Johnston|author3=Soils & Foundations Ltd, Nelson|publisher=Geo-Logic Ltd|date=12 May 2002|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123051959/http://www.geo-logic.co.nz/publications/tahunanuislump.aspx|archive-date=23 January 2016}}</ref> in 1892 increased the effects of the tide on Nelson city's beach, Tāhunanui, and removed sediment. This meant the popular beach and adjoining car park were being eroded (plus the [[sand dunes]]) so a project to replace these sands was put in place and has so far proved a success, with the sand rising a considerable amount and the dunes continuing to grow.

=== Waterways ===
The Nelson territorial authority area is small (just 445&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) and has four main waterways, the Whangamoa, Wakapuaka, Maitai and Roding Rivers. The Roding River, the southernmost in Nelson, arises in the hills between Mount Meares and Dun Mountain. From there it flows westward before entering the Tasman District where it eventually joins the Waimea River, which flows into Waimea Inlet near Rabbit Island. The [[Maitai River]] flows westward from the Dun Mountain area into the town centre of Nelson before entering the Nelson Haven then Tasman Bay via 'The Cut'. Major tributaries of the Maitai River are: [[Te Wairepo / York Stream|York]] and [[Brook Stream, Nelson|Brook]] Streams plus [[Sharland Creek|Sharland]], Packer, [[Groom Creek, Nelson|Groom]], Glen, Neds, Sclanders, Beauchamp and Mill Creeks. The Wakapuaka River, which flows north from the Saddle Hill area to its mouth at Cable Bay in North Nelson, has two main tributaries, the Lud and Teal Rivers. Entering Tasman Bay near Kokorua in the north of Nelson, the Whangamoa River is the longest waterway in Nelson.

Smaller waterways in the south of Nelson include: Saxton Creek, Orchard Stream, Poorman Valley Stream, Arapiki Stream, Jenkins Creek and Maire Stream.

=== Central city ===
[[File:Millers Acre Complex in Nelson.jpg|thumb|Nelson i-SITE at Millers Acre Centre]]
The central city of Nelson, also referred to as the central business district (CBD), is bounded by Halifax Street to the north, Rutherford Street to the west, Collingwood Street to the east, and Selwyn Place to the south.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/location|title=Where is Nelson?|publisher=Nelson City Council|date=27 April 2011|access-date=17 March 2013|archive-date=10 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210010425/http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/location|url-status=live}}</ref> Other major streets within the CBD include Trafalgar Street, Bridge Street and Hardy Street.

=== Suburbs and localities ===
There are 30 recognised suburbs and localities in Nelson City as of 2025.

'''Suburbs: <ref>{{cite web | url=https://data.linz.govt.nz/layer/113764-nz-suburbs-and-localities/ | title=LINZ Data Service }}</ref>'''
*[[Atawhai]]
*[[Beachville]]
*[[Bishopdale, Nelson|Bishopdale]]
*[[Britannia Heights, New Zealand|Britannia Heights]]
*[[Enner Glynn]]
*[[Maitai, New Zealand|Maitai]]
*[[Marybank, New Zealand|Marybank]]
*[[Moana, Nelson|Moana]]
*[[Monaco, New Zealand|Monaco]]
*[[Nelson Central|Nelson]]
*[[Nelson Haven]]
*[[Nelson South]]
*[[Port Nelson, New Zealand|Port Nelson]]
*[[Stepneyville]]
*[[Stoke, New Zealand|Stoke]]
*[[The Brook, Nelson|The Brook]]
*[[The Wood, New Zealand|The Wood]]
*[[Toi Toi]]
*[[Tāhunanui]]
*[[Wakatu]]
*[[Washington Valley, New Zealand|Washington Valley]]

'''Localities:'''

* [[Cable Bay]]
* [[Delaware Bay (New Zealand)|Delaware Bay]]
* [[Glenduan]]
* [[Hira, New Zealand|Hira]]
*Hira Forest
*[[Pepin Island]]
*[[Todds Valley]]
*[[Wakapuaka]]
*Whangamoa

The Nelson commuter belt extends to [[Richmond, New Zealand|Richmond]], [[Brightwater]], [[Hope, New Zealand|Hope]], [[Māpua, New Zealand|Māpua]] and [[Wakefield, New Zealand|Wakefield]] in the Tasman District.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Functional urban areas – methodology and classification {{!}} Stats NZ|url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/methods/functional-urban-areas-methodology-and-classification|access-date=23 June 2021|website=www.stats.govt.nz|archive-date=22 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422194550/https://www.stats.govt.nz/methods/functional-urban-areas-methodology-and-classification|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== National parks ===
Nelson is surrounded by mountains on three sides and Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere on the fourth, with its region acting as the gateway to the [[Abel Tasman National Park|Abel Tasman]], [[Kahurangi National Park|Kahurangi]], and [[Nelson Lakes National Park]]s.

It is a centre for both [[ecotourism]] and [[Adventure travel|adventure tourism]] and has a high reputation among [[cave|caving]] enthusiasts due to several prominent cave systems around [[Takaka Hill]] and the [[Wharepapa / Arthur Range]], including the [[Nettlebed Cave]] and some of the largest and deepest explored caverns in the Southern Hemisphere.

Nelson is known for its great lakes, hikes and walks surrounding the town, the most popular being the [[Abel Tasman Coast Track]], [[Abel Tasman National Park]], and [[Heaphy Track]]. These tracks are also known for recreational activities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Recreation & Leisure in Nelson – Tasman |url=https://www.live-work.immigration.govt.nz/choose-new-zealand/regions-cities/nelson-tasman/recreation |access-date=30 March 2023 |website=www.live-work.immigration.govt.nz |date=14 July 2022 |language=en |archive-date=30 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330122727/https://www.live-work.immigration.govt.nz/choose-new-zealand/regions-cities/nelson-tasman/recreation |url-status=live }}</ref> There are many huts and camping grounds in all three tracks for availability to stay in. There are places to fish, hunt and observe nature within the National Parks and Lakes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Haere mai |url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/ |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=[[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]] |language=en-nz |archive-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302163709/https://www.doc.govt.nz/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Climate ===
Nelson has a temperate [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Cfb]]), with cool winters and warm summers. Nelson has rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year and has fewer frosts due to the highly marine geography of New Zealand. Winter is the stormiest time, where gales and storms are more common. Nelson has one of the sunniest climates of all major New Zealand centres,<ref name="royalsociety.org.nz">{{cite web|url=http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/2001/03/05/weather-summer-2/ |title=Nelson sets sunshine record for rival Blenheim to envy « Science in the News « News « Royal Society of New Zealand |access-date=7 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203070122/http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/2001/03/05/weather-summer-2/ |archive-date=3 February 2014 }}</ref> earning the nickname 'Sunny Nelson' with an annual average total of over 2400 hours of sunshine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mean Monthly Sunshine |url=http://www.niwa.co.nz/education-and-training/schools/resources/climate/sunshine |work=NIWA |date=28 February 2007 |access-date=17 April 2013 |archive-date=1 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401073344/http://www.niwa.co.nz/education-and-training/schools/resources/climate/sunshine |url-status=live }}</ref> The highest recorded temperature in Nelson is {{convert|36.3|°C|0|abbr=on}}, the lowest {{convert|-6.6|°C|0|abbr=on}}.

