The Whanganui River is a major river in the North Island of New Zealand. North Island The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, the other being the South Island. ...

Known for many years as the Wanganui River, the river's name reverted to Whanganui in 1991, according with the wishes of local iwi. Part of the reason was also to avoid confusion with the Wanganui River in the South Island. The city of Wanganui at the river's mouth has kept the shorter spelling. This is a timeline of the History of New Zealand. ... Iwi (pronounced ee-wee) are the largest everyday social units in Māori society. ... This article is about the Wanganui River in the South island of New Zealand. ... The South Island The South Island is one of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the North Island. ... Wanganui is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. ...

Geography

The Whanganui River

The Whanganui River system

With a length of 290 km, the Whanganui is the country's third-longest river. Much of the land to either side of the river's upper reaches is part of the Whanganui National Park, though the river itself is not part of the park. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (993x660, 407 KB) Summary The Whanganui River (30 January 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (993x660, 407 KB) Summary The Whanganui River (30 January 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1003x1457, 236 KB)Location map of the Whanganui River, New Zealand File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1003x1457, 236 KB)Location map of the Whanganui River, New Zealand File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Whanganui National Park is located in the North Island of New Zealand. ...

The river rises on the northern slopes of Mount Tongariro, one of the three active volcanoes of the central plateau, and close to Lake Rotoaira. It flows to the north-west before turning south-west at Taumarunui. From here it runs through the rough, bush-clad hill country of the King Country before turning south-east and flowing past the small settlements of Pipiriki and Jerusalem, before reaching the coast at Wanganui. It is the country's longest navigable river. Mount Tongariro is a volcanic mountain complex in the North Island of New Zealand. ... A volcano is a geological landform usually generated by the eruption through a planets surface of magma, molten rock welling up from the planets interior. ... The North Island Volcanic Plateau (often called the Central Plateau and occasionally the Waimarino Plateau) is located in the central North Island of New Zealand. ... Categories: New Zealand geography stubs | Central North Island, New Zealand | Lakes of New Zealand ... Taumarunui 38°53. ... The King Country is a region of the western North Island of New Zealand. ... St Joseph’s Church at Jerusalem Jerusalem was once an important kainga (fishing village) on the Whanganui River in New Zealand where a Roman Catholic mission was first established in 1854. ... Wanganui is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. ...

In the 1970s a minor eruption from Mount Ruapehu spilled some of the contents from the Ruapehu Crater Lake (the same root cause of the Tangiwai disaster). This toxic water entered the Whanganui River and had the effect of killing much of the fish life downstream. In the aftermath of the poisoning eels as large as 8.2 kg and trout as large as 2.3 kg were washed up dead along the banks of the river. This is a timeline of the History of New Zealand. ... Composite satellite image of Ruapehu Mount Ruapehu, or just Ruapehu, is an active stratovolcano, situated at the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone. ... The Tangiwai disaster was the worst rail accident in New Zealand history. ... Suborders Anguilloidei Nemichthyoidei Congroidei Synaphobranchoidei See text for families. ... Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Biwa trout (Oncorhynchus masou subsp) Trout is the common name given to a number of species of freshwater fish belonging to the salmon family, Salmonidae. ...

Tributaries

A tributary (or affluent or confluent) is a contributory stream, a river that does not reach the sea, but joins another major river (a parent river), to which it contributes its waters, swelling its discharge. ... Confluence of Rhine and Mosel at Koblenz In geography, a confluence describes the point where two rivers meet and become one, usually when a tributary joins a more major river. ... Altitude is the elevation of an object from a known level or datum. ... Mount Tongariro is a volcanic mountain complex in the North Island of New Zealand. ... The source of a river, usually a lake or a spring, is the farthest point of a river from its estuary or confluence with another river. ... Whakapapa River This river trickles off the Whakapapa skifield of Mount Ruapehu, down the western slopes of the mounain through Owhango before finally merging with the Whanganui River just east of Kakahi. ... Kakahi is a small village about 10km up the Whanganui River from Taumarunui. ... The Retaruke River joins with the Whanganui River just above Wades Landing and downstream from Taumarunui. ... // New Zealand The Bridge to Nowhere is a concrete road bridge spanning the Maungaparua Stream in Whanganui National Park, North Island, New Zealand. ... Satellite photo of the Tasman Sea The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand and is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. ... The base level of a river or stream is the lowest point to which it can flow, often referred to as the mouth of the river. ...

