Attractions

The Main Attractions

The Sarjeant Gallery, Queen's Park (tel. 06/349-0506), is one of the finest provincial galleries in the country. It boasts a large contemporary photographic collection and stunning architecture. The gallery is open Monday through Sunday from 10:30am to 4:30pm, holidays from 1 to 4:30pm. Admission is free.

Nearby you'll find the Whanganui Regional Museum, Watt Street (tel. 06/345-7443; www.wanganui-museum.org.nz), which is renowned as New Zealand's finest provincial museum. It has rare collections of Maori canoes, artifacts, and moa bones. It's open daily 10am to 4:30pm. Admission is NZ$5 (US$3.55/£1.80) for adults, and children under 15 are free.

Ohorere Gardens, 1778 Papaiti Rd. (tel./fax 06/342-5848), is a private garden on the banks of the Whanganui River, 4km (2 1/2 miles) from the city center. You'll see camellias, rhododendrons, more than 100 varieties of old roses, and ponds. It's open September through April on Wednesday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. The entry fee of NZ$7 (US$5/£2.50) includes tea and coffee but personally, I think you get better value at the free Virginia Lake and Bason Botanic Gardens, just out of town (pick up the brochure at the visitor center for directions). It's also free of charge and is open daily from 8am until dusk. There are picnic spots aplenty and a glorious rare orchid display.

If you feel up to climbing hundreds of steps, cross the river to Durie Hill Elevator and Tower. Located opposite the Wanganui City Bridge at the bottom of Victoria Avenue, it begins with a pedestrian tunnel that takes you to the historic elevator, which in turn rises 66m (216 ft.) through the hill to the summit. You can then take the 191 narrow spiraling steps up the Memorial Tower for unparalleled views. Check with the visitor center for hours. For a lovely, quiet wander close to town, it takes a lot to beat Virginia Lake, on Great North Road on St. John's Hill. The lake is bordered by pleasant bush walks, hundreds of ducks waiting to be fed, a free-flying bird aviary that you can walk through, and a coin-operated fountain that shows off with brilliant colored displays at night.

If you are interested in the arts, you'll be pleased to hear that some of New Zealand's top artists live in the area. Pick up the Arts & Cultural Trail, Arts Guide, and Whanganui Artists Open Studios brochures from the information center. They cover a wealth of painters, printmakers, sculptors, jewelers, potters, and glass artists.

Studio Arts -- In late March, the town's many artists open their studios to visitors. It's a great chance to see artists in their working environments and you might even pick up some excellent original artworks -- prints, paintings, ceramics, glassware, sculpture -- at bargain prices. Visit www.whanganuiopenstudios.org.nz for more information.

Heart of Glass -- Chronicle Glass Studio & Tours, 2 Rutland St. (tel. 06/347-1921), is a collective of local glass blowers. Watch them in action and browse in the contemporary mezzanine gallery, which features a wide range of collectible glass art produced by Wanganui glass artists. The studio is open Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm, weekends 10am to 4:30pm.

A Traditional Marae Visit -- If you would like to meet local Maori at the Koriniti Marae, Whanganui River Road, Wanganui (tel. 06/342-8198; fax 06/348-0398; www.koriniti.com), call first to make sure you do not interrupt private events like tangi (funerals). Visitors are welcome to take photographs at the marae and to look through the Whare Toanga (museum). There is no charge, but a koha (donation) is welcome.

Exploring Whanganui River & Whanganui National Park

The Whanganui River has its origins high on Mount Tongariro. There the river is a mere alpine stream, but it gathers water from Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu as it descends through the Central Volcanic Plateau, toward Taumaranui, Wanganui, and finally the Tasman Sea.

There are 239 listed rapids along the Whanganui, but it is a Grade II river and therefore popular with canoeists of all levels. Many begin their river adventures at the Taumaranui end, making their way south to Wanganui. This trip can take 5 to 6 days, and the Department of Conservation maintains huts along the way for overnight stays.

In 1987, the huge, largely inaccessible, and remote bush areas surrounding the middle reaches of the Whanganui River were designated a national park, becoming the second-largest tract of native bush on the North Island. Several of the original routes for the early Maori and European inhabitants have been cleared, providing some of the most isolated wilderness tramping in New Zealand -- the 3-day Maungapurua and Matemateonga tracks are accessible only by canoe or jet boat.

One of the most popular spots in the park is the Bridge to Nowhere, which was built in 1935 deep in the bush across the Mangapurua Gorge to give access to the last pioneering settlement of the New Zealand government. The isolated settlement failed in 1942, but the bridge remains. You'll need to travel upstream and then walk 40 minutes along some steep sections and narrow tracks to reach the bridge.

If you'd like to spend the day picnicking, head to Hipango Park Reserve, 26km (16 miles) upriver from Wanganui. The .8-hectare (2-acre) native bush reserve with recently upgraded barbecue pits and toilets is a popular destination for boat tours. For details of Journeys on the Whanganui, a collection of river packages, visit www.whanganuiriver.co.nz.

