Every Australian wine traveller who visits New Zealand goes to Marlborough for the Sauvignon Blanc. Fewer make it to Hawke's Bay -- the warm, east-coast wine region on the North Island that produces reds of extraordinary quality and a depth of wine and food culture that Marlborough, for all its international fame, doesn't quite match. For Australians who have already done New Zealand's obvious wine destination and want something genuinely revelatory, Hawke's Bay is the answer.
Why Hawke's Bay Is Different from Marlborough
Marlborough's identity is built almost entirely on Sauvignon Blanc -- the variety that put New Zealand wine on the international map and which Marlborough produces at industrial scale and consistent quality. Hawke's Bay is a different kind of wine region: warmer, drier, and producing red wines -- particularly Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bordeaux-style blends -- that have more in common with Australia's Margaret River or the Barossa than with anything made in Marlborough.
The Gimblett Gravels -- a sub-region of Hawke's Bay defined by deep, free-draining gravel soils deposited by the ancient Ngaruroro River -- produces Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon of remarkable concentration and structure. This is New Zealand's closest equivalent to the great red wine soils of Bordeaux and the Rhône, and the wines produced on these gravels have attracted serious international attention from critics who would otherwise struggle to name a New Zealand red.
The Producers Worth Visiting
Craggy Range, on the eastern edge of the Gimblett Gravels with the Hawke's Bay ranges as a backdrop, produces the region's most internationally celebrated wines and has a winery restaurant (Terrôir) of genuine culinary ambition. The Te Muna Road Pinot Noir from the Martinborough estate and the Gimblett Gravels Syrah are the wines that explain why serious wine drinkers take Hawke's Bay seriously.
Trinity Hill, Church Road, and Clearview Estate each offer different perspectives on the region. Clearview is the most visited for its direct coast-to-vineyard setting; Church Road has the most impressive historic winery and museum of New Zealand wine history; Trinity Hill is the producer most committed to the Gimblett Gravels identity. For Australian visitors who want to understand what distinguishes Hawke's Bay from Marlborough, a tasting at any of the Gimblett Gravels properties will make the argument effectively.
Napier: Art Deco City by the Sea
Napier, the main city of Hawke's Bay, was rebuilt almost entirely in Art Deco style following the devastating 1931 earthquake that destroyed the original town. The result is one of the world's most intact Art Deco urban environments -- a small city whose main streets are lined with buildings in a unified architectural style that has attracted significant heritage tourism. The Art Deco Festival in February draws visitors from across New Zealand and internationally, with vintage cars, period dress, and a civic enthusiasm for the heritage that makes it one of New Zealand's best annual events.
The Food Culture: Better Than the Reputation Suggests
Hawke's Bay's food scene extends well beyond the winery restaurants. The Hawke's Bay Farmers Market, held Saturday mornings at the Hastings Showgrounds, is consistently rated among New Zealand's best markets -- produce from one of the country's most productive horticultural regions, cheesemakers, charcutiers, bakers, and the full output of a food culture that takes its ingredients seriously. The region produces stone fruit, apples, berries, olives, and vegetables at a quality that Auckland's supply chains rarely maintain.
Cape Kidnappers: The Gannet Colony
Cape Kidnappers, at the southern end of Hawke's Bay, hosts the world's largest mainland gannet colony -- approximately 6,500 pairs of Australasian gannets nesting on the exposed clifftop of the cape accessible only by tractor-pulled wagon or on foot at low tide. The experience of standing among thousands of nesting gannets, with the bay stretching north behind you and the birds performing their elaborate greeting rituals, is one of the best wildlife experiences in the North Island and completely unlike anything available in Australia.
Getting There from Australia
Hawke's Bay Airport near Napier has direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane (Air New Zealand and Jetstar), making it the most underused direct international gateway in New Zealand. Flying directly to Napier rather than Auckland means you're immediately in the wine region without two hours of Auckland traffic and domestic connection. From Auckland by road it's approximately 4.5 hours south via the Napier-Taupo Highway -- a scenic route through the Hawke's Bay hill country worth taking if driving from the north.
Planning Your Trip: Practical Details
Getting there from Australia: direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth on Air New Zealand and Qantas (from AUD $250-600 return), with no visa required. The New Zealand dollar sits at approximately AUD $0.92 in 2026, meaning costs are broadly similar to Australia at comparable quality levels -- though accommodation and restaurant prices in tourist-heavy areas like Queenstown and the Bay of Islands can exceed Australian equivalents. Hiring a car is the recommended transport for most New Zealand itineraries -- the country's road infrastructure is excellent, distances between attractions are manageable, and the freedom to stop at viewpoints without bus schedules makes a meaningful difference to the quality of the experience.
When to visit: New Zealand's South Island is best experienced December through March (summer), when alpine access is reliable and the days are long. The North Island is more accessible year-round, though the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and other high-altitude walks are weather-dependent regardless of season. The shoulder months of October-November and April-May offer the best combination of good weather, reduced crowds, and competitive accommodation pricing for Australians who can travel outside school holiday windows. Book accommodation 4-6 weeks ahead for popular destinations in the December-January and July peak periods -- New Zealand's most desirable properties fill early and don't maintain last-minute availability the way less-visited destinations do.
New Zealand consistently ranks among the world's most rewarding travel destinations for Australian visitors -- the combination of extraordinary natural scenery, world-class wine and food, adventure activity infrastructure, and the cultural richness of Maori heritage creates a destination that rewards repeat visits as much as first-time exploration. Australian travellers who have visited New Zealand consistently report that the destination exceeded their expectations, particularly in the South Island where the scale and diversity of the landscape produces experiences that no other short-haul destination from Australia can match. Plan the trip carefully, allow more time than you think you need, and treat the itinerary as a starting framework rather than a fixed schedule -- the unplanned discoveries are frequently the most memorable.