Whanganui: a great place to live, work & play

The Whanganui region lies between mountains and the sea. Dominating its northern boundary is Mt Ruapehu. Between the mountains and the Tasman Sea are rolling hill country with many razorback ridges, and lowlands along the coast. There are striking views of Mt Ruapehu from the highlands and from the coast, some 100 kilometres away.

Whanganui's close proximity to Wellington, Palmerston North and New Plymouth offers companies and investors an ideal environment to establish and grow their businesses.

The natural resources of mountain, sea and river allow for numerous sports and activities. It's possible to ski in the morning, kayak in the afternoon, and surf in the evening.

"Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au"

"I am the river, the river is me"

The second longest river in New Zealand, the Whanganui River is seen as a sacred ancestor of the Whanganui people, who say, ‘Ko au te awa. Ko te awa ko au' (I am the river. The river is me). In early days, the river was the sole access to the upper reaches for both Maori and early European settlers.

Today it's still a vital part of daily Whanganui life, for recreation, for fishing, for training. The area’s clubs have been at the forefront of national competitions and have provided rowers and coaches for New Zealand teams competing internationally. The Billy Webb Rowing Challenge is held every year.

Whanganui's Market by the River

An historic element of early Whanganui is re-enacted each Saturday morning as stalls are set up alongside the downtown reaches of the Whanganui River ready for a busy mornings trading. Fast becoming known as one of the best in New Zealand, as many as one hundred stalls combine to ensure a diverse range of products are on show.

Cultural institutions in Whanganui itself include the Sarjeant Gallery, the Royal Wanganui Opera House, Whanganui Regional Museum and the Ward Observatory. Cooks Gardens is a renowned sporting venue.

The good life

Whanganui has a vibrant & diverse selection of cafes, pubs & restaurants. It has a long history as a place of artists. Today it has emerged as a centre of excellence for glass art.