Whanganui, Manawatū-Whanganui Region, North Island, New Zealand

:NZ: Whanganui, previously spelled Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whanganui is the 19th most-populous urban area in New Zealand and the second-most-populous in Manawatū-Whanganui.

Whanganui is the ancestral home of Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi and other Whanganui Māori tribes. The New Zealand Company began to settle the area in 1840, establishing its second settlement after Wellington. In the early years most European settlers came via Wellington. Whanganui greatly expanded in the 1870s, and freezing works, woollen mills, phosphate works and wool stores were established in the town. Today, much of Whanganui's economy relates directly to the fertile and prosperous farming hinterland.

Like several New Zealand urban areas, it was officially designated a city until an administrative reorganisation in 1989, and is now run by a District Council. Although the city was called Wanganui from 1854, in February 2009, the New Zealand Geographic Board recommended the spelling be changed to "Whanganui". In December 2009, the government decided that, while either spelling was acceptable, Crown agencies would use the Whanganui spelling.

Economy In 2016 Whanganui was included in the world's Smart21 Intelligent Communities by the Intelligent Community Forum. Whanganui has a strong industry base, with a history of niche manufacturing. Current businesses include Q-West Boat Builders, based at the Port who have built boats for customers from around New Zealand and the world and were awarded a contract in 2015 to build two 34-meter passenger ferries for Auckland ferry company Fullers. Pacific Helmets is another example of award-winning niche manufacturing in the district, winning a Silver Pin at the Best Design Awards in October 2015. Heads Road is Whanganui's main industrial area and is home to a number of manufacturing and engineering operations. The Wanganui Port, once the centre of industrial transport, still has some traffic but is more noted for the Q-West boat building operation there. F. Whitlock & Sons Ltd was a notable company first established in 1902.

Much of Whanganui's economy relates directly to the fertile and prosperous farming hinterland near the town. Whanganui is well known for embracing the production of several new pear varieties, including the Crimson Gem. In May 2016 it was reported that the majority of the Whanganui pear crop had been wiped out before the upcoming pear season.

Whanganui District The Whanganui District covers 2,337 km² (902 sq mi), the majority of which is hill country, with a narrow coastal strip of flat land and a major urban settlement on the lower banks of the Whanganui River. A large proportion of this is within the Whanganui National Park, established in 1986.

The region is known for its outstanding natural environment, with the Whanganui Awa (River) at its heart. It is the second-largest river in the North Island, the longest navigable waterway in the country, and runs for 290 km (180 mi) from the heights of Mount Tongariro to Wanganui's coast and the Tasman Sea. Every bend and rapid of the river (there are 239 listed rapids) has a guardian, or kaitiaki, who maintains the mauri (life force) of that stretch of the river.

Whanganui hapū (sub-tribes) were renowned for their canoeing skills and maintained extensive networks of weirs and fishing traps along the River. Generations of river iwi have learned to use and protect this great taonga (treasure), and on 13 September 2012 the Whanganui River became the first river in the world to gain recognition as a legal identity.

Today the river and its surrounds are used for a number of recreational activities, including kayaking, jet boating, tramping, cycling and camping. A national cycleway has recently opened, which takes cyclists from the 'mountains to the sea'.

In the local government reorganisation of the 1980s, Wanganui District Council resulted from the amalgamation in 1989 of Wanganui County Council, most of Waitotara County Council, a small part of Stratford County Council, and Wanganui City Council. Hamish McDouall was elected mayor in the 2016 local government elections.

All but some 6,300 people in the Whanganui District live in the township itself, meaning there are few prominent outlying settlements. A small but notable village is Jerusalem, which was home to Mother Mary Joseph Aubert and the poet James K. Baxter.

The Whanganui District is also home to other settlements with small populations, including Kaitoke, Upokongaro, Kai Iwi/Mowhanau, Aberfeldy, Westmere, Pākaraka, Marybank, Okoia and Fordell.

