Steam boat on Whanganui River © Adobe Stock INSET: Tamatea’s Cave, Whanganui River © Visit Ruapehu
RANGITĪKEI White-water Rafting The clear waters and sheer white papa (mudstone) cliffs of the Rangitīkei River create the ideal setting for white-water rafting. There are grade 5 rapids over a maze of boulders in a daunting canyon.
TAIHAPE
WHANGANUI
Mount Curl Bike Ride Snaking for 34km between Hunterville and Marton it includes an almighty steep climb but the vistas are astounding.
NlNlEsVIRKE DBAu
stop and stretch your legs while admiring prints, pottery, woodwork and everything in between. A former church, the gallery’s painted bright yellow, so you can’t miss it.
PAHIATUA
illewas Made for Kids HuntervMarton Yellow Church Art Gallery
playground on designed by awardPalmerst Check out the new $1.3 million
Close to Mangaweka on SH 1,
WHANGANUI NATIONAL PARK An adventurist’s playground packed with gorges, sheer papa (clay) cliffs and waterfalls, all crying out for walks, mountain biking, kayaking and jet-boat rides.
THE WHANGANUI RIVER GREAT WALK Classed as a ‘Great Walk’, this is actually a three to five-day jaunt down the Whanganui River by Canadian canoe. Self-led or guided, nothing spells intrepid more than living off your packed supplies, zero commercialisation and nofrills DOC campsites.
THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE Built for a remote farming community that eventually diminished to nothing. Part of Whanganui National Park, access is via jet boat, mountain bike, hike or the Whanganui River Great Walk.
See Map Section - pages 111 to 123
DANNEVIRKE
PAHIATUA
Palmerston North
Rangitīkei River • BELOW: Taihape BOTH: © Adobe Stock
Dudding Lake This is a great spot for swimming, boating, water sports and with an abundance of trout fishing, too. The campground is next door and a 2km walkway skims the perimeter. A 10-minute drive from Marton.
HANGANUI Whanganui-Manawatū Whanganui-Manawatū W
North
Whanganui
RANGITĪKEI
River
TAIHAPE ENORMOUS GUMBOOT Taihape is proudly gumboot capital of the world. To celebrate this, they've planted an enormous corrugated iron gumboot, made by well-known Kiwi artist Jeff Thomson.
TAIHAPE ANNUAL GUMBOOT FESTIVAL Stand back for the
Bulls
number one event – the gumboot throwing championship. Taking place every March, there are a number of activities based around the humble rubber boot.
OUTBACK GUMBOOT THROWING LANE If you're not quite skilled enough for the gumboot throwing championship, fear not. This purpose-built gumboot-chucking facility has plenty of discarded boots for any novice to pick up and lob. Located on Outback Road, complete with coffee cart.
Hunterville
TAIHAPE MUSEUM Local history fills every corner of this small but charming heritage building. Open every Sunday from 11am-2pm.
RANGITĪKEI
winning landscape architects Boffa Miskell, newly built skate park and a bike pump at Marton School.
Hunterville Huntaway Festival Held every October,
TAIHAPE
experience a fun and familyfriendly event focused on farmers and their canine friends.
Bulls Puns, Puns Everywhere! Unforgett-a-bull Bulls is certainly a ‘town like no udder’. There are humorous bull themes peppered across town, including the Const-abull (police station), Reliev-abull (toilets) and Cure-a-bull (medical centre).
Hunterville
Bulls Museum Great history
Whanganui
lesson on the Rangitīkei region. Largely volunteer-based so donations are gladly received.
River
What a Load of Bull Gift Store The eye-catching shop
front pulls the punters inside, where they’ll find an enthralling range of gifts.
Waireka Honey Centre Twelve minutes south of Bulls, find honey products such as honey ice cream and honey brandy. Samples come thick and fast. Also observe the bees as they go about their busy lives.
95
