About Us

Kat is the heart and soul of Explore Marlborough, and honestly, she brings everything. A Marlborough local through and through, her roots in this region run deep, as do her connections to its world-renowned wine industry. She built her career here, spending years as the CEO of a winery, and has an extensive knowledge of the land, the grapes, the winemakers and the stories behind the wines that is woven into every experience Explore Marlborough offers.

Four years ago, she and her partner Roo bought their dream, taking ownership of Explore Marlborough, a business that had already been welcoming visitors to this spectacular valley since 2013. Between them they have five kids, many of them still connected to the region and the business, and that sense of family runs through everything they do. For Kat, it was never just a career move. It was personal, and guests feel that from the moment they arrive.

If Kat is the soul of Explore Marlborough, Roo is the backbone. Roo comes from a background in building and spent years as a kayak guide before he and Kat bought their dream and took ownership of Explore Marlborough. He brought with him a practical, hands-on approach to everything, the kind of person who figures out what needs doing and just gets on with it.

As Base Manager, he’s the one making sure everything runs smoothly day to day, but you’ll just as often find him out guiding tours or welcoming guests at the base. He has a natural ease with people that sets the tone for the whole experience from the moment you arrive. Roo loves Marlborough, the landscapes, the wines, the lifestyle, and when he’s not working he’s out on his bike or with a glass of something excellent in hand. The fact that his job and his idea of a perfect day off look pretty much identical tells you everything you need to know about him.

Tayla was born and raised in Marlborough, and in many ways the region is in her blood, literally, as Kat’s daughter and a key part of the family team that took ownership of Explore Marlborough four years ago. She has spent most of her life on and around the vineyards and wineries of this valley, working vintages and travelling the world, all of which adds up to a depth of knowledge and experience that guests benefit from every day.

With a background in wine, Tayla brings something a little different to the team. She’s a true all-rounder, handling marketing & customer experience while also getting out on tour as a guide. She also manages all of this while raising two little ones, which tells you everything you need to know about the kind of person she is. Guests love her, and it’s easy to see why. She has that rare ability to make everyone feel looked after, whether she’s planning a bespoke experience or leading a group through the vines on a perfect Marlborough afternoon.

Richard is not your average guide. Born in Wellington and raised in Auckland, he studied Viticulture and Oenology at Lincoln University before joining Pernod Ricard as an Assistant Winemaker, working across their Marlborough and Waipara wineries including the commissioning of the Camshorn winery for its inaugural 2006 vintage.

From there, Richard spent four back-to-back harvests working across four countries, France’s Languedoc region, Ata Rangi in New Zealand, Stoller Winery in Oregon, and Tamar Ridge in Tasmania, before moving into wine marketing and sales with Negociants NZ and later Negociants UK in London, where he developed market penetration for their fine wine portfolio across key restaurant accounts.

In 2014 he returned to Marlborough to join Greywacke, working alongside Sauvignon Blanc pioneer Kevin Judd as part of the core winemaking and sales team. In 2021 he left to focus his attention on his own venture, The Marlborist. Richard lives in Blenheim with his wife Marg and their two young children Henrietta and George, and brings to every Explore Marlborough tour a depth of winemaking knowledge and industry experience that is truly one of a kind.

Born and raised in Elaine Bay in the Pelorus Sounds, Ben has lived and breathed tourism from a young age, growing up and working in his family’s tour business and developing an authentic connection to the region.

His career has seen him build extensive experience across both tourism and hospitality, including Venue Manager at Wither Hills Winery, where he developed a strong reputation for delivering premium guest experiences.

In his role as Partnerships & Guest Experience Manager at Explore Marlborough, Ben combines his deep local knowledge, industry relationships, and passion for people to create seamless, high-quality experiences for guests and partners alike.

If he isn’t busy making guests feel welcome, you will find him down the sounds on a boat with his family or on the golf course.

Ben grew up exploring Marlborough, and that early connection to the region never really left him. Born in Nelson, he came to Explore Marlborough four years ago with the family as Roo’s son, so naturally, he has been an integral part of the team ever since.

Behind the scenes, Ben is the tech brain of the operation, handling everything from AI and automation to marketing and socials and keeping the digital side of the business running smoothly. It’s the kind of work that doesn’t always get seen, but without it the wheels wouldn’t turn nearly as well.

When he’s not in front of a screen, Ben is outside surfing, riding bikes, and making the most of everything the region has to offer. He’s living proof that the best people to work in tourism are the ones who genuinely love being outdoors in the place they’re selling.

Rob is a retired forester who lives with his partner Ket on a rural property in the Southern Valleys wine region, right in the heart of the landscape he loves to talk about. His connection to the land runs deep, with a lifelong interest in different land uses and landscapes that gives his guiding a perspective guests don’t often get elsewhere.

Alongside farming and forestry, Rob manages a small Pinot Noir vineyard which has been supplying grapes to local wineries including Spy Valley and Hunters since 2012. In 2025 he and Ket took things a step further and started making their own wine, so when Rob talks about the winemaking process, he’s speaking from genuine personal experience. He has also organised a number of wine tasting events over the years and has a broad knowledge of both local and international wines.

Fit, active and a keen biker, Rob is as comfortable on two wheels as he is talking wine, history and the stories behind the stunning landscapes you’ll ride through on your tour. He loves meeting people and giving guests a wide perspective on Marlborough, its people, its past and the wonderful wines it produces.