{{Weather box
|location = Nelson (1991–2020 normals, 1862–present)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
| Jan record high C = 33.3
| Feb record high C = 36.3
| Mar record high C = 29.4
| Apr record high C = 26.9
| May record high C = 22.9
| Jun record high C = 20.0
| Jul record high C = 19.5
| Aug record high C = 21.1
| Sep record high C = 24.3
| Oct record high C = 26.9
| Nov record high C = 28.9
| Dec record high C = 31.1
| year record high C = 36.3
| Jan avg record high C  = 27.6
| Feb avg record high C  = 27.6
| Mar avg record high C  = 25.4
| Apr avg record high C  = 22.3
| May avg record high C  = 20.0
| Jun avg record high C  = 17.1
| Jul avg record high C  = 15.9
| Aug avg record high C  = 17.4
| Sep avg record high C  = 19.6
| Oct avg record high C  = 21.9
| Nov avg record high C  = 24.3
| Dec avg record high C  = 25.7
| year avg record high C = 28.7
|Jan high C = 	22.5
|Feb high C = 	22.7
|Mar high C = 	21.2
|Apr high C = 	18.4
|May high C = 	16.0
|Jun high C = 	13.4
|Jul high C = 	12.7
|Aug high C = 	13.6
|Sep high C = 	15.2
|Oct high C = 	17.2
|Nov high C = 	19.0
|Dec high C = 	20.9
| year high C = 	17.7
|Jan mean C = 	18.1
|Feb mean C = 	18.2
|Mar mean C = 	16.4
|Apr mean C = 	13.7
|May mean C = 	11.2
|Jun mean C = 	8.5
|Jul mean C = 	7.6
|Aug mean C = 	8.8
|Sep mean C = 	10.7
|Oct mean C = 	12.7
|Nov mean C = 	14.5
|Dec mean C = 	16.7
| year mean C = 	13.1
|Jan low C = 	13.7
|Feb low C = 	13.7
|Mar low C = 	11.7
|Apr low C = 	9.0
|May low C = 	6.3
|Jun low C = 	3.5
|Jul low C = 	2.6
|Aug low C = 	4.0
|Sep low C = 	6.1
|Oct low C = 	8.2
|Nov low C = 	9.9
|Dec low C = 	12.5
| year low C = 	8.4
| Jan avg record low C  = 8.2
| Feb avg record low C  = 8.6
| Mar avg record low C  = 6.1
| Apr avg record low C  = 3.3
| May avg record low C  = 0.5
| Jun avg record low C  = -1.8
| Jul avg record low C  = -2.2
| Aug avg record low C  = -1.2
| Sep avg record low C  = 0.5
| Oct avg record low C  = 2.3
| Nov avg record low C  = 4.1
| Dec avg record low C  = 6.7
| year avg record low C = -2.6
|Jan record low C  = 2.8
|Feb record low C  = 2.8
|Mar record low C  = -0.2
|Apr record low C  = -2.8
|May record low C  =  -3.9
|Jun record low C  = -6.6
|Jul record low C  = -6.1
|Aug record low C  = -5.8
|Sep record low C  = -3.7
|Oct record low C  = -1.7
|Nov record low C  = -1.0
|Dec record low C  = 1.2
|year record low C = -6.6
|rain colour = green	
|Jan rain mm = 	73.2
|Feb rain mm = 	62.8
|Mar rain mm = 	71.1
|Apr rain mm = 	84.9
|May rain mm = 	87.7
|Jun rain mm = 	99.5
|Jul rain mm = 	78.6
|Aug rain mm = 	83.8
|Sep rain mm = 	84.6
|Oct rain mm = 	89.0
|Nov rain mm = 	67.9
|Dec rain mm = 	93.0
|year rain mm = 	
| Jan rain days = 	6.8
| Feb rain days = 	5.3
| Mar rain days = 	6.1
| Apr rain days = 	7.3
| May rain days = 	7.4
| Jun rain days = 	8.7
| Jul rain days = 	7.7
| Aug rain days = 	9.2
| Sep rain days = 	9.8
| Oct rain days = 	8.9
| Nov rain days = 	7.5
| Dec rain days = 	8.6
| unit rain days = 1.0 mm	
|Jan sun = 	264.6
|Feb sun = 	238.8
|Mar sun = 	230.8
|Apr sun = 	191.9
|May sun = 	176.0
|Jun sun = 	145.4
|Jul sun = 	159.6
|Aug sun = 	183.9
|Sep sun = 	192.5
|Oct sun = 	228.3
|Nov sun = 	242.6
|Dec sun = 	242.7
|year sun = 	
| Jan percentsun  =58
| Feb percentsun  =62
| Mar percentsun  =61
| Apr percentsun  =58
| May percentsun  =58
| Jun percentsun  =53
| Jul percentsun  =54
| Aug percentsun  =56
| Sep percentsun  =54
| Oct percentsun  =56
| Nov percentsun  =56
| Dec percentsun  =52
| year percentsun =
| Jan light = 14.8
| Feb light = 13.7
| Mar light = 12.3
| Apr light = 11.0
| May light = 9.8
| Jun light = 9.2
| Jul light = 9.5
| Aug light = 10.5
| Sep light = 11.8
| Oct light = 13.2
| Nov light = 14.4
| Dec light = 15.1
| year light=
| Jan humidity = 	73.6
| Feb humidity = 	77.4
| Mar humidity = 	81.1
| Apr humidity = 	83.2
| May humidity = 	87.9
| Jun humidity = 	89.8
| Jul humidity = 	90.0
| Aug humidity = 	86.9
| Sep humidity = 	78.7
| Oct humidity = 	76.2
| Nov humidity = 	71.3
| Dec humidity = 	72.5
|source 1 = NIWA Climate Data<ref name = NIWA>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240520001949/https://niwa.co.nz/climate-and-weather/climate-data-and-activities
| archive-date = 20 May 2024
| url = https://niwa.co.nz/climate-and-weather/climate-data-and-activities
| title = Climate data and activities
| publisher= NIWA
| access-date = 20 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url = https://cliflo.niwa.co.nz/
|title = CliFlo -The National Climate Database (Agent numbers: 4241, 4244, 4271)
|publisher = NIWA
|access-date = 20 Jul 2024}}</ref>
|source 2 = Weather Spark<ref>{{cite web
|url = https://weatherspark.com/y/144849/Average-Weather-in-Nelson-New-Zealand-Year-Round
|title = Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Nelson
|publisher = WeatherSpark
|access-date = 10 Dec 2024}}</ref>
}}

==="Centre of New Zealand" monument===
[[File:Geographical centre nelson.jpg|thumb|The marker at the "Centre of New Zealand"]]
Nelson has a monument on Botanical Hill, near the centre of the city. The walk to this is called the "''Centre of New Zealand walk''". Despite the name, this monument does not mark the actual geographic centre of New Zealand.

Instead, the monument marks the "zero, zero" point to which the first geodetic surveys of New Zealand were referenced. These surveys were started in the 1870s by John Spence Browning, the Chief Surveyor for Nelson. From this 360-degree viewpoint, survey marks in neighbouring regions (including Wellington in the North Island) could be [[Triangulation|triangulated]] and the local surveys connected.<ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.nelson.govt.nz/recreation/recreation/parks-and-reserves/centre-of-nz/
 |title        = Nelson City Council – Centre of New Zealand Walk
 |access-date   = 23 August 2019
|url-status   = dead
 |df           = dmy
 |archive-date = 22 August 2019
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20190822231014/http://www.nelson.govt.nz/recreation/recreation/parks-and-reserves/centre-of-nz/
}}</ref>

In 1962, Ian Reilly from the now defunct [[Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (New Zealand)|Department of Scientific and Industrial Research]] calculated the geographic centre of New Zealand (including Stewart Island and some smaller islands in addition to the North and South Island, but excluding the [[Chatham Islands|Chathams]]) to be in a forest in [[Spooner's Range, New Zealand|Spooners Range]] {{convert|35|mi|0|abbr=in}} southwest of Nelson at  {{Coord|41|30|S|172|50|E|region:NZ_type:landmark|name=Geographical Centre of New Zealand}}.<ref>{{cite web
 |url          = https://drive.google.com/file/d/1giLDfmjydEA8HMARufmWodgdSZ1zbI9D/view
 |title        = Clipping from Nelson Mail, 27 June 1962 edition, sourced from GNS library
 |access-date   = 12 March 2019
|url-status   = dead
 |df           = dmy
 |archive-date = 22 August 2019
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20190822221830/https://drive.google.com/file/d/1giLDfmjydEA8HMARufmWodgdSZ1zbI9D/view
}}</ref>

Owing to the coarse nature of the underlying data (use of rectangular areas of 7.5 minutes of arc on each side), the centre calculated by Reilly has quite large error margins. Recalculating the result with more modern and accurate data shows the geographic centre of New Zealand is approximately 60&nbsp;km southwest of Nelson, in the Big Bush Conservation Area north of [[Saint Arnaud, New Zealand]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-press/20190424/281629601675627
 |title         = Centre of NZ debate fires Up
 |date         = 24 April 2019
 |df         = dmy
 |access-date         = 1 October 2019
 |archive-date         = 1 October 2019
 |archive-url         = https://web.archive.org/web/20191001225721/https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-press/20190424/281629601675627
 |url-status         = live
 }}</ref>

