The Whanganui River winds its way from the North Island's volcanic plateau to the Tasman Sea through one of the most remote regions of the country. The surrounding country is so wild it has thwarted all efforts to tame it; so punishing, in fact, that few consider crossing it on foot. The Whanganui has become part of New Zealand's 'Great Walks' network - even though it's actually a river journey.
The Whanganui is the longest navigable waterway in New Zealand and the 145 km canoe journey from Taumarunui to Pipiriki takes about five days to complete. Although the land is almost impenetrable, in normal flows the Whanganui is an extremely safe river to canoe. When European settlers discovered it, the river was dubbed the 'Rhine of the South Pacific'.
The Maori people have travelled the Whanganui River for centuries. Although today there are only campsites along much of the journey, ancient marae (Maori meeting ground) sites can still be detected along the river banks.
An abundance of early European history also abounds including the church and convent at Jerusalem, home to the late New Zealand poet, James K Baxter and Mother Mary Auberd whose mission remains there to this day.
[ more about Mother Mary’s Magic Medicine ]
Visit the historic settlement of Pipiriki or the historic 'Bridge to Nowhere'.
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| Mother Mary Auberd, French missionary and expert on plant remedies |
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