Cultural institutions Whanganui has a strong cultural and recreational focus. Queen's Park (Pukenamu) in the central township has several cultural institutions, including the Sarjeant Gallery, the Whanganui Regional Museum, the Davis Library, the Alexander Heritage and Research Library, and the Whanganui War Memorial Centre. Whanganui is home to New Zealand's only glass school and is renowned for its glass art.

Sarjeant Gallery There are more than 8,000 artworks in the gallery, initially focused on 19th- and early 20th-century British and European art but, given the expansive terms of the will of benefactor Henry Sarjeant, the collection now spans the 16th century through to the 21st century. Among the collections are historic and modern works in all media – on paper, sculptures, pottery, ceramics and glass; bronze works; video art; and paintings by contemporary artists and old masters. The Gallery holds notable works by Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Domenico Piola, Frank Brangwyn, Bernardino Poccetti, Gaspard Dughet, William Richmond, William Etty, Lelio Orsi, Frederick Goodall, Augustus John and others. Its New Zealand holdings include six works by Wanganui artist Herbert Ivan Babbage and a major collection of works by the Whanganui-born Edith Collier.

Whanganui Regional Museum The Whanganui Regional Museum collection has been growing since the first items were displayed in Samuel Henry Drew's shop window in Victoria Avenue. It includes artwork by John Tiffin Stewart.

Potters Potters have a long history of working in the area, such as Rick Rudd, Paul Rayner and Ivan Vostinar.

Glass artists Local glass artists include Kathryn Wightman, Lisa Walsh, and Claudia Borella.

Culture:Theatre A repertory group has been active in the town since 1933.

Opera Since 1994, The New Zealand Opera School has been hosted at Whanganui Collegiate School.

Landmarks Pukenamu–Queens Park in central Whanganui, formerly the hilltop location of the Rutland Stockade, is home to several iconic buildings. The Sarjeant Gallery, a Category I Historic Place, was a bequest to the town by local farmer Henry Sarjeant, and opened in 1919. Since 2014, it has been in temporary premises on Taupo Quay while the heritage building is strengthened and redeveloped. The Whanganui Regional Museum (1928) and the Alexander Heritage and Research Library (1933) were both bequests of the Alexander family. The award-winning Whanganui War Memorial Hall (1960) is one of New Zealand's finest examples of modernist architecture.

The Royal Whanganui Opera House is located in St Hill Street in central Whanganui.

Stewart House on the corner of Campbell and Plymouth Streets is now a private home, but it was formerly the Karitane Home and later a boarding residence for secondary school students. It was built for philanthropist John Tiffin Stewart and social activist Frances Ann Stewart.

There are two large towers overlooking Whanganui: the Durie Hill War Memorial Tower and the Bastia Hill Water Tower. The Durie Hill Tower is a World War I memorial, unveiled in 1926. Nearby is the Durie Hill Elevator (1919), which links the hilltop with Anzac Parade via a 66 m (217 ft) elevator and a 200 m (660 ft) tunnel. South of Whanganui is the Cameron Blockhouse.

Rotokawau Virginia Lake, located on St John's Hill, is a historic lake with a fountain, Art Deco conservatory and winter garden.

Bason Botanic Gardens These gardens are located 8 km (5.0 mi) north-west from Whanganui and are set on 25 ha (62 acres) in a relatively frost-free environment. They were founded in 1966 by Stanley and Blanche Bason who gave their farm to the city council for the purpose of creating a botanical reserve. The gardens have six themed areas, including one of the most extensive public-garden orchid collections in the country, and have been rated as a Garden of Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust.

Bushy Park Tarapuruhi Bushy Park is a lowland rainforest remnant of approximately 100 ha (250 acres) located 8 km (5.0 mi) from Kai Iwi, north of Whanganui. It is a predator-free native bird sanctuary. The sanctuary is free to visit during daylight hours. The park also features an Edwardian-era homestead, which is a Category 1 heritage building registered with Heritage New Zealand.