== Demographics ==
Nelson covers {{convert|422.19|km2||abbr=on}}<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787|access-date=25 April 2024|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com|archive-date=14 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214063818/https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787|url-status=live}}</ref> and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Nelson region|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Nelson region|y}}|R}}/422.19|0}} people per km<sup>2</sup>.
{{Historical populations
|1991|36,459
|1996|40,278
|2001|41,568
|2006|42,888
|2013|46,437
|2018|50,880
|2023|52,584
|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2023"/><ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Nelson City (052)|nelson-city|Nelson City}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.stats.govt.nz/Census/2001-census-data/2001-census-regional-summary.aspx|title=2001 Census: Regional summary|website=archive.stats.govt.nz|language=en-nz|access-date=28 April 2020|archive-date=29 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929211821/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/Census/2001-census-data/2001-census-regional-summary.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}
Nelson City had a population of 52,584 in the [[2023 New Zealand census]], an increase of 1,704 people (3.3%) since the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], and an increase of 6,147 people (13.2%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]]. There were 25,620 males, 26,712 females and 255 people of [[non-binary gender|other genders]] in 20,967 dwellings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.052%2Bw_05201%2Bw_05202.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}}</ref> 3.6% of people identified as [[LGBTQ|LGBTIQ+]]. The median age was 44.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 8,712 people (16.6%) aged under 15 years, 8,226 (15.6%) aged 15 to 29, 24,285 (46.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 11,361 (21.6%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
[[File:2023 NZ Census Population Density - Nelson City.png|thumb|Population density in the 2023 census]]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 84.7% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]); 11.9% [[Māori people|Māori]]; 2.8% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]]; 8.6% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]]; 1.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.9%, Māori language by 2.9%, Samoan by 0.5% and other languages by 12.8%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). [[New Zealand Sign Language]] was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 26.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 28.2% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 1.1% [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hindu]], 0.5% [[Islam in New Zealand|Islam]], 0.3% [[Māori religious beliefs]], 1.2% [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhist]], 0.7% [[New Age]], 0.1% [[Judaism in New Zealand|Jewish]],  and 1.5% other religions. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 59.1%, and 7.5% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 8,472 (19.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 22,197 (50.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 10,218 (23.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $38,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 3,906 people (8.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 20,679 (47.1%) people were employed full-time, 6,825 (15.6%) were part-time, and 969 (2.2%) were unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.052.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Nelson City (052)}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+Individual wards
|-
!Name !! Area<br/>(km<sup>2</sup>) !! Population !! Density<br/>(per km<sup>2</sup>) || Dwellings !! Median age !! Median<br/>income
|-
| Central General Ward || style="text-align:right;"|390.88 || style="text-align:right;"|25,851 || style="text-align:right;"|66 || style="text-align:right;"|10,329 || 43.2 years || $39,300<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.w_05201.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Central General Ward}}</ref>
|-
| Stoke-Tāhunanui General Ward || style="text-align:right;"|31.32 || style="text-align:right;"|26,736 || style="text-align:right;"|854 || style="text-align:right;"|10,638 || 44.8 years || $38,200<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.w_05202.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Stoke-Tāhunanui General Ward}}</ref>
|-
! New Zealand !! !! !! !! !! 38.1 years !! style="text-align:left;"| $41,500
|}

===Urban area===
Nelson's urban area covers {{Convert|54.69|km2||abbr=on}}<ref name="Area"/> and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Nelson|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Nelson|y}}|R}}/54.69|0}} people per km<sup>2</sup>.
{{Historical populations|2013|44,271|2018|48,129|2023|49,224|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2023 UA"/>}}
The urban area had a population of 49,224 in the [[2023 New Zealand census]], an increase of 1,095 people (2.3%) since the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], and an increase of 4,953 people (11.2%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]]. There were 23,997 males, 24,984 females and 243 people of [[non-binary gender|other genders]] in 19,701 dwellings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.2024.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}}</ref> 3.7% of people identified as [[LGBTQ|LGBTIQ+]]. The median age was 43.5 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 8,181 people (16.6%) aged under 15 years, 7,830 (15.9%) aged 15 to 29, 22,782 (46.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 10,431 (21.2%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023 UA"/>

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 84.1% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]); 12.2% [[Māori people|Māori]]; 2.9% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]]; 9.0% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]]; 1.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.8%, Māori language by 3.0%, Samoan by 0.6% and other languages by 13.0%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). [[New Zealand Sign Language]] was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 26.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 28.2% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 1.1% [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hindu]], 0.5% [[Islam in New Zealand|Islam]], 0.3% [[Māori religious beliefs]], 1.2% [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhist]], 0.7% [[New Age]], 0.1% [[Judaism in New Zealand|Jewish]],  and 1.5% other religions. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 59.0%, and 7.5% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 7,899 (19.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 20,718 (50.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 9,657 (23.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $38,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 3,555 people (8.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 19,488 (47.5%) people were employed full-time, 6,303 (15.4%) were part-time, and 933 (2.3%) were unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023 UA">{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.2024.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Nelson (2024)}}</ref>

== Government ==
=== Local ===
[[File:Nelson City Council Building.JPG|thumb|The Nelson City Council building in 2012]]

As a [[unitary authority]], the [[Nelson City Council]] has the combined responsibilities and functions of both a [[Territorial authorities of New Zealand|territorial (local)]] and [[Regions of New Zealand|regional council]]. This is different from most other local authorities in New Zealand. More often, a regional council is a separate organisation with several territorial authorities (city or district councils) within its borders. Other unitary authorities are the [[Auckland Council]], [[Gisborne District Council]], [[Marlborough Region|Marlborough District Council]], [[Tasman District Council]] and the [[Chatham Islands Council]].

The Nelson City Council holds elections for the [[Mayor of Nelson, New Zealand|mayor of Nelson]] and 12 councillors under the [[first-past-the-post voting|first-past-the-post]] electoral system every three years. As of 13 October 2022, the mayor is [[Nick Smith (New Zealand politician)|Nick Smith]] and the deputy mayor [[Rohan O'Neill-Stevens]].

Nelson City has a coat of arms, obtained in 1958 from the [[College of Arms]] to mark the centenary of Nelson as a city. The [[blazon]] of the arms is:
:"Barry wavy Argent and Azure a Cross Flory Sable on a Chief also Azure a Mitre proper And for the Crest on a Wreath of the Colours Issuant from a Mural Crown proper a Lion rampant Gules holding between the fore paws a Sun in splendour or. The supporters on the dexter side a Huia Bird and on the sinister side a Kotuku both proper."

Motto "''Palmam qui meruit ferat''" (Let him who has earned it bear the palm). This motto is the same as that of [[Horatio Nelson|Lord Nelson]].

=== National ===
Nelson is covered by the [[Nelson (New Zealand electorate)|Nelson general electorate]], and the [[Te Tai Tonga]] Māori electorate, which covers the entire South Island and part of [[Wellington]] in the North Island. Since the [[2023 New Zealand general election|2023 general election]], Nelson is held by [[Rachel Boyack]] of the [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]], and Te Tai Tonga by [[Tākuta Ferris]] of [[Te Pāti Māori]].

== Economy ==
The Nelson economy (and that of the neighbouring [[Tasman District]]) is based on the 'big five' industries; seafood, horticulture, forestry, farming and tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eda.co.nz/edanew/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Regional-Prosperity-24-July-2014-FINAL-FOR-EDA-PDF-for-online.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114053418/http://www.eda.co.nz/edanew/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Regional-Prosperity-24-July-2014-FINAL-FOR-EDA-PDF-for-online.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 January 2015|title=Nelson Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS): Regional Prosperity|last=Nelson Regional Economic Development Agency|date=24 July 2014|publisher=Nelson Regional Economic Development Agency}}</ref> Port Nelson<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.portnelson.co.nz/ |title=Port Nelson |publisher=Port Nelson |access-date=22 April 2015 |archive-date=15 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315044500/http://www.portnelson.co.nz/ |url-status=live }}</ref> is the biggest fishing port in [[Australasia]]. There are also a range of growth industries, including art and craft, aviation, [[engineering technology]], and information technology. The region was sixth in terms of GDP growth in the 2007–10 period.<ref name="stuff.co.nz">{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/opinion/editorial/8868115/Diversity-puts-region-on-sound-footing |title=Diversity puts region on sound footing |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=2 July 2013 |access-date=7 July 2013 |archive-date=1 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201103900/http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/opinion/editorial/8868115/Diversity-puts-region-on-sound-footing |url-status=live }}</ref>

The combined sub-national GDP of Nelson and Tasman District was estimated at $3.4&nbsp;billion in 2010, 1.8% of New Zealand's national GDP.<ref name="stuff.co.nz" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/analytical-reports/regional-gross-domestic-product.aspx|title=Regional Gross Domestic Product|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|year=2007|access-date=18 February 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100520133128/http://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/analytical-reports/regional-gross-domestic-product.aspx|archive-date=20 May 2010}}</ref>

The Nelson Regional Development Agency is an economic development agency for Nelson and the Tasman District.<ref>{{cite web |title=NRDA |url= https://www.commerce.org.nz/organisation/nelson-regional-development-agency |publisher=Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref>

Some of the region's largest companies and employers are:
* [[Helicopters (NZ)]] has its headquarters and maintenance base at [[Nelson Airport (New Zealand)|Nelson Airport]].
* Japanese automobile manufacturer [[Honda]] has its New Zealand distribution centre in the Whakatu Industrial Estate in [[Stoke, New Zealand|Stoke]].
* Beverage company [[McCashins Brewery|McCashins]] has a [[microbrewery]] in Stoke.
* SeaDragon Marine Oils<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.seadragon.co.nz/ |title=Fish Oils &#124; Omega 3 &#124; Shark Liver Oil |publisher=Seadragon |access-date=26 November 2013 |archive-date=4 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204191908/http://www.seadragon.co.nz/ |url-status=live }}</ref> has a fish oil refinery in Annesbrook.
* The [[Cawthron Institute]] has a research facility in [[The Wood, New Zealand|The Wood]].
* Food manufacturer the [[Talley's Group]] has processing facilities at [[Port Nelson, New Zealand|Port Nelson]].
* New Zealand King Salmon processes [[Chinook salmon]] at its factory in [[Annesbrook]].
* Pic's Peanut Butter is made in its Stoke factory.

