Waipara's booming wine region a gateway to whales and hot pools

It may be the middle of winter for most, but Waipara, the gateway to the Alpine Pacific Triangle, is gearing up for its busiest ever season.

Waipara is the fastest growing wine region in New Zealand with now 79 vineyards in the region and up to 1000 hectares of grapes.

The region has seen a 240 percent increase in its annual grape harvest on the previous year.

Waipara is working in with Kaikoura and Hanmer Springs – the other partners in the Alpine Pacific Triangle, to attract visitors to the area.

The region as a destination is growing rapidly because of its wine, whales and romantic hot pools.

Among the Waipara labels are Muddy Water, Daniel Schuster, Pegasus Bay and Alan McCorkindale. Muddy Water recently won a best wine in Ireland award for its 2006 sauvignon blanc.

Years ago the area was known for its sheep farming – and the great Canterbury lamb was a money spinner.

Today the paddocks have been replaced by rows of vineyard posts, wire and grapes – as far as the eye can see.

Eighty minutes drive north from Waipara is the Kaikoura with its picture postcard scenery and world famous whale watching.

A number of operators get you close to giant sperm whales but the most notable is Whale Watch –run by Wally Stone, a local identity who heads New Zealand Tourism board.

Whale Watch has a 95 percent success rate and if tourists don’t see a whale they get 80 percent of their money back. The sperm whales are the biggest of the toothed whales and the world’s largest carnivore. They are equivalent in size to four elephants.

Meanwhile, Hanmer is attracting half a million visitors a year to soak in the thermal hot spring pools.

The town is rapidly expanding for couples and holidaymakers and they even have a dial a flower service here, appropriately name: www.passionflowerhanmer.com !

The Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools have been used for 125 years but they have been totally revamped in recent years.

It used to be part of the former Queen Mary Hospital, which was known for years as a place for alcoholics to dry out. It closed down some years ago. Ironically today beer and wine drinkers in a number of pubs and bars look out over the old hospital!