manawatu

Manawatū

Highlights

  • Te Apiti Manawatu Gorge
  • Te Apiti Wind Farm
  • Tararua and Ruahine Forest Parks

Proximity

Peace, tranquility, country roads, gentle winding rivers, and green horizons await you in Woodville.

At the intersection of State Highways 2 and 3, Woodville is historically well-regarded as - and still remains - a pivotal stop-over place for travellers, offering an assortment of cafés, bakeries, bookshops, galleries, museums, gift shops and antique stores.

Woodville found its name from being part of the vast ‘Seventy Mile Bush’. Woodville's place in European migration history was established when it became the third of three sizeable timber milling towns in the 'Seventy Mile Bush' - which extended along the eastern side of the Tararua and Ruahine Ranges.

One interesting local landmark is Whariti (920m - 2950ft), one of the main peaks in the Ruahine Ranges near Woodville. Woodville is also close to Tararua and Ruahine Forest Parks; both known for their fishing, hiking and hunting opportunities.

The foothills of the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges are now host New Zealand's largest wind farm, which was established in the early 1990s and continues to expand. Meridian Energy's Te Apiti wind farm is located on Saddle Road.

Woodville continues to host a successful horse-racing, rearing and training industry, based at the Woodville-Pahiatua Racing Club. The name Woodville and outstanding achievements in New Zealand horse racing are synonymous.

Fans of collections and art enthusiasts are in for a treat with the Woodville Pioneer Museum (home to a collection of 600 antique teapots); Woodville Organ museum (exhibiting over 100 organs); and a replica of famous NZ artist Gottfried Lindaeur’s studio. Gottfried lived and worked in Woodville in the early 1900s. The Gottfried Lindaeur Replica Studio, located on the main street, houses copies of his works, various murals and artworks.

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