# Tasman Bay > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tasman_Bay > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tasman_Bay.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_Bay > Source revision: 1343236538 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Bay in the South Island of New Zealand This article is about the bay on the north coast of New Zealand's South Island. For the bay on the east coast of Manawatāwhi / Great Island, see [Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands](/source/Manawat%C4%81whi_%2F_Three_Kings_Islands). This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Tasman Bay" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Tasman Bay The coast of Tasman Bay in Motueka Location of Tasman Bay Location South Island Coordinates 41°00′S 173°20′E / 41.000°S 173.333°E / -41.000; 173.333 Type Bay Part of Tasman Sea Basin countries New Zealand Location Interactive map of Tasman Bay **Tasman Bay** ([Māori](/source/M%C4%81ori_language): *Te Tai-o-Aorere*; officially **Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere**), originally known in English as **Blind Bay**, is a large V-shaped bay at the north end of [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand)'s [South Island](/source/South_Island). Located in the centre of the island's northern coast, it stretches along 120 kilometres (75 mi) of coastline and is 70 kilometres (43 mi) across at its widest point. It is an arm of the [Tasman Sea](/source/Tasman_Sea), lying on the western approach to [Cook Strait](/source/Cook_Strait). At the bay's western extremity, the land around the bay is rough and densely forested. Separation Point, the westernmost point of the bay, is located in [Abel Tasman National Park](/source/Abel_Tasman_National_Park) and separates Tasman Bay from its smaller neighbour, [Golden Bay](/source/Golden_Bay_%2F_Mohua). To the east, the land is also steep, with the westernmost points of sea-drowned valleys of the [Marlborough Sounds](/source/Marlborough_Sounds). [D'Urville Island](/source/D'Urville_Island%2C_New_Zealand) sits to the northeast of Tasman Bay's easternmost point. [Arrow Rock](/source/Arrow_Rock%2C_New_Zealand) is situated off the coast of [Nelson](/source/Nelson%2C_New_Zealand). The land between these two extremes is more gently rolling, and also includes the coastal plains around the mouth of the [Waimea River](/source/Waimea_River_(Tasman)) at the bay's southernmost point. Other rivers entering the sea along the coast of the bay include the [Riwaka](/source/Riwaka_River), the [Motueka](/source/Motueka_River) and [Maitai Rivers](/source/Maitai_River). The long low form of [Rabbit Island](/source/Rabbit_Island%2C_New_Zealand) is located close to the bay's south coast. Tasman Bay contains the rare rock formation known as the [Boulder Bank](/source/Boulder_Bank). The fertile land around the centre of the bay's coast is extensively cultivated and known for its horticultural crops such as apples, [kiwifruit](/source/Kiwifruit), olives, grapes and [hops](/source/Hops). In the middle of the twentieth century the Tasman Bay area produced large crops of [tobacco](/source/Tobacco). There is a tobacco museum in [Motueka](/source/Motueka). It is also the most densely populated part of the South Island's north coast, and several towns and the city of [Nelson](/source/Nelson%2C_New_Zealand) are all located close to the shore. These towns include [Riwaka](/source/Riwaka), [Motueka](/source/Motueka), [Māpua](/source/M%C4%81pua%2C_New_Zealand) and [Richmond](/source/Richmond%2C_New_Zealand). ## History The location's original name, Blind Bay, was given by [Captain Cook](/source/Captain_Cook) in 1770.[1] The name of the bay was officially altered to Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere in August 2014.[2][3] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Te_Ara_1-0)** [McLintock, A. H.](/source/Alexander_Hare_McLintock), ed. (22 April 2009) [First published in 1966]. "Tasman Bay". [*An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand*](https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/tasman-bay). [Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga](/source/Ministry_for_Culture_and_Heritage). Retrieved 27 September 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere and Golden Bay / Mohua"](https://www.linz.govt.nz/our-work/new-zealand-geographic-board/place-name-stories/place-names-cooks-voyages/tasman-bay-te-tai-o-aorere-and-golden-bay-mohua). *Toitū Te Whenua - Land Information New Zealand*. Retrieved 13 March 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["NZGB