Whanganui.

The Whanganui River, known to local iwi as Te Awa Tupua, flows from the central North Island ranges all the way to the Tasman Sea, and gives the “River City” both its name and its character. In 2017 it became the first river anywhere in the world to be granted the legal rights of a person, recognising the deep, centuries-old bond between the awa and the people who have lived alongside it.

A creative city

Whanganui is one of New Zealand’s true arts capitals. Creativity runs right through it. The beautifully restored Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua reopened in 2024 after a major redevelopment; New Zealand Glassworks is the country’s national centre for art glass, where you can watch glassblowers at work or even try it yourself; and the Royal Whanganui Opera House, lively street art and a thriving studio-ceramics scene round out the picture. On Saturday mornings, the River Traders Market gathers local artisans and growers down by the water.

History at every turn

Whanganui’s grand Victorian and Edwardian architecture is a legacy of its days as a busy 19th-century river port. Ride the Durie Hill Elevator — a 1919 lift that climbs through solid rock to the suburb above — then look out from the War Memorial Tower across the city, the river, and on a clear day all the way to Mt Ruapehu and the sea. The Whanganui Regional Museum, meanwhile, holds one of the country’s finest collections of taonga Māori.

The great outdoors

The river and the land around it are made for getting outside. Paddle the multi-day Whanganui Journey, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, or ride the Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail from the slopes of Ruapehu down to the coast. Closer to town there are black-sand surf beaches at Castlecliff and Kai Iwi, gentle walks around Virginia Lake, and an easy day-trip to the ski fields and alpine trails of Mt Ruapehu.

A great place to live

Beyond everything there is to see and do, Whanganui is simply a wonderful place to live — a relaxed coastal lifestyle, well-regarded schools, and housing far more affordable than New Zealand’s bigger centres. It’s an ideal spot to raise a family or make a fresh start.

Visit Whanganui

To discover more about our community, visit www.visitwhanganui.co.nz.