Former regional airline [[Air Nelson]] had its headquarters and maintenance base at Nelson Airport.

In 2013, Nelson Mayor [[Aldo Miccio]] worked on a proposal that would see Australian [[call centres]] for companies such as [[Gen-i]] and [[Xero (software)|Xero]] relocated to Nelson. The plan was in response to Australian companies moving call and contact centres out of Asia because their Australian customers preferred English-speaking centres. If the plan was successful, Miccio expected 100 to 300 jobs paying NZ$50,000-plus in the first year to be created in Nelson.<ref>{{cite web | first= Laura | last= Basham | url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8464277/Nelsons-future-a-centre-for-calls | title= Nelson's future: a centre for calls? | work= Nelson Mail | publisher= Fairfax | date= 23 March 2013 | access-date= 23 March 2013 | archive-date= 25 March 2013 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130325012439/http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8464277/Nelsons-future-a-centre-for-calls | url-status= live }}</ref>

== Culture and the arts ==
[[File:Suter Art Gallery, Nelson 100.JPG|thumb|[[Andrew Suter|Suter]] Art Gallery, before its 2017 renovation]]
As the major regional centre, the city offers many lodgings, restaurants, and unique speciality shopping such as at the [[Jens Hoyer Hansen|Jens Hansen]] [[Goldsmith]]s where "[[The One Ring]]" in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy]] was designed.<ref>{{cite web|date=12 March 2013|title=The Real Movie Ring|url=http://www.jenshansen.com/thering.aspx|access-date=8 August 2016|publisher=Jens Hansen Contemporary Gold and Silversmith|archive-date=23 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131123013710/http://www.jenshansen.com/thering.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Nelson has a vibrant local music and arts scene and is known nationwide for its culturally idiosyncratic craftsmen. These include [[Pottery|potters]], [[Glassblowing|glass blowers]] (such as Flamedaisy Glass Design and Höglund Art Glass Studio & Gallery), and dozens of [[Wood carving|wood carvers]] using native New Zealand [[southern beech]] and exotic ''Cupressus macrocarpa.'' <ref>{{cite web|title= Cypress - Macrocarpa, Cupressus macrocarpa |url= https://www.nzffa.org.nz/farm-forestry-model/species-selection-tool/species/cypress/macrocarpa/ |access-date=11 January 2025}}</ref>
* Nelson is a popular visitor destination and year-round attracts both New Zealanders and international tourists.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nelson Tasman Tourism – Visitor Information|url=http://www.nelsonnz.com/|access-date=8 August 2016|publisher=Nelsonnz.com|archive-date=1 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501065417/http://www.nelsonnz.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The [[Nelson Saturday Market]] is a popular weekly market where one can buy direct from local artists.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nelson Market|url=http://www.nelsonmarket.com/|access-date=8 August 2016|publisher=Nelson Market|archive-date=22 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122055111/http://nelsonmarket.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The Theatre Royal was restored in 2010 and is the oldest wooden functioning theatre in the Southern Hemisphere (built 1878)<ref name="NZHPT 3341">{{NZHPT|3341|Theatre Royal|11 March 2017}}</ref>
* Art organisations include the [[Suter Art Gallery]]<ref>{{cite web|title=The Suter Gallery|url=http://www.thesuter.org.nz/|access-date=25 August 2007|archive-date=3 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903090406/http://www.thesuter.org.nz/|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Nelson Arts Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Nelson Arts Festival|url=http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/artsfestival/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808193711/http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/artsfestival/|archive-date=8 August 2007|access-date=25 August 2007}}</ref>
* The [[Toi Toi|Victory Village]] community received the 2010 [[New Zealander of the Year Awards|New Zealander of the Year]] award for Community of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|title=NZ of the Year Awards, Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year, Coca-Cola Amatil Young New Zealander of the Year, Ryman Healthcare S > Community of the Year|url=http://www.nzawards.org.nz/CommunityoftheYear/tabid/27942/Default.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430115842/http://www.nzawards.org.nz/CommunityoftheYear/tabid/27942/Default.aspx|archive-date=30 April 2012|access-date=5 March 2010}}</ref>

===Architecture===
[[File:Rutherford Hotel.jpg|thumb|Rutherford Hotel]]
Unlike many towns and cities in New Zealand, Nelson has retained many [[Victorian architecture|Victorian building]]s in its historic centre. The South Street area has been designated as having heritage value.<ref>{{cite web|title=South Street heritage district – Nelson City Council|url=http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/south-street/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210022149/http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/south-street/|archive-date=10 February 2013|access-date=31 March 2011}}</ref>

The tallest building is the {{convert|40|m|ft|abbr=in}} tall [[Rutherford Hotel]] located on the west edge of Trafalgar Square. 

====Historic buildings====
[[File:Amber House, Nelson, New Zealand, 2005-11-16T01-33Z.jpg|thumb|Amber House, a [[clapboard (architecture)|weatherboard]] colonial characteristic of much of New Zealand's residential architecture]]
* [[Nelson Cathedral]]
* [[Amber House]]
* Broadgreen Historic House was built in 1855 for Mr and Mrs Edmund Buxton, additionally with their six daughters. The house was later sold to Fred Langbein in 1901, who lived there with his family until 1965. In 1965, the house was bought by the Nelson City Council and is now used operated a museum for the general public.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
* [[Cabragh House]]
* [[Chez Eelco]]
* [[Fairfield House, Nelson|Fairfield House]]<ref name="NZHPT Fairfield House">{{NZHPT|256|Fairfield House|21 June 2012}}</ref>
* Founders Park Windmill
* Isel House was home to one of Nelson's first families, the Marsdens. Many of the rooms have been transformed into displays for the public to view. Restoration of the house is managed by Isel House Charitable trust under the supervision of Sally Papps, but the house and the park ground surrounding it are owned by the Nelson City Council.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historic places – Nelson City Council |url=http://www.nelson.govt.nz/recreation/heritage/historic-places/ |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=www.nelson.govt.nz |archive-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302163718/http://www.nelson.govt.nz/recreation/heritage/historic-places/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Melrose House
* [[Nelson Central School]] Renwick House
* [[Theatre Royal, Nelson|Theatre Royal]]
* [[Victorian Rose]] Pub
* Redwood College (Founders Park)
* Nelson Centre of Musical Arts (formerly Nelson School of Music) Est. 1894<ref name="History of the Nelson Centre of Musical Arts">{{cite web|title=Our History|date=21 August 2017|url=https://ncma.nz/about/our-history/|access-date=3 September 2018|publisher=Nelson Centre of Musical Arts|archive-date=2 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902115745/https://ncma.nz/about/our-history/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Marae===
Whakatū Marae, in the suburb of [[Atawhai]], is the ''[[marae]]'' (meeting ground) of [[Ngāti Kuia]], [[Ngāti Kōata]], [[Ngāti Rārua]], [[Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu]], [[Ngāti Toa Rangatira]] and [[Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui]]. It includes the Kākāti ''[[wharenui]]'' (meeting house). In October 2020, the Government committed $240,739 from the [[Provincial Growth Fund]] to restore the marae, creating an estimated 9 jobs.<ref name="maraepgf">{{cite web|date=9 October 2020|title=Marae Announcements|url=https://www.growregions.govt.nz/assets/funding-announcements/marae-announcements.xlsx |website=growregions.govt.nz|publisher=[[Provincial Growth Fund]]|format=Excel|access-date=12 October 2020|archive-date=15 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015005718/https://www.growregions.govt.nz/assets/funding-announcements/marae-announcements.xlsx|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Museums===
[[Founders Heritage Park]] is an interactive park that shows the history of Nelson. The park is set up as a village filled with buildings set in a historical time, including well established gardens. Throughout the park, there are stories to be learned about the history of this town.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kia Ora & Greetings |url=https://www.founderspark.co.nz/ |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=Founders Park, Nelson New Zealand |language=en-NZ |archive-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302163714/https://www.founderspark.co.nz/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It houses a number of groups with historical themes, including transport.

