Middle of nowhere; Central to everywhere

“ Like a good wine – cellared for a while and now ready to drink!” Mayor Grant Smith

That’s how Mayor Grant Smith (below) describes a city once as the most boring in the country.

“It’s far from it,” the Mayor enthuses, “Palmerston North, like a middle child that’s been forgotten, is now embracing its central location and busting out.”

Young and increasingly diverse

Palmie is currently the second youngest city per capita in the country with a population close to 100 thousand people, including many who travel into the city for work from outlying areas. It houses a university, a regional hospital, a busy airport and two military bases (Ohakea and Linton).

The wider Manawatū area stretches from Otaki to Rangitikei and across the Manawatū Gorge to southern Hawkes Bay, and according to the Mayor is really central to a whole lot of places.

“It’s 45 minutes from Whanganui, two and a bit hours from Taupo, two hours from Hawkes Bay and just under two hours from Wellington.”

It’s a university town with Massey University bringing a young and increasingly diverse vibe to the city.

The university used to sit on the outskirts of the city, separated by the Manawatū River, but in more recent times Council has embraced the river, building the award winning He Ara Kotahi Bridge linking the two. The bridge which is a shared walking and cycle pathway proved very popular with a million people crossing it in the first 10 months.

He Ara Kotahi bridge over the Manawatu River links the university and city

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Committed to reducing its carbon footprint

Palmerston North punches above its weight in this area the Mayor says.

“We don’t draw water from the river, but from water storage dams, and we produce clean energy with Mercury’s huge windfarm on the hills surrounding the city, providing enough energy to power the lower North Island. Our goal is to become an Eco City and council’s already reduced its carbon footprint by 25%.”

As a holiday destination – there’s plenty to do

Palmie boasts a wide variety of quite cosmopolitan eateries which make the most of great locally sourced produce. The city is served by a popular craft brewer, Brew Union, and enjoys a vibrant night life according to the Mayor.

“It’s compact, centred on the square in the middle of the city. We host several large events there, events like the NZ Rural Games, International festivals and art, sculpture and garden exhibitions.”

The biggest hydro slide in NZ

Lido Aquatic Centre

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There’s plenty to keep the family amused at the Lido Aquatic centre with it’s giant hydro slide. The Lido was named Pool of the Year in 2019.

Many of the city’s attractions are linked by the Victoria Esplanade including the Botanical Gardens and a popular miniature railway which the Mayor boasts carried more passengers than Kiwirail last year at 88,000.

Esplanade Scenic Railway

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The River Pathway is another popular walk and cycle track and offers an opportunity to feed urban eels – if that’s your jam.

The Massey and DOC Wild Base Recovery Centre is another attraction hugely popular with visitors to Palmie. And if adventure is on your list the Mayor suggests heading to the Arapuke Mountain Bike Park, or tackling one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, the Te Apiti Gorge Walk.

Arapuke Mountain Bike Park

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Windfarm ride

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Holidays close to home ‘the new normal’

Mayor Smith agrees people don’t want to travel long distances to take time out post lockdown, and reckons a holiday in Palmerston North is the answer with a large slice of New Zealand’s population, sitting as it does close to Wellington, Horowhenua, Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay, TaupŌ and Whanganui.

Having lived in big cities he laments however, growing populations and visitor numbers can change the feel of bigger cities.

“The secret is not to get too big,” he says, “Palmie is easy to get around, safe and people know each other. I’ll be happy to put up the no vacancy sign at 10,000,” he laughs.

Brew Union

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