Early institutions • Karitane Hospital • Wanganui Orphanage • Alma Gardens.

Contemporary institutions • The Society of St Pius X's main base of operations in New Zealand is in Whanganui.

Sport:Rugby The Wanganui Rugby Football Union is one of the oldest rugby unions in New Zealand.

Wanganui has never held the country's top trophy, the Ranfurly Shield.

On 10 August 1966, a combined Wanganui and King Country team beat the British and Irish Lions 12 points to 6 at Spriggens Park.

In 2008, the Wanganui representative rugby team, under the captaincy of David Gower, won the NZRFU's Heartland Championship Meads Cup by defeating Mid Canterbury 27–12 in the final. They had previously been the defeated finalist in 2006 and 2007. The 2008 side had an undefeated season – the first since 1947. The rugby squad, including coach and management, was accorded the honour of 'Freedom of the City' by the Whanganui District Council – the first time the award had been given to any sporting team.

The 2009 representative team repeated this feat by regaining the Meads Cup – again defeating Mid Canterbury in the final by 34 points to 13 (after trailing nil-13 at halftime). Unlike 2008, the 2009 team did some lose games (to Wellington, Wairarapa Bush and Mid Canterbury) but came good at the business end of the season. Ten Whanganui players were selected for the New Zealand Heartland XV.

The Wanganui rugby jersey, due to its resemblance, is known as the butcher's apron.

Athletics Whanganui has several high-quality sporting venues including Cooks Gardens, a major sporting venue used for cricket, athletics and rugby. On 27 January 1962, a world record time of 3 minutes 54.4 seconds for running the mile was set by Peter Snell on the grass track at the gardens. The venue also has a world-class velodrome.

Motor-racing The Cemetery Circuit is a temporary motorcycle street racetrack in downtown Whanganui which passes through the old cemetery and industrial area near to the centre of town. The event is usually held on Boxing Day each year.

Horse racing The Wanganui Jockey Club operates at the Wanganui Racecourse, Purnell Street, where it has been since 1848, said to be the oldest racing club In New Zealand still operating on its original land.

Important races held include the: • Ag Challenge Stakes. • H S Dyke Wanganui Guineas. • Fillies Series. • Wanganui Cup.

New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame and Australian Racing Hall of Fame jockey Brent Thomson was born and started his career in Wanganui.

The Wanganui Trotting Club now holds meetings at the Palmerston North track.

Transport Whanganui Airport is served by Air Chathams with flights to Auckland.

Horizons Regional Council, under their Go! brand, contracts ten weekday urban bus routes within the city and a Saturday route which combines parts of four of the routes to serve the northern part of the city. From 18 February 2023 a 'frequent' (20-minute interval, except Sunday) bus links Castlecliff and Aramoho, though most routes are 2-hourly. The regional council also runs commuter buses to Palmerston North, and monthly buses from Taihape. The services are all operated by Tranzit Group. Go cards were replaced by Bee Cards in December 2019.

Whanganui had trams between Aramoho and Castlecliff from 1908 to 1950, when they were replaced by Greyhound buses. Greyhound was taken over by Tranzit in 1995.

The township was also served by three stations and a passenger rail train running to New Plymouth until this was cancelled in July 1977. Today the line is used for freight.

Energy The Wanganui-Rangitikei Electric Power Board was established in 1921 to supply the city and surrounding areas with electricity. The city was connected to Mangahao hydroelectric scheme on 23 April 1926, following the completion of the transmission line from Bunnythorpe to Whanganui and the Whanganui substation. The Energy Companies Act 1992 saw the power board corporatise and merge with the New Plymouth Municipal Electricity Department and the Taranaki Electric Power Board to become Powerco. Powerco sold its retail base to Genesis Energy as part of the 1998 electricity sector reforms and continued as an electricity distribution business.