The [[Nelson Provincial Museum]] houses a collection of locally significant artefacts. The [[Nelson Classic Car Museum]] houses a collection of collectable cars.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Newman |first=Tim |date=28 August 2020 |title=Nelson's Classic Car museum back up and running |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/122593306/nelsons-classic-car-museum-back-up-and-running |access-date=14 April 2023 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en |archive-date=14 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414070422/https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/122593306/nelsons-classic-car-museum-back-up-and-running |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Parks and zoo===
[[File:Founders Heritage Park main street.jpg|thumb|Founders Heritage Park]]
Nelson has a large number and variety of [[public parks]] and reserves maintained at public expense by Nelson City Council.<ref>{{cite web|title=Reserves and Parks|url=http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/parks-and-reserves-3/|publisher=Nelson City Council|access-date=7 February 2010|archive-date=19 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100219210204/http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/parks-and-reserves-3|url-status=live}}</ref> Major reserves include Grampians Reserve, close to the suburb of [[Braemar, New Zealand|Braemar]], and the botanical Reserve in the east of Nelson, close to [[The Wood, New Zealand|The Wood]].

Natureland Wildlife Trust (formerly Natureland Zoological Park) is a small zoological facility close to Tāhunanui Beach. The facility is popular with children, where they can closely approach: monkeys (black-capped capuchins, cotton-top tamarins and pygmy marmosets), lemurs, meerkats, agoutis, porcupines, llamas and alpacas, [[Kunekune|Kune Kune pigs]] and peacocks. There are also green iguanas, tropical fish, [[Kākā|kākās]], [[kea]]s and other birds including in a walk through aviary.<ref>{{cite web|title=Natureland Zoo, Nelson, New Zealand|url=http://www.natureland.co.nz/|publisher=Natureland.co.nz|access-date=24 August 2007|archive-date=6 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906021336/http://www.natureland.co.nz/|url-status=live}}</ref> Although the zoo nearly closed in 2008, the Orana Wildlife Trust took over its running instead.<ref>{{Cite web|title=They bought a zoo – Natureland|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/9202547/They-bought-a-zoo-Natureland|access-date=3 September 2018|website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=25 September 2013|language=en|archive-date=3 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903182937/http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/9202547/They-bought-a-zoo-Natureland|url-status=live}}</ref> It looked like{{to whom?|date=December 2012}} a bright future ahead for Natureland and its staff, but since the repeated earthquakes in [[2011 Christchurch earthquake|Christchurch in 2011]] and the damage to Orana Park, Orana Wildlife Trust are uncertain of the future of Natureland.<ref>{{cite news|author=Tracy Neal|date=30 June 2011|title=Future of Natureland again in doubt|work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]]|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/5213206/Future-of-Natureland-again-in-doubt|access-date=7 November 2011|archive-date=13 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113083512/http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/5213206/Future-of-Natureland-again-in-doubt|url-status=live}}</ref>
Orana Wildlife Trust have since pulled out of Natureland, which is now run independently.

===Events and festivals===
Several major events take place:
* Nelson Jazz & Blues Festival<ref>{{cite web|title=Nelson Jazz Fest|url=http://www.nelsonjazzfest.co.nz/|access-date=8 August 2016|publisher=Nelson Jazz Fest|archive-date=25 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625164912/http://nelsonjazzfest.co.nz/|url-status=dead}}</ref> – January
* Nelson Kite Festival<ref>{{cite web|date=20 January 2013|title=22nd Annual Nelson Kite Festival – It's On|url=http://www.itson.co.nz/2013/4754-22nd-annual-nelson-kite-festival|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130103213656/http://itson.co.nz/2013/4754-22nd-annual-nelson-kite-festival|archive-date=3 January 2013|publisher=Itson.co.nz}}</ref> – January
* Nelson Yacht Regatta<ref>{{cite web|date=23 January 2013|title=Home|url=http://www.nelsonregatta.co.nz/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208011236/http://nelsonregatta.co.nz/|archive-date=8 February 2013|access-date=15 December 2012|publisher=Nelson Regatta}}</ref> – January
* Baydreams-Nelson – January <ref>{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} Bay Dreams 2023 |url=https://www.baydreams.co.nz/ |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=www.baydreams.co.nz |archive-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302163710/https://www.baydreams.co.nz/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Taste Tasman – January <ref>{{Cite web |title=Taste Tasman {{!}} Beer, Cider & Food Festival |url=https://www.tastetasman.co.nz/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071127040850/http://www.tastetasman.co.nz/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 November 2007 |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=Taste Tasman |language=en-US }}</ref>
* Evolve Festival – January <ref>{{Cite web |title=Evolve Festival Nelson – Be uplifted this summer #Evolve2Solve |url=https://www.evolvefestival.co.nz/ |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=Evolve Festival |language=en-NZ |archive-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302163713/https://www.evolvefestival.co.nz/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Adam Chamber Music Festival<ref>{{cite web|title=Adam Chamber Music Festival 2013, chamber music Nelson, New Zealand|url=http://www.music.org.nz/|access-date=8 August 2016|publisher=Music.org.nz|archive-date=1 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701062149/http://www.music.org.nz/|url-status=live}}</ref> – biennial – January / February
* International Kai Festival – February <ref>{{Cite web |title=International Kai Festival – back for 2023! |url=https://our.nelson.govt.nz/stories/international-kai-festival-back-for-2023/ |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=Our Nelson |language=en-NZ |archive-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302163708/https://our.nelson.govt.nz/stories/international-kai-festival-back-for-2023/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Weet-bix Kids TRYathlon – March <ref>{{Cite web |title=Nelson Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon |url=https://tryathlon.co.nz/locations/nelson/ |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon |language=en-AU |archive-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302163711/https://tryathlon.co.nz/locations/nelson/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Evolve Festival<ref>{{cite web|date=24 February 2013|title=Evolve Festival of Opportunities &#124; Evolve Festival is a celebration for health and wellbeing in the heart of Nelson City|url=http://evolvefestival.co.nz/|access-date=8 August 2016|publisher=Evolvefestival.co.nz|archive-date=15 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815215552/http://www.evolvefestival.co.nz/|url-status=live}}</ref> – February
* Marchfest<ref>{{cite web|date=19 March 2016|title=Nelson's Craft Beer & Musical Festival|url=http://www.marchfest.com/|access-date=8 August 2016|website=Marchfest.com|archive-date=19 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919231956/http://www.marchfest.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> – March
* Taste Nelson festival<ref>{{cite web|date=2 March 2013|title=McCashin's Taste Nelson|url=http://www.tastenelson.co.nz/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010302061559/http://www.tastenelson.co.nz/|archive-date=2 March 2001|access-date=8 August 2016|publisher=tastenelson}}</ref> – March
* Te Ramaroa Light Festival – biennial in June/July
* Winter Music Festival<ref>{{cite web|date=22 July 2012|title=Home|url=http://www.nelsonwinterfestival.co.nz/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308134212/http://www.nelsonwinterfestival.co.nz/|archive-date=8 March 2016|access-date=8 August 2016|publisher=Nelson Winter Festival}}</ref> – July
* Nelson Arts Festival – October
* NZ Cider Festival – November<ref>{{Cite web |title=NZ Cider Festival {{!}} Nelson, New Zealand |url=https://www.nzciderfestival.com/ |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=NZ Cider Festival |language=en |archive-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302163707/https://www.nzciderfestival.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Nelson A&P Show – November<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nelson A&P Association {{!}} Richmond Showgrounds {{!}} Home |url=https://www.richmondpark.nz/ |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=www.richmondpark.nz |archive-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302163714/https://www.richmondpark.nz/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The annual [[World of Wearable Art]] Awards was founded in Nelson in 1987 by [[Suzie Moncrieff]]. The first show was held at the restored William Higgins cob cottage in Spring Grove, near [[Brightwater]].<ref name="wow">{{Cite news |last=Rothwell |first=Kimberley |date=8 July 2013 |title=Suzie Moncrieff has the WoW factor |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/8884275/Suzie-Moncrieff-has-the-WoW-factor |access-date=6 May 2023 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-NHSJ04_05-t1-body1-d3.html|title=The cob house – Spring Grove|website=New Zealand Electronic Text Collection|access-date=16 August 2023}}</ref> The show moved to Wellington in 2005 when it became too big to hold in Nelson.<ref name="wow" /> A local museum showcased winning designs alongside their collection of classic cars until the venture was forced to close because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The classic car museum re-opened in 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last=Newman |first=Tim |date=18 June 2020 |title=Nelson's classic car museum on the road to recovery with plan to reopen in larger space |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/121841296/nelsons-classic-car-museum-on-the-road-to-recovery-with-plan-to-reopen-in-larger-space |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414061513/https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/121841296/nelsons-classic-car-museum-on-the-road-to-recovery-with-plan-to-reopen-in-larger-space |archive-date=14 April 2023 |access-date=14 April 2023 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Anderson |first=Charles |title=WOW vows to stay in Nelson |url=https://nelsonweekly.co.nz/2020/06/wow-vows-to-stay-in-nelson/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414060011/https://nelsonweekly.co.nz/2020/06/wow-vows-to-stay-in-nelson/ |archive-date=14 April 2023 |access-date=14 April 2023 |work=Nelson Weekly |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Newman |first=Tim |date=28 August 2020 |title=Nelson's Classic Car museum back up and running |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/122593306/nelsons-classic-car-museum-back-up-and-running |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414070422/https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/122593306/nelsons-classic-car-museum-back-up-and-running |archive-date=14 April 2023 |access-date=14 April 2023 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]]}}</ref>

=== Sister cities ===
Nelson has [[sister cities|sister city relationships]] with:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nelson.govt.nz/council/council-structure/council-organisations-2/sister-and-friendly-cities|title=Sister and Friendly Cities|website=[[Nelson City Council]]|access-date=16 August 2023|archive-date=20 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520021503/http://www.nelson.govt.nz/council/council-structure/council-organisations-2/sister-and-friendly-cities/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Miyazu, Kyoto|Miyazu]], Japan (1976)
* [[Huangshi]], China (1996)
* [[Yangjiang]], China (2014)

== Infrastructure and services ==

=== Healthcare ===
The main hospital in Nelson is the Nelson Hospital. It is the seat of the [[Nelson Marlborough District Health Board]].

