Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Waimarie Paddle-
Steamer Tours
BOAT TOUR
( 06-347 1863, 0800 783 2637;
www.riverboats.co.nz
; 1a Taupo Quay; adult/child/family $39/
15/89; tours 10am Oct-Mar; )
Take a two-hour trip up ol' man Whanganui on the his-
toric PS
Waimarie,
the last of the river paddle steamers.
Wanganui City
Guided Walking Tours
WALKING TOUR
( 06-349 3258; per person $10; 10am & 2pm Sat)
Sign up for one of two 90-minute
guided tours through old Whanganui, giving your feet a workout as you pass historic
sights. Tours depart the i-SITE (book tickets inside).
Festivals & Events
Vintage Weekend
CULTURAL
(
www.vintageweekend.co.nz
)
Time-travelling cars, clothes, music and architecture, and good
times over three January days by the Whanganui River.
Wanganui Festival of Glass
ARTS
(
www.wanganuiglass.co.nz
)
Classy glass fest in September. Plenty of open studios, demon-
strations and workshops.
WHANGANUI OR WANGANUI?
Yeah, we know, it's confusing. Is there a 'h' or isn't there? Either way, the pronunci-
ation is identical: 'wan-ga', not (as in the rest of the country) 'fan-ga'.
Everything was originally spelled Wanganui, because in the local dialect whanga
(harbour) is pronounced 'wan-ga'. However, in 1991 the New Zealand Geographic
Board officially adopted the correct Maori spelling (with a 'h') for the Whanganui
River and Whanganui National Park. This was a culturally deferential decision: the
Pakeha-dominated town and region retained the old spelling, while the river area -
Maori territory - adopted the new.
In 2009 the Board assented that the town and region should also adopt the 'h'.
This caused much community consternation, opinions on the decision split almost
evenly (outspoken mayor Michael Laws was particularly anti-'h'). Ultimately, NZ
Minister for Land Information Maurice Williamson decreed that either spelling was
