When is Toast Martinborough?

Toast Martinborough is held each November, usually on the third Sunday of the month. Around 15 wineries open their gates, with ticketed buses shuttling between vineyards. Tickets typically sell out within hours of release.

What is the Union Jack street layout?

Martinborough was laid out in 1879 by John Martin with streets radiating from a central square in a Union Jack pattern. The original 1879 grid is entirely intact, with the streets named after Martin's family connections and overseas voyages.

What wineries are in Martinborough?

Ata Rangi, Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard, Dry River, Palliser Estate, Margrain, Schubert and around 25 other wineries operate in the Martinborough wine appellation, most within easy cycling distance of the town centre.

How do I get from Wellington to Martinborough?

By car, around 90 to 100 minutes via SH2 over the Remutaka Hill and SH53. The Wairarapa Connection train to Featherston (70 minutes), then a bus or taxi 18 km to Martinborough.

Which schools are in zone for Martinborough?

Children living in Martinborough are in zone for Kuranui College. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Martinborough?

Use the School Zone Checker on this page — enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Martinborough, Wellington | Schools, Lifestyle & Local Guide

Living in Martinborough

Martinborough is a small town in the South Wairarapa, around 85 km northeast of Wellington over the Remutaka Hill. Population around 1,800. It was laid out in 1879 by John Martin with a distinctive Union Jack street pattern (streets radiating out from a central square in a Union Jack design), and the original grid is entirely intact today.

What put Martinborough on the map is wine. The first commercial vineyards were planted in the late 1970s and early 1980s after a DSIR report identified the area as ideal for cool-climate viticulture. Ata Rangi, Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard, Dry River and Palliser Estate were among the earliest. Martinborough Pinot Noir is now one of the country's premium wine appellations.

The annual Toast Martinborough Festival each November is the marquee event: 15 or so wineries open their gates, ticketed buses shuttle visitors between vineyards, and tickets sell out within hours each year. Martinborough Square is the central hub for shopping, restaurants and the Martinborough Hotel (1882).

The town runs on tourism, weddings, vineyard work and weekenders who arrive on the Friday and leave on the Sunday. Out of season, the population settles back to its actual residents and the cafés get quiet again.

Is Martinborough a good place to live?

Martinborough is home to roughly 1,875 people. On Suburb's overall livability scale, Martinborough scores 69 out of 100, with a safety score of 77/100 and 10% green space.

Schools: Martinborough has 2 schools in or near the suburb, spanning early-childhood through to secondary education. See the Schools tab below for the full list.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $774K, and weekly rent typically sits around $455.

Lifestyle: Martinborough has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 9.3°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Martinborough is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety77
Amenities100
Schools68
Housing Affordability48
Green space34
Community100
Transport40

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $774K
Median Weekly Rent: $455/wk
Median HH Income: $97K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): +2.8%
Data Year: 2023

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.

Nearby Suburbs

Browse all suburbs in South Wairarapa District →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Martinborough?: Martinborough is a town in the South Wairarapa, around 85 km northeast of Wellington over the Remutaka Hill. It sits 18 km southeast of Featherston, off SH53.
When is Toast Martinborough?: Toast Martinborough is held each November, usually on the third Sunday of the month. Around 15 wineries open their gates, with ticketed buses shuttling between vineyards. Tickets typically sell out within hours of release.
What is the Union Jack street layout?: Martinborough was laid out in 1879 by John Martin with streets radiating from a central square in a Union Jack pattern. The original 1879 grid is entirely intact, with the streets named after Martin's family connections and overseas voyages.
What wineries are in Martinborough?: Ata Rangi, Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard, Dry River, Palliser Estate, Margrain, Schubert and around 25 other wineries operate in the Martinborough wine appellation, most within easy cycling distance of the town centre.
How do I get from Wellington to Martinborough?: By car, around 90 to 100 minutes via SH2 over the Remutaka Hill and SH53. The Wairarapa Connection train to Featherston (70 minutes), then a bus or taxi 18 km to Martinborough.