The Manuka Street Hospital is a private institution.

=== Law enforcement ===
The [[New Zealand Police|Nelson Central Police Station]], located in St John Street, is the headquarters for the Tasman Police District.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/structure/police-districts/tasman |title=Tasman Police District &#124; New Zealand Police |publisher=Police.govt.nz |access-date=8 August 2016 |archive-date=10 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810043141/http://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/structure/police-districts/tasman |url-status=live }}</ref> The Tasman Police District has the lowest crime rate within New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/crime-stats-national-20130630.pdf |title=NEW ZEALAND CRIME STATISTICS 2012/2013 |website=Police.govt.nz |access-date=8 August 2016 |archive-date=16 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016103919/http://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/crime-stats-national-20130630.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Several gangs have established themselves in Nelson. They include the now disbanded [[Lost Breed]] and the Red Devils a support club for the [[Hells Angels]]. The [[Rebels Motorcycle Club]] also has a presence in the wider Nelson-Tasman area.<ref>{{cite news |author=Sally Kidson |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8772652/Gangs-arrival-in-Nelson-part-of-growing-trend |title=Gang's arrival in Nelson Part of Growing Trend |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=8 June 2013 |access-date=5 October 2013 |archive-date=6 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006102241/http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8772652/Gangs-arrival-in-Nelson-part-of-growing-trend |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Electricity ===
The Nelson City Municipal Electricity Department (MED) established the city's public electricity supply in 1923, with electricity generated by a coal-fired power station at Wakefield Quay. The city was connected to the newly commissioned [[Cobb Power Station|Cobb hydroelectric power station]] in 1944 and to the rest of the South Island grid in 1958. The grid connection saw the Wakefield Quay power station was relegated to standby duty before being decommissioned in 1964.<ref name="Nelson Electricity Ltd, New Zealand">{{Cite web|title=About Nelson Electricity Ltd|url=https://www.nel.co.nz/about-us/|access-date=23 February 2021|website=Nelson Electricity Ltd, New Zealand|language=en-US|archive-date=27 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127131312/https://www.nel.co.nz/about-us/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Nelson's power struggle|url=http://www.theprow.org.nz/enterprise/electricity-in-nelson/#.YDSvbOgzbIU|access-date=23 February 2021|website=www.theprow.org.nz|archive-date=21 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221031930/http://www.theprow.org.nz/enterprise/electricity-in-nelson/#.YDSvbOgzbIU|url-status=live}}</ref>

Today, Nelson Electricity operates the local distribution network in the former MED area, which covers the CBD and inner suburbs, while Network Tasman operates the local distribution network in the outer suburbs (including Stoke, Tāhunanui and Atawhai) and rural areas.<ref name="Nelson Electricity Ltd, New Zealand" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Company Profile|url=https://www.networktasman.co.nz/company-profile|access-date=23 February 2021|website=www.networktasman.co.nz|archive-date=8 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208073049/https://www.networktasman.co.nz/company-profile|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Transport ==

===Air transport===
[[Nelson Airport (New Zealand)|Nelson Airport]] is at [[Annesbrook]], an industrial suburb southwest of the central city. It operates a single terminal and {{convert|1,347|m|ft|abbr=off|adj=on}} runway. About a million passengers use the airport annually and it was the [[List of the busiest airports in New Zealand|fifth-busiest]] airport in New Zealand by passenger numbers in 2024. It is primarily used for domestic flights, with regular flights to and from Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Kapiti Coast, Palmerston North and Wellington. [[Sounds Air]] offers flights to and from Wellington. In 2006, it received restricted international airport status to facilitate small private jets.

The airport was home to [[Air Nelson]], which operated and maintained New Zealand's largest domestic airline fleet, and is now merged into [[Air New Zealand]]. It was also the headquarters of [[Origin Pacific Airways]] until its collapse in 2006.

In February 2018, the approach road to the airport was flooded when the adjoining Jenkins Creek burst its banks during a storm that brought king tides and strong winds. The airport was closed for about one hour.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Katy |date=8 February 2018 |title=Airport plans unchanged after terminal shut due to storm surge |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/101228091/airport-plans-unchanged-after-terminal-shut-due-to-storm-surge |access-date=19 May 2022 |archive-date=19 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519013449/https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/101228091/airport-plans-unchanged-after-terminal-shut-due-to-storm-surge |url-status=live }}</ref>  In 2022, the NZ SeaRise programme identified Nelson airport as an area of particular vulnerability to [[Sea level rise in New Zealand|sea level rise]], with a projected subsidence of {{convert|5|mm|in}} per year.<ref name="Bradnock-2022">{{Cite news |last=Bradnock |first=Erin |date=19 May 2022 |title=Nelson Airport 'reassessing' future with new sea-level rise data |work=[[RNZ]] |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/467438/nelson-airport-reassessing-future-with-new-sea-level-rise-data |access-date=19 May 2022 |archive-date=19 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519000822/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/467438/nelson-airport-reassessing-future-with-new-sea-level-rise-data |url-status=live }}</ref>  The airport's chief executive said that the proposed runway extension would be planned around the latest sea level rise forecast, and that the airport was "here to stay", despite the concerns over the threats posed by sea level rise.<ref name="Bradnock-2022" />

===Maritime transport===
Port Nelson is the maritime gateway for the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough regions and an important hub for economic activity. The following [[shipping companies]] call at the port:
* [[Australian National Line]] / [[CMA CGM]]
* [[Maersk Line]]
* [[Mediterranean Shipping Company]]
* [[Pacifica Shipping]]
* [[Toyofuji Shipping]]
* [[Swire Group|Swire Shipping]]

In the mid-1994, a group of local businessmen, fronted by local politician [[Owen Jennings]], proposed building a [[port|deep-water port]] featuring a one-kilometre-long wharf extending from the Boulder Bank into Tasman Bay, where giant ships could berth and manoeuvre with ease. Known as Port Kakariki, the $97 million project was to become the hub to ship West Coast coal to Asia, as well as handling logs, which would be barged across Tasman Bay from Mapua.<ref name="pie">{{cite news|date=31 July 2010|title=Pie in the (blue) sky ideas|work=[[The Nelson Mail]] |publisher=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]]|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/lifestyle-entertainment/weekend/3978490/Pie-in-the-blue-sky-ideas|access-date=21 August 2016|archive-date=18 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518082949/http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/lifestyle-entertainment/weekend/3978490/Pie-in-the-blue-sky-ideas|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2010, the Western Blue Highway, a Nelson to [[New Plymouth]] ferry service, was proposed by [[Port Taranaki]]. However, to date, neither the [[Interislander]] nor [[Bluebridge]] have shown any interest in the route.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 2010|title=Western Blue Highway Transport Study|url=http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/western-blue-highway-transport-study/docs/western-blue-highway-transport-study.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201247/http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/western-blue-highway-transport-study/docs/western-blue-highway-transport-study.pdf|archive-date=29 October 2013|access-date=8 August 2016|website=Nzta.govt.nz}}</ref>

The [[Anchor Shipping and Foundry Company]] was formed 31 March 1901 from the earlier companies of Nathaniel Edwards & Co (1857–1880) and the Anchor Steam Shipping Company (1880–1901). The Anchor Company never departed from its original aim of providing services to the people of Nelson and the West Coast of the South Island and was never a large company; it only owned 37 ships during its history. At its peak around 1930, there were 16 vessels in the fleet. The company operated three nightly return trips per week ferry service between Nelson and [[Wellington]] and a daily freight service was maintained between the two ports in conjunction with the Pearl Kasper Shipping Company, while another service carried general cargo on a Nelson–[[Onehunga]] route. In 1974, the Anchor Company was sold and merged into the [[Union Company]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Anchor Shipping & Foundry Co. Ltd |url=http://www.nzcoastalshipping.com/anchor.html |website=New Zealand Coastal Shipping |publisher=Nzcoastalshipping.com |access-date=3 January 2014|archive-date=15 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115221853/http://www.nzcoastalshipping.com/anchor.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Public transport ===
[[File:Welcome to Nelson sign.JPG|thumb|The sign that welcomes visitors to Nelson]]