History

Kawana flour mill, 1854 (restored), Matahiwi

Maori legend explains the formation of the river in the Mount Taranaki legend. When Mount Taranaki left the central plateau for the coast, the land was split open, and the river filled the rift. According to Maori tradition, the river was first explored by Tamatea, one of the leaders of the original migration to the new land, who travelled up the river and on to Lake Taupo. Many places along the river are named in his honour. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (660x993, 395 KB) Summary Kawana flour mill, 1854 (restored), Matahiwi (30 January 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (660x993, 395 KB) Summary Kawana flour mill, 1854 (restored), Matahiwi (30 January 2005. ... Te Puni, Māori Chief Māori is the name of the indigenous people of New Zealand, and their language. ... According to legend, Taranaki—Te Maunga o Taranaki—is a mountain god that lived peacefully for many centuries in the centre of New Zealands North Island with other mountain gods, Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. ... Lake Taupo. ...

The Whanganui river has always been an important communication route to the central North Island, both for Maori and for settlers. It is, however, also a difficult river, with many stretches of white water and over 200 rapids. Despite this for many years it was the principal route to the interior. This page discusses whitewater rapids. ...

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area around the Whanganui was one of the most densely inhabited in the land. Unsurprisingly, with the arrival of the colonial settlers, the area near the river's mouth became a major trading post.

Although it was already a significant route to the interior, the major development of the river as a trade route was by Alexander Hatrick, who started the first regular steam-boat service in 1892. The service eventually ran to Taumarunui where rail and coach services connected with points north. Riverboats at the Pipiriki Landing One of Hatrick’s original boats, the Waimarie, has been restored and runs scheduled sailings in Wanganui. Another of the Hatrick boats, the Wairua has also been restored and can be seen on the river. This is a timeline of the History of New Zealand. ... Taumarunui 38°53. ...

P.S. Waimarie, 1900 (restored), Wanganui

During the early 20th century, the Wanganui River, as it was then called, was one of the country’s top tourist attractions, its rugged beauty and the Maori kainga (villages) which dotted the banks attracting thousands of tourists per year. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (824x534, 98 KB) Summary P.S. Waimarie after restoration was completed and it was re-launched on the Whanganui River, NZ on January 1st 2000. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (824x534, 98 KB) Summary P.S. Waimarie after restoration was completed and it was re-launched on the Whanganui River, NZ on January 1st 2000. ... This is a timeline of the History of New Zealand. ...

With the completion of the North Island Main Trunk railway, the need for the steamboat route to the north greatly diminished, and the main economic activity of the river area became forestry. During the 1930s, attempts were made to open the river valley up as farmland, but they were not successful. One legacy of that time is the Bridge to Nowhere, built to provide access to settlements long since abandoned. The NIMT is the railway line connecting Auckland and Wellington, the two major cities of New Zealands North Island. ... A decidous beech forest in Slovenia. ... This is a timeline of the History of New Zealand. ... The Bridge to Nowhere is a concrete road bridge spanning the Maungaparua Stream in Whanganui National Park, North Island, New Zealand. ...

The settlement of Jerusalem is of particular note. Jerusalem was home to two famous New Zealanders, Mother Mary Joseph Aubert, whose Catholic mission is still located at Jerusalem, and New Zealand poet James K. Baxter, who established a commune at the settlement in 1970. Suzanne Aubert, better known to many by her name of Sister Mary Joseph, was a catholic sister who started a home for orphans and the under-privileged in Jerusalem, New Zealand on the Whanganui River in 1885. ... James Keir Baxter (29 June 1926 - October 22, 1972) is recognised as one of New Zealands foremost poets. ... This is a timeline of the History of New Zealand. ...