decisions"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151121203027/http://www.linz.govt.nz/regulatory/place-names/recent-place-name-decisions-and-place-names-interest/nzgb-decisions-august). Land Information New Zealand. August 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.linz.govt.nz/regulatory/place-names/recent-place-name-decisions-and-place-names-interest/nzgb-decisions-august) on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015. ## External links - Media related to [Tasman Bay](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Tasman_Bay) at Wikimedia Commons v t e Tasman District, New Zealand Seat: Richmond Populated places Golden Bay / Mohua Aorere Bainham Clifton Collingwood East Tākaka Ferntown Ligar Bay Motupipi Onekaka Pākawau Parapara Patons Rock Pōhara Port Pūponga Pūponga Rockville Seaford Tākaka Tarakohe Tata Beach Upper Tākaka Waikato Waitapu Motueka Brooklyn Kaiteriteri Lower Moutere Mārahau Motueka Riwaka Moutere-Waimea Brightwater Bronte Dovedale Mahana Māpua Ngātīmoti Ruby Bay Tasman Upper Moutere Wakefield Woodstock Richmond Aniseed Valley Appleby Hope Richmond Lakes-Murchison Murchison Rotoroa Saint Arnaud Tapawera Tophouse Geographic features Buller River Dun Mountain–Maitai terrane Hope Saddle Lee River Mārahau River Maungakura / Red Hill Newton River Ngārua Caves Roding River Sams Creek Tākaka River Waimea Plains Waimea River Golden Bay / Mohua Appos Creek Archway Islands Cape Farewell Cobb Reservoir Druggans Dam Dry River Farewell Spit Harwoods Hole Lake Killarney Lightband Gully North-west Nelson Forest Park Rawhiti Cave Slateford Tākaka Hill Tata Islands Te Waikoropupū Springs Wainui Bay Whanganui Inlet Wharariki Beach Abel Tasman National Park Armchair Island Awapoto River Awaroa River Ballon Rock Falls River Fisherman Island Motuareronui / Adele Island Simonet Creek Torrent Bay Tata Islands Tinline Bay Tonga Island Torrent River Tōtaranui Wainui River Falls Tasman Bay Bell Island Best Island Moturoa / Rabbit Island Tokangawhā / Split Apple Rock Waimea Inlet Kahurangi National Park Brown River Bulmer Cavern Ellis Basin cave system Kahurangi Point Lake Matiri Mount Arthur Mount Burnett Mount Owen Nettlebed Cave Wharepapa / Arthur Range Nelson Lakes National Park Braeburn Range Lake Rotoiti Lake Rotoroa Maniniaro / Angelus Peak Mount Franklin Pourangahau / Mount Robert Rotomairewhenua / Blue Lake Rotopōhueroa / Lake Constance Sabine Valley Saint Arnaud Range Spenser Mountains Facilities and attractions Abel Tasman National Park Coast Track Inland Track Monument Appleby railway station Brightwater railway station Cobb Power Station Ferntown Bridge Gowanbridge railway station Heaphy Track Hope railway station Karamea Aerodrome Kawatiri railway station Langford Store Memorial Park Milnthorpe Model Motueka Aerodrome Moutere Inn Mussel Inn Nelson Lakes National Park Onekaka Ironworks Onekaka Power Station Onekaka Wharf and tramline Proposals for a road through North-west Nelson Pupu Hydro Power Scheme Richmond railway station RNZAF Dip Flat Rutherford memorial Stafford Place St Michael's Church Stoke railway station Tākaka Aerodrome Tākaka Pioneers' Memorial Takaka Tramway Great Taste Trail Tonga Island Marine Reserve Tophouse Tour de Vineyards Wai-iti Dark Sky Park Wangapeka Track Westhaven (Te Tai Tapu) Marine Reserve Wharariki Ecosanctuary Administration Historic Nelson Province (1853–1876) Collingwood County (1877–1956) Waimea County (1877–1989) Richmond Borough (1891–1989 · mayor) Motueka Borough (1900–1989) Takaka County (1904–1956) Murchison County (1909–1965) Golden Bay County (1956–1989) Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council (1989–1992) Current Council Mayor Organisations Golden Bay Air Golden Bay-Motueka Rugby Union New Zealand Energy Richmond Athletic FC Talley's Group Schools Collingwood Area School Golden Bay High School Motueka High School Waimea College Waimea Intermediate v t e Abel Tasman National Park Bays and beaches Awaroa Inlet Golden Bay / Mohua Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere Tinline Bay Rākauroa / Torrent Bay Tōtaranui Wainui Bay Caves Harwoods Hole Islands Armchair Island Ballon Rock Fisherman Island Motuareronui / Adele Island Tata Islands Tonga Island Rivers Awapoto River Awaroa River Falls River Mārahau River Simonet Creek Torrent River Wainui River Wainui Falls Structures Abel Tasman Monument Walking tracks Abel Tasman Coast Track Abel Tasman Inland Track Related reserves Tonga Island Marine Reserve --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tasman Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_Bay) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_Bay?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.