The passenger and freight company [[InterCity (New Zealand)#Newmans Coach Lines|Newmans Coach Lines]] was formed in Nelson in 1879, and merged with Transport Nelson in 1972.<ref name="Newmans">{{cite web |last1=Stephens |first1=Joy |title=Newman Brothers |url=http://www.theprow.org.nz/enterprise/newman-brothers/#.Y1RTvfzMJhE |website=www.theprow.org.nz |access-date=22 October 2022 |archive-date=22 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022203737/http://www.theprow.org.nz/enterprise/newman-brothers/#.Y1RTvfzMJhE |url-status=live }}</ref> Nelson Motor Service Company ran the first motor bus in Nelson in 1906<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 November 1906 |title=COLONIST |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TC19061123.2.6 |access-date=15 January 2023 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |archive-date=15 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115060828/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TC19061123.2.6 |url-status=live }}</ref> and took over the Palace horse buses in 1907.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 July 1907 |title=LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS. NELSON EVENING MAIL |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19070713.2.11 |access-date=15 January 2023 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |archive-date=15 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115060828/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19070713.2.11 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[InterCity (New Zealand)|InterCity]] provides daily bus services connecting Nelson with towns and cities around the South Island.

Ebus provides public transport services between Nelson, [[Richmond, New Zealand|Richmond]], [[Motueka]] and [[Wakefield, New Zealand|Wakefield]] as well as on two local routes connecting [[Atawhai]], [[Nelson Hospital]], [[The Brook, Nelson|The Brook]] and the [[Nelson Airport, New Zealand|Airport]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Routes & Timetables|url=https://ebus.nz//|publisher=Nelson City Council|access-date=13 August 2023|archive-date=13 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813011435/https://ebus.nz//|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Route<br />numbers !! Start !! style="width:40%;" | via !! End !! Notes
|-
|| 1 || Nelson  || [[Nelson Hospital|Hospital]], [[Bishopdale, Nelson|Bishopdale]], [[Stoke, New Zealand|Stoke]] || [[Richmond, New Zealand|Richmond]] || [[File:Wheelchair symbol.svg|15px]] [[File:Bike-icon.svg|25px]]
|-
|| 2 || Nelson  || [[Tāhunanui]], [[Annesbrook]],  [[Stoke, New Zealand|Stoke]] || [[Richmond, New Zealand|Richmond]] || [[File:Wheelchair symbol.svg|15px]] [[File:Bike-icon.svg|25px]]
|-
|| 3 || [[Atawhai]]  || [[The Wood, New Zealand|The Wood]], Nelson, [[Toi Toi]] || [[Nelson Hospital|Hospital]] || [[File:Wheelchair symbol.svg|15px]] [[File:Bike-icon.svg|25px]]
|-
|| 4 || [[Nelson Airport, New Zealand|Airport]]  || [[Washington Valley, New Zealand|Washington Valley]], Nelson, [[Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology|NMIT]] || [[The Brook, Nelson|The Brook]] || [[File:Wheelchair symbol.svg|15px]] [[File:Bike-icon.svg|25px]]
|-
|| 5 || Nelson  || [[Richmond, New Zealand|Richmond]], [[Māpua, New Zealand|Māpua]], [[Tasman (settlement)|Tasman Village]]|| [[Motueka]] || [[File:Wheelchair symbol.svg|15px]] [[File:Bike-icon.svg|25px]]
|-
|| 6 || Nelson  || [[Richmond, New Zealand|Richmond]], [[Hope, New Zealand|Hope]], [[Brightwater]] || [[Wakefield, New Zealand|Wakefield]] || [[File:Wheelchair symbol.svg|15px]] [[File:Bike-icon.svg|25px]]
|}

The Late Late Bus is a weekend night transport service between Nelson and Richmond. NBus Cards were replaced by [[Bee Card (New Zealand)|Bee Cards]] on 3 August 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bee Card: Nelson's new electronic bus card is here|url=https://our.nelson.govt.nz/media-releases-2/bee-card-nelsons-new-electronic-bus-card-is-here/|access-date=21 August 2020|website=Our Nelson|language=en-NZ|archive-date=28 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428122348/https://our.nelson.govt.nz/media-releases-2/bee-card-nelsons-new-electronic-bus-card-is-here/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Taxi]] companies include Nelson Bays Cabs, Nelson City Taxis<ref>{{cite web|title=Nelson Airport – Welcome to New Zealand's fourth busiest commercial airport|url=http://www.nelsonairport.co.nz/transport.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202416/http://www.nelsonairport.co.nz/transport.html|archive-date=29 October 2013|access-date=26 October 2013}}</ref> and Sun City Taxis.

=== Rail transport ===
The [[Dun Mountain Railway]] was a horse-drawn tramway that served a mine from 1862 to 1901. The [[Nelson Section]] was an isolated, {{RailGauge|3ft6in}} gauge, government-owned railway line between Nelson and [[Glenhope]] that operated for {{age|1876|01|29|1955|09|03}} years between 1876 and 1955. In 1886, a route was proposed from Nelson to the junction of the [[New Zealand Midland Railway Company|Midland Railway Company]] at Buller via [[Richmond, New Zealand|Richmond]], [[Waimea West]], [[Upper Moutere]], [[Motueka]], the Motueka Valley, [[Tadmor, New Zealand|Tadmor]] and [[Glenhope]].<ref>{{cite news|date=11 November 1886|title=The Motueka-Tadmor Railway Route |work=Nelson Evening Mail |via=Papers Past |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM18861111.2.13|access-date=21 August 2016|archive-date=1 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001234520/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM18861111.2.13|url-status=live}}</ref>

The only rail activity today is a short heritage operation run by the [[Nelson Railway Society]] from [[Founders Heritage Park]] using their own line between [[Wakefield Quay railway station|Wakefield Grove]] and [[Grove railway station|Grove]]. The society has proposed future extensions of their line, possibly into or near the city centre. Nelson is one of only five major urban areas in New Zealand without a rail connection – the others being [[Taupō]], [[Rotorua]], [[Gisborne, New Zealand|Gisborne]] and [[Queenstown, New Zealand|Queenstown]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}} There have been [[Nelson railway proposals|several proposals]] to connect Nelson to the South Island rail network, but none have come to fruition.

=== Roading ===
The Nelson urban area is served by {{NZlSH|6}}, which runs in a north to southwest direction. The highway travels through the city and nearby town of [[Richmond, New Zealand|Richmond]], continuing southwest across the plains of the [[Wairoa River (Tasman)|Wairoa]] and [[Motueka River]]s. Plans to construct a motorway linking North Nelson to [[Brightwater]] in the south have so far been unsuccessful. A number of studies have been undertaken since 2007 including the 2007 North Nelson to Brightwater Study,<ref>{{cite web|title=Tahunanui Nelson New Zealand : North Nelson to Brightwater Corridor Study|url=http://www.tahunanui.co.nz/corridor-study|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006041519/https://www.tahunanui.co.nz/corridor-study|archive-date=6 October 2013|access-date=16 August 2013}}</ref> the Southern Link Road Project<ref>{{cite web|title=Southern Link Road, Nelson|url=http://www.tonkin.co.nz/projects/pdfs/SouthernLink.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305124003/http://www.tonkin.co.nz/projects/pdfs/SouthernLink.pdf|archive-date=5 March 2016|access-date=8 August 2016|website=Tonkin.co.nz}}</ref> and the Arterial Traffic Study.<ref>{{cite web|title=Arterial Traffic Study|url=http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/council/plans-strategies-policies/strategies-plans-policies-reports-and-studies-a-z/arterial-traffic-study/|publisher=Nelson City Council|access-date=5 October 2013|archive-date=6 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006121657/http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/council/plans-strategies-policies/strategies-plans-policies-reports-and-studies-a-z/arterial-traffic-study/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 28 June 2013, the Nelson Mayor [[Aldo Miccio]] and Nelson MP [[Nick Smith (New Zealand politician)|Nick Smith]] jointly wrote to Transport Minister [[Gerry Brownlee]] seeking for the Southern Link to be given Road of National Significance (RoNS) status.<ref>{{cite news|author=Adam Roberts|date=28 June 2013|title=Bid beefs up proposal for Victory road|work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]]|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8854105/Bid-beefs-up-proposal-for-Victory-road|access-date=26 October 2013|archive-date=29 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193935/http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8854105/Bid-beefs-up-proposal-for-Victory-road|url-status=live}}</ref>

Other significant road projects proposed over the years include a cross-city [[tunnel]] from Tāhunanui Drive to Haven Road; or from [[Annesbrook]] (or Tāhunanui) to Emano Street in [[Victory Square, Nelson|Victory Square]]; or from Tāhunanui to [[Washington Valley, New Zealand|Washington Valley]].<ref name="pie" />

== Media ==
''[[The Nelson Examiner]]'' was the first newspaper published in the South Island. It was established by [[Charles Elliott (New Zealand politician)|Charles Elliott]] (1811–1876) in 1842, within a few weeks of [[New Zealand Company]] settlers arriving in Nelson.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.NENZC |title=Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle |work=Papers Past |publisher=National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga Aotearoa |access-date=30 November 2019 |archive-date=30 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430065105/http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.NENZC |url-status=live }}</ref> Other early newspapers were ''The Colonist'' and the ''[[Nelson Evening Mail]]''. Today, [[Stuff (company)|Stuff Ltd]] publishes the ''[[Nelson Mail]]'' four days a week, and the community paper ''The Nelson Tasman Leader'' weekly. The city's largest circulating newspaper is the locally owned ''Nelson Weekly'', which is published every Wednesday.

