The Centre of New Zealand sits on top of Botanical Hill in Nelson and is one of the city's most popular short walks. It's a 20-30 minute uphill walk from the Botanical Reserve, and at the top you're rewarded with a great view over the city and Tasman Bay.
Next to the needle-shaped monument at the summit there are benches where you can enjoy the view and catch your breath. Several walkways meet at the top, so you can take a different route down: back to the Botanical Reserve, further along to Walter's Bluff to come down opposite Founders Heritage Park, or via Branford Park down into the Maitai Valley.
Despite its name, the monument doesn't mark the geographical centre of New Zealand. Back in the 1870s, when surveys throughout New Zealand were isolated and not connected, Nelson's chief surveyor John S. Browning chose Botanical Hill as his starting point. The actual geographical centre of New Zealand isn't far away, though - it lies about 50 km south-west in the Spooner Range.
The Botanical Hill Reserve also has some interesting history from the same era: it's the birthplace of New Zealand's rugby tradition. The first game was played here in May 1870 between Nelson College and the Nelson club team.