River Boat Landings

The Whanganui River was the supply artery for the early communities along the its banks. River boats used to ply the river, and also into the Ohura River and Ongarue Rivers unless these routes were log jammed after floods.

It is said that Taumarunui was the highest reach of the Whanganui River that was navigable by river boat. The river flow was managed by the "Wanganui River Trust Board" which built containing walls to direct and deepen the rivers channels for river traffic. Even so, river boats sometimes found it necessary to winch themselves up the more difficult rapids. Taumarunui 38°53. ...

Taumarunui 38°53. ... The Retaruke River joins with the Whanganui River just above Wades Landing and downstream from Taumarunui. ... // New Zealand The Bridge to Nowhere is a concrete road bridge spanning the Maungaparua Stream in Whanganui National Park, North Island, New Zealand. ... Wanganui is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. ...

Taonga

The river is of special and spiritual importance for Maori, who also refer to it as Te awa tupua - it was the home for a large proportion of Maori villages in pre-European times. As such, it is regarded as taonga, a special treasure. In recent times, efforts have been made to safeguard the river and give it the respect it deserves. Taonga is the Maori word for a treasured thing, whether tangible or intangible. ...

For the same reason, the river has been one of the most fiercely contested regions of the country in claims before the Waitangi Tribunal for the return of tribal lands. The Waitangi Tribunal is a New Zealand court empowered to compensate Maori people for land obtained by fraud or by force since 1840. ...

Usage

Recreation

The flow of the river has been altered with the diversion of water from the head waters into Lake Taupo. This may have been a contributing factor to the demise of the raft race (see below).

• Whanganui National Park
• Hiking (north/south and east/west trails cross on the Whanganui River)
  • Te Araroa Trail[1] - The hiking trail the length of New Zealand and the Whanganui.
  • East Cape to Cape Egmont Traverse East Cape to Cape Egmont - 80 day traverse of the North Island, 1997, Author: Salisbury, Raymond, Publisher: Word for Word Publishing
  • Matemateaonga Tramping Trail (and others)
• Canoeing - lots of historic aspects and sites to visit.
• Annual Raft Race, Piriaka to Taumarunui - Last run in the 1970s
• Annual Jet Boat Race, Taumarunui to Wangaunui - Last run in the 1980s

The Whanganui National Park is located in the North Island of New Zealand. ... Te Araroa Trail is New Zealands newest long distance tramping route, and is due for completion in 2008. ... This East Cape to Cape Egmont Traverse is not so much a trail, more a Kiwi pilgrimage to our early pioneers and landscape. ... This is a timeline of the History of New Zealand. ... This is a timeline of the History of New Zealand. ...

Bridges

Despite being NZ's longest navigable river, the Whanganui has surprisingly few road bridges. Only two are located on the 290 km stretch between Wanganui and Taumarunui.

• SH 47 Bridge near Tongariro National Park
• Taumarunui (x4) (including Victory Bridge)
• New Te Maire Bridge (1954)
• Jerusalem, derelict swing bridge.
• Wanganui (x3 - Dublin Street Bridge, City Bridge & Cobham Bridge)

The most infamous bridge over the Whanganui was to be located near the Bridge to Nowhere and would have connected Raetihi to Taranaki via Mangaparua. Basically the suggestion turned out to be an election promise and both bridges were abandoned after the election. Tongariro National Park is the oldest National Park in New Zealand. ... The Bridge to Nowhere is a concrete road bridge spanning the Maungaparua Stream in Whanganui National Park, North Island, New Zealand. ... Raetihi is a town in the central North Island of New Zealand. ... View of Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont from Stratford, facing west. ... An election promise is a promise made to the public by a politician who is trying to win an election. ...

External links

• Whanganui Riverboat Centre
• The history of the Hatrick Riverboat Service.
• The story of the river
• Destination Wanganui
• Whanganui River Maori Trust Board
• Whangaunui Guide - Booklet by New Zealand Recreational Canoeing Association Inc
• Map including Major Pa Sites on the River