Bring the family to spend a lovely afternoon walking through a village of character buildings which are set in beautiful well established gardens. Explore displays of Nelson’s heritage, learn the stories of our local people and meet our working artisans. While visiting, we have an array of activities for the whole family! Enjoy the experience of a railway that has all the flavour of the Nelson to Glenhope line.  The Nelson Railway Society, formerly the Grand Tapawera Railroad Co., began in the late 1980s.  It intended setting up a working railway at Kohatu using the old existing railway formations, but in 1991 the decision was made to move to Founders Heritage Park. We have a gift shop on site, that provides A selection of books from the Founders Book Fair is available throughout the year, as well as handmade art, gifts and crafts. Take a gentle stroll around our mature gardens, relax with a picnic on the Village Green or enjoy the bird life on the lake. A visit to the park isn’t complete without relaxing in the leafy courtyard of Founders Café whilst the children enjoy the adjacent playground.  Savour the taste of Nelson including locally brewed craft beers and premium Nelson wines which makes the café a perfect place for lunch.