''[[WildTomato (magazine)|WildTomato]]'' was a glossy monthly lifestyle magazine focused on the Nelson and Marlborough regions. It was launched by Murray Farquhar as a 16-page local magazine in Nelson in July 2006, and put into liquidation in March 2021.<ref>NZ Companies Office – LIQUIDATOR’S FIRST REPORT</ref>

The city is served by all major national radio and television stations, with terrestrial television ([[Freeview (New Zealand)|Freeview]]) and FM radio. Local radio stations include The Hits (formerly [[Radio Nelson]]), [[More FM]] (formerly [[Fifeshire FM]]), The Breeze, [[ZM (New Zealand)|ZM]] (formerly [[The Planet 97FM]]) and community station [[Fresh FM (New Zealand)|Fresh FM]]. The city has one local television station, [[Mainland Television]].

== Sport ==
The first [[rugby union]] match in New Zealand took place at the Botanic Reserve in Nelson on 14 May 1870, between the [[Nelson Suburbs FC]] and [[Nelson College]]. An informative commemorative plaque was renovated at the western edge of the grassed area by Nelson City Council in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|title=New Zealand's first game of rugby |publisher=theprow.org |url= https://www.theprow.org.nz/events/new-zealand-first-game-of-rugby/ |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref>

'''Major sports teams'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Club
! Sport
! Founded
! League
! Venue
|-
| [[Nelson cricket team|Nelson Cricket Association]]
| [[Cricket]]
| 1858
| [[Hawke Cup]]
| [[Saxton Oval]]
|-
| [[Nelson Giants]]
| [[Basketball]]
| 1982
| [[National Basketball League (New Zealand)|National Basketball League]]
| [[Trafalgar Centre]]
|-
| [[Nelson Suburbs FC]]
| [[Association football|Football]]
| 1962
| [[Mainland Premier League]]  <br /> [[Chatham Cup]]
| [[Saxton Oval|Saxton Field]]
|-
|<!-- Deleted image removed:  [[File:Logo Tasman Makos.svg|120px]]  -->[[Tasman Mako]]
| [[Rugby Union|Rugby]]
| 2006
| [[Mitre 10 Cup]]
| [[Trafalgar Park, Nelson|Trafalgar Park]]
|-
| [[Tasman Titans]]
| [[Rugby league]]
| 1995
| [[Rugby League Cup]]
|
|-
| [[Tasman United]]
| Football
| 2015
| [[ISPS Handa Premiership]]
| [[Trafalgar Park, Nelson|Trafalgar Park]]
|}

'''Major venues'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Image
! Venue
|-
| [[File:Cricket oval panorama.jpg|120px]]
| [[Saxton Oval]]
|-
|
| [[Trafalgar Centre|The Trafalgar Centre]]
|-
| [[File:Trafalgar Park.jpg|120px]]
| [[Trafalgar Park, Nelson|Trafalgar Park]]
|-
| [[File:Theatre Royal, Nelson 106.JPG|120px]]
| [[Theatre Royal, Nelson|Theatre Royal]]
|}

== Education ==
{{Main|List of schools in Nelson, New Zealand}}

There are four secondary schools: [[Garin College]], [[Nayland College]], [[Nelson College]] and [[Nelson College for Girls]].

Nelson hosts two tertiary education institutions. The main one is [[Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology]], which has two main campuses, one in Nelson and the other in [[Blenheim, New Zealand|Blenheim]] in Marlborough. The institute has been providing tertiary education in the Nelson-Marlborough region for the last 100 years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Development of tertiary education |url=https://www.theprow.org.nz/society/development-of-tertiary-education/ |website=The Prow |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> Nelson also has a [[University of Canterbury]] College of Education campus, which currently has an intake two out of every three years for the primary sector.

== Notable people ==
{{main category|People from Nelson, New Zealand}}
<!-- this list is in alphabetical order (by surname); note that Ernest Rutherford was NOT from Nelson -->
{{div col}}
* [[Sophia Anstice]] – seamstress and businesswoman
* [[Harry Atmore]] – politician
* [[Francis Bell (New Zealand politician)|Francis Bell]] – politician
* [[George Bennett (cyclist)|George Bennett]] – cyclist
* [[Chester Borrows]] – politician
* [[Mark Bright (rugby union)|Mark Bright]] – rugby union player
* [[Jeremy Brockie]] – footballer
* [[Cory Brown]] – footballer
* [[Paul Brydon]] – footballer
* [[Mel Courtney]] – politician
* [[Ryan Crotty]] – rugby union player
* [[Rod Dixon]] – athlete
* [[Frederick Richard Edmund Emmett]] – music dealer and colour therapist
* Dame Sister [[Pauline Engel]] – nun and educator
* [[Finn Fisher-Black]] – cyclist
* [[Rose Frank]] – photographer
* [[John Guy (New Zealand cricketer)|John Guy]] – cricket player
* [[Isaac Mason Hill]] – social reformer, servant, storekeeper and ironmonger
* [[Frederick Nelson Jones]] – inventor
* [[Nina Jones]] – painter
* [[Charles Littlejohn]] – rower
* [[Liam Malone]] – athlete
* [[Simon Mannering]] – rugby league player
* [[Aldo Miccio]] – politician
* [[Marjorie Naylor]] – artist
* [[Edgar Neale]] – politician
* [[Geoffrey Palmer (politician)|Geoffrey Palmer]] – politician and former Prime Minister
* [[Nick Smith (New Zealand politician)|Nick Smith]] – politician
* [[Frank Howard Nelson Stapp]] – concert impresario
* [[Rhian Sheehan]] – composer and musician
* [[Riki van Steeden]] – footballer
* [[Mike Ward (New Zealand politician)|Mike Ward]] – politician
* [[George William Wallace Webber]] – postmaster, boarding-house keeper and farmer
* [[Nate Wilbourne]] – environmentalist
* [[Guy Williams (comedian)|Guy Williams]] – comedian
* [[Paul Williams (comedian)|Paul Williams]] – comedian
{{div col end}}

== Panoramas ==
[[File:nelsoncity.jpg|thumb|centre|800px|A panorama of Nelson City from the Centre of New Zealand monument]]

[[File:Boulder Bank Pano.jpg|thumb|centre|800px|The Boulder Bank is an unusual natural formation in Nelson.]]

==See also==
* [[List of twin towns and sister cities in New Zealand]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

'''Bibliography'''
* Fox-Davies, A. C. (1909). ''A Complete Guide To Heraldry''.

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Nelson, New Zealand}}
{{EB1911 poster|Nelson (New Zealand)}}
* {{Wikivoyage inline|Nelson (New Zealand)}}
* [https://www.nelsontasman.nz/ NelsonTasman.nz], official destination guide and business hub 

{{Adjacent communities
 | title = Adjacent cities and districts
 | Centre = Nelson
 | N = ''[[Tasman Sea]]''
 | E = [[Marlborough District|Marlborough]]
 | S = [[Tasman District|Tasman]]
 | W = ''[[Tasman Bay]]''
}}
{{Nelson, New Zealand}}
{{Cities and districts of New Zealand}}
{{Regions of New Zealand}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Nelson, New Zealand| ]]
[[Category:1858 establishments in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Former provincial capitals of New Zealand]]
[[Category:German-New Zealand culture]]
[[Category:Marinas in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1858]]
[[Category:Port cities in New Zealand]]
[[Category:South Island]]
[[Category:Wine regions of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Nelson Region|*]]
[[Category:Populated places around Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere| ]]
[[Category:Geographical centres]]
[[Category:Regions of New Zealand]]