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Martinborough

Schools in zone for Martinborough

Children living in Martinborough have a guaranteed right to enrol at these school, based on Ministry of Education home zones.

Kuranui College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 778 · decile 6

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Enter your address to check your school zone in Martinborough. School enrolment zones (home zones) decide which schools your child has a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Address matching is approximate and based on OpenStreetMap geocoding — confirm an exact result near a zone boundary directly with the school.

Other nearby schools

Schools close to Martinborough that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).

Martinborough School
Full Primary · roll 243 · decile 8 · 2.4 km away

Explore Martinborough

Things to do(13)

Martinborough Colonial Museum

vinice

odbocka vinice

The Sauna Project Wairarapa

Martinborough Rugby Club

Martinborough Bowling Club

HealthFit Martinborough

Martinborough Town Hall

Studio Azul

Martinborough Lawn Tennis Club

Martinborough Squash Club

Martinborough Community Gym

Facing Giants CrossFit

Parks & green spaces(1)

Martinborough Town Hall

Healthcare(2)

Unichem

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	21.86	13.19	56.4	10.9
☀️ Feb	21.03	13.36	113.33	9.38
🍂 Mar	19	10.97	69.1	8.85
🍂 Apr	17.51	9.52	67.33	7.98
🍂 May	15	7.51	90.17	6.72
❄️ Jun	12.94	6.56	46.47	5.77
❄️ Jul	12.02	5.64	124.57	5.58
❄️ Aug	12.38	5.42	95.37	6.44
🌸 Sep	14.12	6.7	88.87	8.07
🌸 Oct	15.56	7.57	66.83	9.07
🌸 Nov	17.85	10.45	66.37	10.19
☀️ Dec	20.19	12.64	100.93	9.53

Living in Martinborough

Is Martinborough a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Martinborough

Schools in zone for Martinborough

Kuranui College

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

Martinborough School

Explore Martinborough

🎯Things to do(13)

Martinborough Colonial Museum

vinice

odbocka vinice

The Sauna Project Wairarapa

Martinborough Rugby Club

Martinborough Bowling Club

HealthFit Martinborough

Martinborough Town Hall

Studio Azul

Martinborough Lawn Tennis Club

Martinborough Squash Club

Martinborough Community Gym

Facing Giants CrossFit

🌳Parks & green spaces(1)

Martinborough Town Hall

🏥Healthcare(2)

Unichem

Martinborough Medical Centre

Eat & Drink in Martinborough

🍽️Places to eat & drink(36)

The Martinborough Hotel

The Bach

In The Neighbourhood Coffee House

The Pukemanu

Apache Jacks

Cool Change

Tonic Bistro & Bar

Mesita Wine Bar

The Village

Winemakers

Martinborough Brewery

karahui wine bar & eatery

Knucklebone

Cafe Medici

Moy Hall Vineyard

The Martinborough Sweet Shop

Pukemanu Bar and Function Centre

Knucklebone Coffee Bar

Kitchener's

The Village Cafe

Providore Food & Catering

Esk Martinborough

Union Square Bistro and Bar

Tirohana Estate

Its Quite Cool

Cool Change Bar & Eatery

The Runholder

Aroma India Martinborough

Siam Kitchen Thai Restaurant (Martinborough)

The Martinborough Bakery

AHOY Takeaways

Circus Cinema Restaurant Bar

Tohi Gin Room and Eatery

The Village Cafe & Bar

Karahui Wine Bar and Eatery

Neighbourhood Coffee

Tradies & Services in Martinborough

🔧Tradies & services(5)

Bridgestone Tyre Centre - Tom Wilson Motors

Cotter & Stevens

Graham & Sons Upholstery

Martinborough Playcentre

The Glass Guy

Things to do(13)

Parks & green spaces(1)

Healthcare(2)

Places to eat & drink(36)

Tradies & services(5)

Shops(20)

Beauty & fitness(16)

Professional services(3)

Places to stay(20)