History and culture

Wanganui City and the surrounding region offer many opportunities to engage with New Zealand's fascinating past. The area is also well known for its thriving artistic community.

• Enjoy Wanganui's vibrant arts scene, which includes fine arts, graphic design, glass blowing and fashion.
• Visit the Sarjeant Art Gallery in Wanganui, celebrated for its neo-classical architecture and magnificent exhibitions.
• Ride Wanganui's historic Durie Hill elevator. Built in 1919, it is one of only two earth-bound elevators in the world.
• Climb the Memorial Tower on Durie Hill. Built from fossilised shell rock it offers sweeping views of the city, inland volcanic mountains and the Tasman Sea.
• Follow the Heritage trails to discover Wanganui's oldest buildings.
• Look out for the Ward Observatory in Wanganui. It houses the largest unmodified refractor telescope still in use in New Zealand.
• Explore the Whanganui Regional Museum, recognised for its outstanding collection of Maori taonga (treasures) and Lindauer portraits of Maori people in the late 1800s.
• Visit historic Ratana - a mainly Maori town where the tiny population swells during the annual pilgrimage of followers of the Ratana faith.

River Activities

The Whanganui River is a place for adventurous expeditions of discovery and understanding. Elements of both Maori and early European history combine with modern day recreational adventure along the river's 260km journey to the sea.

The Whanganui River has deep spiritual, cultural and historical significance to Whanganui iwi (Maori tribes), who are the tangata whenua (Maori people of this area).

• Visit the Whanganui Riverboat Centre which offers unique maritime heritage experiences through scheduled cruises and an informative museum.
• Cruise on the Waimarie (est. 1900), New Zealand's last paddlesteamer, or the M V Wairua (est. 1904).
• Follow the Whanganui River Road for an insight into early Maori life, the influence of Christian missionaries and the fascinating history of the romantically-named settlements.
• Canoe the river. There are self-guided and guided tours to suit everyone, ranging from one to six days.
• Enjoy the cultural perspective local Maori people bring to their unique guided tours. Hear the local korero (stories) and learn about taonga (treasures). You can also choose to stay overnight at a river marae (traditional Maori village).
• Ride a high-speed jet boat. It's an exhilarating way to visit the many natural wonders and historic sites, such as the Bridge to Nowhere, along the Whanganui River.

Hunting & Fishing

This region offers an abundance of game hunting opportunities with species such as Deer, Red Stag, Wild Pig and Goats the main quarry.

The large 220km Whanganui River runs from rugged bush country west of Lake Otamangakau towards Taumaranui. Downstream from Taumaranui and the Ongarue River confluence, the Whanganui River runs in a southerly direction through the Whanganui National Park to the mouth at Wanganui.

The water in the lower reaches of the Whanganui River is brownish and is often silt-laden, but offers spin fishing for a reasonable stock of trout. The river is popular for kayaking, rafting and canoeing.

Some sea run brown trout have been caught where the river runs through Wanganui and the occasional salmon can be caught near the mouth.

Offshore fishing offers some excellent opportunities to catch all types of deep sea species and good sized game fish when the conditions allow.

Dining & Entertainment

Wanganui offers a great mix of Bars & Restaurants to cater to every taste and occassion. Whether it's a romantic meal in front of the fireplace or a simple meal in a hurry, Wanganui has got it covered.

Just a stone's throw from the Avro Motel is 'Stonze Restaurant'. Meals at Stonze are served to you on a 400 degree volcanic stone. A quote from their website pretty much says it all "Stonegrill Dining allows your meal to be presented on a heated stone cooking at your table. For the perfect Stonegrill experience, simply slice your meat, allow to sear, and cook to your liking. This is a modern hangi!"

Closer in towards the centre of town is the Rutland Arms Restaurant. “The Rutland” is a major tourist attraction in the heart of Wanganui City, offering the atmosphere of an Olde English Pub in a family friendly atmosphere. Rutland Arms Inn offers great pub food, English beers and 'Olde English' hospitality.

Take a look at the links on the left to browse the menus of many of Wanganui's best eateries.