Escape! Revive! Reconnect!
Escape! Revive! Reconnect!
They wouldn’t comprehend the concept of restoring the environment and making a living from showing people around their home.
Lynette Wilson is the great-greatgreat-granddaughter of the one of Nelson’s founding European settlers. She and her husband, John, pioneered modern tourism in Abel Tasman National Park in 1977 with an 18-passenger launch operating transfers from Kaiteriteri to Torrent Bay for two weeks over the Christmas/New Year period.
The Wilson’s children grew up holidaying as “free-range kids” at the family’s cottage at Torrent Bay.
As they gained skills and experience, they joined their parents to develop the family business into a multi-award winning tourism operation, without losing sight of the importance of providing safe and fun adventures for families.
On multi-day trips, the Wilson family welcomes visitors to their ancestral homes, ideally spaced for a journey of discovery between Marahau and Totaranui, offering the highest standard of accommodation available on hiking trails in a National Park in New Zealand.
Guests can book the choice of walking, kayaking or taking a boat between the lodges.
Meadowbank Homestead at Awaroa reveals the triumphs and tragedies of early European settlement in New Zealand, told through the personal stories of the Wilson’s ancestors, the Hadfield family.
William Hadfield was one of the first farming settlers at Awaroa. In 1884, he built a home on the “finest site in the Bay” for his wife, Adele, and their nine children. Meadowbank Homestead was rebuilt by John Wilson and the family in 1994 to include 13 ensuite guest rooms with all modern comforts.
Torrent Bay Lodge retains the beach holiday atmosphere of the Wilson family’s 2-bedroom holiday cottage.
Since 1968, the family has rebuilt and refurbished the simple cottage with ensuite guest rooms and casual dining area opening to a deck beside the beach. The lodge is decorated with a nautical theme and retains the charm of a family holiday home.
Three-day trips stay one night at each lodge. Five-day trips can be as active or leisurely as you like with two nights at each lodge. Luggage transfers and innovative meals are included in your journey.
Expert hosts help you make the most of each day around the tides and the
weather, with boat back-up to shorten the day’s walking if required.
This year, Wilsons Abel Tasman introduces a 3-Day Self-Guided walk for visitors who value their independence with the comfort of Beachfront Lodge accommodation, hot showers, meals cooked for them, luggage transfers and boat back-up.
For guests who choose guided walking or kayaking options, professional guides introduce a landscape full of stories.
Discover how the granite coast was reclaimed from farmers and timber cutters, to be named after the Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman. Follow the progress of early Maori and European settlers, their struggles to make a living from the land, and how their descendants are now restoring the environment to return birdsong to the Park.
As a guest at Wilsons Abel Tasman’s Beachfront Lodges, you choose a day of adventuring or relaxing, then come home to a hot shower and pre-dinner drinks served overlooking the beach.
Swap stories with fellow travellers or find time on your own.
After a delicious meal cooked by your Hosts, be lulled to sleep by the sound of waves lapping golden sand. Awake to a continental or full cooked breakfast to set you up for another day to suit how active or laid-back you want to be.
If you only have one day, or just a couple of hours to experience New Zealand’s finest coastal National Park, the Wilson’s Vista Cruise will speed you in and out of the park for the widest range of day trip choices with cruising, beach stop, walking and sea kayaking options.
Priced for local New Zealanders, the Vista Cruise service elevates the standard of transport to a level expected by international travellers. Friendly reservationists and boat hosts help you make the most of the time you have.
The Wilson’s Team takes care of the details, assisting you to escape the
stresses of modern living and reconnect with the important things in life.
Comments from guests of Wilsons Abel Tasman include: “Life just seems better here.”
“I feel more like a house guest/ friend.”
“It looks even better than the brochures.”
“I’m coming back for my 80th birthday.”