There are a number of exciting ways to experience the Whanganui River and Whanganui National Park. Following are a few examples.

By Aerial Cableway -- The Flying Fox (tel./fax 06/342-8160; www.theflyingfox.co.nz), is a unique river experience. A little patch of civilization in the middle of nowhere is accessible by an aerial cableway, or "flying fox." Once you've negotiated this awesome swing across the river, you can enjoy charming cottage accommodations or bush campsites. The Flying Fox is 45 minutes from Wanganui. To reach it, take a jet-boat tour or drive up River Road and cross the river on the aerial cableway. Several tours stop here.

By Bus -- If a 14-seat air-conditioned bus is your style, you can join the popular Whanganui River Road Mail Tour. Call Whanganui Tours (tel. 06/347-7534; www.whanganuitours.co.nz). The tour runs from 7:30am to 2:30pm and covers 190km (118 miles), delivering mail to remote farms, schools, and marae. You can also meet up with the Bridge To Nowhere Jet Boat Tour (tel. 0800/480-308) and you can stay overnight at the Bridge To Nowhere Lodge, the Flying Fox, or at Jerusalem Backpackers, where Catholic nuns put you up for the night. The mail tour costs NZ$35 (US$25/£13). Whanganui River Road Tours, 24 Somme Parade (tel. 06/345-8488; www.whanganuiriverroad.com), has a good 6-hour tour that also includes the beautifully carved Koroniti Marae for NZ$70 (US$50/£25) per person.

By Canoe -- If you want to find out about Maori myths and legends of the river, go with Niko Tangaroa of WakaTours, 17a Balance St., Raetihi (tel./fax 06/385-4811; www.wakatours.com). His 3-day guided canoe tour (Oct-Apr) takes you to historic sites with overnight stays at riverside marae. It's a rare experience that costs NZ$650 (US$461/£235) for adults, NZ$520 (US$369/£187) for students 12 to 16 years old, including all meals; children under 12 are not permitted. A minimum of four people is required per tour, and 4- to 5-day packages are available. Another option is Wades Landing Outdoors, RD2, Owhango (tel./fax 07/895-5995), which charges NZ$125 (US$89/£45) and up per person for a 1-day excursion. Wades Landing is in Taumaranui, where many canoeists launch for a trip on the river.

By Jet Boat -- Bridge to Nowhere Jet Boat Tours, Pipiriki, RD6, Wanganui (tel. 0800/480-308 in NZ, or 027/448-0308; fax 06/348-7133; www.bridgetonowheretours.co.nz), operates in the most beautiful part of the river. Its most popular 4-hour tour to the Bridge to Nowhere costs NZ$95 (US$67/£34) and is suitable for all ages. The jet boat/canoe option allows you to enjoy a leisurely paddle downstream for NZ$70 to NZ$135 (US$50-US$96/£25-£49) per person. Whanganui River Adventures, 2513 RD6, Pipiriki (tel. 0800/862-743 in NZ, or 06/385-3246; www.whanganuiriveradventures.co.nz), also runs Bridge to Nowhere jet-boat rides for NZ$105 (US$75/£38) per person. Its 45-minute ride through deep, moss-covered ravines to the home of the endangered native blue duck costs NZ$55 (US$39/£20) per person.

By Riverboat -- The Waimarie Paddle Steamer was built in 1890, sank in 1952, and was salvaged in 1993. Since then, it has been painstakingly rebuilt at the Whanganui Riverboat Centre & Museum, 1A Taupo Quay (tel./fax 06/347-1863; www.riverboats.co.nz). Daily cruises (summer at 2pm, with reduced cruises in winter) travel 13km (8 miles) up the Whanganui River to Upokongaro, then return to the city. The center is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 4pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm. The cost is NZ$30 (US$21/£11) per person. Call for winter sailing times.

The River Traders -- Every Saturday, from 9am to 1pm, you'll find the colorful River Traders Market beside the river. Go behind the Whanganui Riverboat Centre and turn right. You'll see the gathering of local artists, craftspeople, and produce sellers.

On Foot -- Contact the Department of Conservation, Whanganui Area Office, 74 Ingestre St. (tel. 06/345-2402; www.doc.govt.nz), for information on a range of walks. In brief, the Skyline Walk requires 6 to 8 hours and affords views of Mount Ruapehu and Mount Taranaki. The Matemateaonga Track takes 3 to 4 days; the 3-day Mangapurua Valley Walk includes the Bridge to Nowhere. Whanganui River Jet, Wades Landing Outdoors, RD2, Owhango (tel./fax 07/895-5995 or 025/797-238), offers a complete charter service for trampers wanting to use either of these tracks. It will drop you off and pick you up at prearranged times on the riverbanks. Cost is NZ$140 to NZ$275 (US$100-US$195/£51-£99) per person, depending on which track you choose. Bridge To Nowhere Jet Boat Tours also offers a track transport service.