Anne will be joining Explore for her second season guiding after spending ten years in the tourism industry in Marlborough. Anne and her husband set up a Luxury Lodge in The Marlborough Sounds creating a bespoke accommodation for high-end guests. Anne also created tours for their guests incorporating various activities and experiences within the Marlborough region plus sat on the marketing committee for The Queen Charlotte Track for 2 years.

She is a keen fitness enthusiast often seen in the gym or cycling around the trails in the Sounds. A qualified yoga teacher, she created Marlborough Yoga Retreats ten years ago bringing together various local and International yoga teachers to Marlborough to create interesting 2-3 day events supporting the local region and it’s chefs, massage therapists, yoga teachers and showcasing the beautiful venues available.

Anne has lived in Asia for 20 years before settling in Marlborough and loves meeting and guiding guests from around the world, sharing stories about travel, food and wine.

Rob brings ten years of cycle guiding experience through the Molesworth and Nelson area to his role with us, and has been part of the Explore Marlborough team for seven years. His connection to the wine industry goes far deeper than guiding, Rob owns a vineyard, was part of the early plantings that helped shape Marlborough’s wine story, and his family now supplies eight different wineries. He previously owned his own label too, so when it comes to understanding the Marlborough wine story from vine to glass, there are few people better placed to tell it.

Rob’s passion outside of work is cycling and overseas travel, and next New Zealand winter he has been offered a guiding position in Italy, a testament to the reputation he has built over a decade in the industry. A proud Marlburian, he loves meeting visitors from around the world and sharing the story of this remarkable region with anyone who will listen.

Bob has been guiding with Explore Marlborough for four seasons, but his connection to this region goes back twenty five years, first as a regular visitor, now as a full time resident. That long relationship with Marlborough gives him a perspective few guides can offer, having watched the region evolve from both sides of the fence and building a deep knowledge of its wines, wineries and history along the way. He has also spent considerable time exploring the wine regions of Spain and Portugal.

Before guiding, Bob’s career took him from history and PE teacher to principal of two special schools, then on to training primary school teachers as a university tutor. Away from the vines he’s a passionate music lover, the vinyl collection has reluctantly been handed down to the grandchildren, and a keen sport spectator, having once represented his town in both rugby league and top league cricket, playing with and against some of the best cricketers in the world.

He is, at heart, a people person, and that has always been the thread running through everything he has done. As Bob puts it, guiding here is a pleasure, because “it never rains in Southern Marlborough.”

Graeme came to Marlborough in 2022 with his wife Deb, swapping a successful 22-year career in commercial and industrial real estate in Hamilton for a property in a picturesque vineyard setting in the South Island, and hasn’t looked back. Before real estate, he spent a decade as a chartered accountant while simultaneously managing a dairy grazing block and supporting his brother’s farming operation in Taranaki, so he’s no stranger to hard work or wearing multiple hats.

These days Graeme keeps busy as a part time shipping agent handling log, salmon and salt vessels in and out of Picton, and has been guiding with Explore Marlborough since 2023, a natural fit with his love of road and mountain biking. He finds equal joy in welcoming 40 international visitors off a cruise ship and showcasing the Marlborough wine region, as he does spending a quiet afternoon with a couple on a private deluxe tour, watching their faces as the wines, food and scenery do their thing.

Graeme gets excited by every tour he guides, and that enthusiasm is infectious. He looks forward to sharing his local knowledge of this remarkable region with every guest who comes through our doors.

Sarah was born in Singapore and spent her early childhood there before moving with her family of eight to Vancouver, Canada in 2008, and later to New Zealand in 2017. She has lived in Napier and Nelson, eventually settling in Blenheim in 2021 to pursue a wine course.

As part of the course, Sarah completed a vintage season – an experience that led her to meet her husband while working at a winery. She now lives in Marlborough, where her husband works on the family vineyards. Alongside guiding for Explore Marlborough, Sarah runs her boutique salon, Sirah Hair Studio, and also works part-time at a local cellar door.

She has a genuine passion for people, wine, and life – but what she values most is the opportunity to connect with others. For Sarah, each tour is more than just a tasting experience; it’s a chance to share stories, learn about different cultures, and create meaningful, memorable moments with visitors from around the world. She takes pride in making every guest feel welcome and ensuring they leave not only with a love for Marlborough wines, but also with a personal connection to the place and the people.

Fun fact: Sarah is the youngest guide on the team, and guiding runs in the family; her mother was also a tour guide in Singapore.

Every great team needs balance, and Romy and Ruby have it covered. One brings the chaos, the other brings the calm, and on the days they do make an appearance, they have a habit of stealing the show entirely. Between them, not a single guest leaves without a smile.

Ruby — Chief Enthusiasm Officer

Ruby is a Hungarian Vizsla with absolutely no chill and we love her for it. She arrived at Explore Marlborough and immediately decided that every guest, every bike and every vine needed her personal attention. Enthusiastic, fearless and utterly convinced she is the most important member of the team, Ruby brings an energy to the Vines Village base that is impossible to ignore. If you leave without dog hair on your pants, she didn’t try hard enough.

Romy — Senior Vibe Consultant

Romy is the golden retriever energy this team didn’t know it needed. Where Ruby goes full throttle, Romy takes a more considered approach, a gentle wander, a friendly lean against your leg, a look that says she’s seen it all and found it very pleasant. She is the unofficial welcoming committee at the Vines Village base and the calming influence on, well, everyone. Guests love her. Ruby tolerates her wisdom.