Whanganui was one of the original nine towns and cities in New Zealand to be supplied with natural gas when the Kapuni gas field entered production in 1970 and a 260 km high-pressure pipeline from Kapuni to Wellington via the city was completed. The high-pressure transmission pipelines supplying the city are now owned and operated by First Gas, with GasNet owning and operating the medium and low-pressure distribution pipelines within the city.

Whanganui was first supplied with piped gas in March 1879. Coal was shipped from Greymouth, or Westport.

Water Whanganui had a mains water supply from Rotokawau Virginia Lake from 1876. From 1904 water was piped from the upper Okehu valley. In 1933 springs at Kai Iwi were used to supplement the supply. Water now comes from artesian bores at Kai Iwi and Aramoho.

Education • Whanganui Collegiate School is in Liverpool Street, central Whanganui. It was founded by a land grant in 1852 by the Governor of New Zealand, Sir George Grey, to the Bishop of New Zealand, George Augustus Selwyn, for the purpose of establishing a school. It was originally a boys-only school, but in 1991 began admitting girls at senior levels and went fully co-educational in 1999. The school celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2004. The school amalgamated with St George's School in 2010. The combined schools provide primary education for day students on the St George campus, and secondary education for day and boarding students on the Collegiate campus. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, spent two terms spanning 1982 and 1983 at the school as a junior master during his gap year. • Whanganui City College is located in Ingestre Street, central Whanganui, and has had three names. Wanganui Technical College, established in 1911, became Wanganui Boys' College in 1964 and in 1994 it became Wanganui City College. • Whanganui High School is in Purnell Street. • Whanganui Girls' College is in Jones Street, Whanganui East, near the Dublin Street Bridge. • Cullinane College is an integrated, co-educational college in Peat Street, Aramoho. • St. Dominic's College is in York Street, Gonville. • Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Atihaunui-A-Paparangi is in Anaua Street, Putiki. • Te Kura o Kokohuia is in Matipo Street, Castlecliff. • Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tupoho is in Cross Street, Castlecliff. • UCOL, Universal College of Learning, was founded in 1907 and was known as the Palmerston North Technical School. In 1971 it became the Palmerston North Technical Institute and in 1983 the Manawatu Polytechnic. At the time it specialised in trade apprenticeship courses, and in hobby, art, and craft classes, along with a range of night school programmes in business studies for working adults. UCOL expanded in January 2001 with the incorporation of the Wairarapa Regional Polytechnic and the integration of the Whanganui Regional Community Polytechnic on 1 April 2002. • The Wanganui Regional Community Polytechnic is now called Whanganui UCOL and incorporates the Wanganui School of Design.

Media Whanganui has three local newspapers. Whanganui was the first town in the wider Wellington region to have its own newspaper, the Wanganui Record, which was first published in 1853. The Whanganui Chronicle, founded in 1856, is New Zealand's oldest newspaper, and has been a daily paper since 1871. Its rival from the 1860s onward was the Evening Herald (later the Wanganui Herald), founded by John Ballance. Initially, the production of the Wanganui Chronicle was held back by a lack of equipment, meaning the first issue, dated 18 September 1856, was produced on a makeshift press, made by staff and pupils at the local industrial school. Shortly afterwards, the founder, Henry Stokes, imported a press from Sydney. The two daily papers joined in the 1970s, and in 1986 the Herald became a free weekly, later renamed the Wanganui Midweek. The River City Press is the other free weekly paper.

Whanganui is served by 25 radio stations: 22 on FM and three on AM. In 1996, Whanganui briefly rose to international infamy when a man who claimed to be carrying a bomb held local radio station Star FM (now More FM Whanganui) hostage and demanded that the station broadcast The Muppets song "The Rainbow Connection" for 12 hours.

Television coverage reached Whanganui in 1963, after the Wharite Peak transmitter near Palmerston North was commissioned to relay Wellington's WNTV1 channel. Due to terrain blocking the Wharite signal to parts of the city, coverage was supplemented by a translator at Mount Jowett in Aramoho. Today, digital terrestrial television (Freeview) is available in the city from both Wharite and Mount Jowett.