© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 252 Whanganui & WHANGANUI & PALMERSTON NORTH NORTH PALMERSTON Palmerston North The Whanganui and Manawatu districts comprise a sizeable chunk of the North Island’s south, running from Tongariro National Park in the north down towards Wellington. This is mellow, pastoral country, draped with rounded green hills, gently bent roads, socially significant cities and magical national parks, rivers and gorges. The history-rich Whanganui River curls through Whanganui National Park down to Whanganui city. Ripe with outdoor opportunities, the splendiferous Whanganui River Rd mimics the river’s bows, while Whanganui itself, a 19th-century river port, has aged grace- fully, recently reinventing itself as a centre for New Zealand glass art. Palmerston North, the Manawatu’s main city, is a town of two peoples: tough-talkin’ country fast-foodies in hotted-up cars and caffeinated Massey University literati, coexisting with none of Cambridge’s ‘Town vs Gown’ sabre-rattling. During the semester the cafes jump and pubs overflow with students. Beyond the city the Manawatu blends rural grace with yesterday’s pace, cut by the dra- matic slice of Manawatu Gorge. A meandering Manawatu drive is the perfect antidote to NZ’s tourism juggernaut – you might even squeeze in a little laziness! HIGHLIGHTS Watching a glass-blowing demonstration at one of Whanganui’s glass studios (p 255 ) Blowing out the cobwebs with a jetboat ride on the Whanganui River (p 263 ) Traversing the rainy Whanganui River Road (p 264 ) – it’s all about the journey, not how Whanganui fast you get there National Park Tramping the Matemateaonga and Manga- purua Tracks in the Whanganui National Whanganui Park (p 263 ) River Flexing your All Blacks spirit at Palmerston Whanganui River Road North’s New Zealand Rugby Museum (p 265 ) Whanganui Recaffeinating on the hip George St cafe strip in Palmerston North (p 268 ) Manawatu Palmerston North Gorge Connecting life, art and mind at Te Manawa (p 265 ) museum in Palmerston North Hiking through the awesome Manawatu Gorge (p 270 ) Telephone code: 06 www.wanganui.com www.manawatunz.co.nz lonelyplanet.com WHANGANUI & PALMERSTON NORTH 253 NORTH PALMERSTON Ὀ WHANGANUI & 0 30 km WHANGANUI & PALMERSTON NORTH 0 20 miles To To Ohinepane To Taumarunui 41 Motuoapa ACTaumarunui (10km) B (14km) Lake D Otamangakau Tokaanu (43km) Kirikau Owhango To Taupo Tahora Ohura Ohura Turangi (39km) Maraekowhai Wairehu River Falls Canal Mt Pihanga 43 (1325m) Kohuratahi 1 Whakahoro Kaitieke Rangipo Whanganui Mt Tongariro Lake ὈὈὈὈ47 ὈὈὈ(1967m) National Park Rotoaira Retaruke 25 Raurimu Whangamomona Tongariro Mangapurua Trig National National Park (663m) Park 13 Whakapapa Village Mangapurua/ KaimanawaKaimanawa Mountains Aotuhia Kaiwhakauka Track Iwikau Village Tongariro River Forest Park To Stratford (35km) 2 Whakapapa 17 4 Rangitikei Mt Humphries Tukino Makahu River Turoa (730m) Mt Ruapehu ὈὈ20 10 ὈὈὈὈὈ Puniwhakau 16 (2797m) 24 Horopito 21 River Tohunga Junction 2 Manganuioteao Matemateaonga The Desert Rd Lake Moawhango Track Raetihi Ohakune Moeroa Mangaetoroa 1 Karioi ᝲᝲ 49 Moawhango To Napier Tangiwai Rimunui Pipiriki (98km) W 19 Waiouru Whe State Forest h Rv anga nu River ak ὈὈὈὈ 23 nui Paraparas ura Hiruharama Erewhon Ngamatapouri Ranana River 4 ᝲᝲ 3 Moawhengo Matahiwi Mangawhero River Whanganui 18 River Gorge Pungatawa National Park 15 Raukawa Koriniti 5 Falls Kakatahi Pukeokehu To Hawera (42km); 12 14 3 Mt Taranaki (94km); 9 Whanganui Taihape New Plymouth River Rd (115km) 11 River ᝲᝲ Waitotara Atene Skyline Atene Omatane Waverley ὈTrack & hu ὈὈὈUtiku e 3 22 Taumata Trig Waitotara Parikino Maxwell Whanga Mangaweka 1 Mangamahu Otairi Waverley Kai Iwi Aramoana Lookout & Beach Rapanui Rd ᝲᝲAramoana Walkway River Ohingaiti Ruahine Kai Iwi Beach Upokongaro Ruahine Westmere Forest Park Whanganui Kauangaroa Turakina 1 Rangiwahia Castlecliff Hunterville Lake Kaitoke Wanganui ὈὈὈ Airport 4 Lake Wiritoa ᝲ Tutaenui Apiti Turakina Valley Rata Whangaehu Kapiti Coast Marton Turakina 54 Kimbolton SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Ruahine Range Turakina 3 Aramoana Hill..........................1 B3 Beach Greatford Bridge to Nowhere...................2ᝲᝲᝲB2 To Waipukurau (47km); Kawana Flour Mill....................3 B3 Santoft Halcombe Napier (116km) Santoft ὈὈὈ Mangapurua Landing..............4 A2 Bulls State Rv Orua River Operiki Pa................................5 B3 Forest Ohakea Owlcatraz................................6 C6 Sanson Fielding Raumai Dannevirke 3 St Joseph's Church...............(see 23) Aorangi 8 Tahoraiti Moanaroa Tararua Wind Farm.................7ᝲᝲD5 Rangitikei Beach Rongotea Awahuri Bunnythorpe Oringi 5 Te Apiti Wind Farm.................8 D5 Ashhurst To Manawatu 2 Tangimoana Palmerston North Waipukurau SLEEPING Himatangi International Airport Gorge Papatawa (57km) 7 Atene Campsite.......................9 B3 Beach Woodville Palmerston North Bridge to Nowhere Lodge......10 B2 ὈὈὈ Downes Hut...........................11 B3 Himatangi Aokautere Ballance 56 57 Flying Fox..............................12 B3 1 Raniotu Linton Mangataimoka John Coull Hut.......................13 A1 Rv Foxton watu Kohu Cottage.........................14 B3 a Pahiatua Beach Foxton Tokomaru Koriniti Marae........................15 B3 Man Ngapurua Hut........................16 A2 Omaru Hut............................17 A2 Makerua Konini Waitarere Makuri Operiki Farmstay....................18 B3 Hokio Shannon Pipiriki Campsite.....................19 B2 Beach Lake 6 Hamua Horowhenua 6 Pouri Hut...............................20 A2ὈὈὈ2 To Waipukurau Ihakara Puketotara Hut......................21 A2 Lake (105km) Papaitonga Levin Newman Rivertime Lodge.....................22 B3 Waikawa Ohau Eketahuna St Joseph's Church.................23 B3 Beach Tiraumea 52 Tieke Kainga..........................24 B2 Alfredton Whakahoro Hut.....................25 B1 Manakau Tararua RangeKaiparoro To Wellington To Masterton (25km); To Masterton Otaki BeachὈὈὈ(82km) Wellington (99km)ᝲ (36km).