Whanganui

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Whanganui

Whanganui region lies to the north and west of Wellington, stretching from the south west coast of the North Island up towards the mountains of Ruapehu and the Central Plateau. The region is characterised by the Whanganui River, which flows from the central mountain of Tongariro for some 260 kilometres down to the coast and the Tasman Sea.


Wanganui with a population of 40,000 is the city located at the very mouth of the river. [Note: the spelling of the river and the region include the extra "h" but the city district has retained the spelling without the "h". Whanga nui in Maori means "big bay" or "big harbour" whereas Wanga has no direct meaning.]


 The town is full of character with a beautiful main street, old style gas lamps and several heritage buildings. At Taupo Quay can be found the Whanganui Riverboat Centre Museum.


Always keen to promote itself the city has numerous events throughout the year, including The Wanganui Glass Festival (September), a Jazzboat Festival (October), a motor bike race with the dubious name of "The Cemetry Circuit" (December) and also a series of jet boat races (December).

Only two hours from the city of Wellington this is a welcoming and typically relaxed environment and is well worth a visit.

Excursions into the region can be made along the River Road – a historic drive to Pipiriki and the “Bridge to Nowhere” – or along the River Whanganui itself on one of the many cruises, it is a truly unforgettable experience. Indeed it is often said that travelling the river by canoe is one of New Zealand's life changing adventures. It is this experience that has elevated the journey into the ranks of the Great Walks of New Zealand as classified by the Department of Conservation.

The River Whanganui was the main focus of the New Zealand film “River Queen” worth watching for the stunning scenery alone. The Bridge to Nowhere was built in the early 1930's to provide access to local farms, and is almost the only sign of human development in the area - hence the bridge's name.

For those wishing to test out their ultra fitness you could always enter and experience the "Mountains to the Sea" a multisport adventure race that takes in running, cycling and kayaking as it travels the length of the Whanganui River.


The River is a fundamental part of all those who live in these parts, as local Maori would say "Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au" meaning "I am the river and the river is me".

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