Discover Whanganui

03/11/2024

Views that go on and on and on. 🤩 Climbing our iconic Durie Hill Elevator Tower to catch views across the Whanganui River and ocean is a must-do while you're in town. Be sure to pop it on your to-do list. And, don't forget to take a trip on the elevator while you're there!

31/10/2024

Taste Whanganui Festival is fast approaching! Prepare yourselves for a day filled with delicious beverages, food and live entertainment! Held on Saturday 14th December, Taste is the perfect occasion to welcome in the summer season and celebrate the year. You'll find local favourites like Good Bones Distilling and Papaiti Gin there, plus so many more tasty food and drink producers! Keep an eye out for updates over at Taste Events and purchase your tickets from Whanganui isite Visitor Centre or through the link below.
https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/taste-whanganui-festival-tickets-1020274006017

27/10/2024

There are so many exciting events to look forward to over Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery's opening weekend. Here are some options to put into your calendar:
🏛️ Witness a special milestone for the gallery with the opening ceremoy mihi located at the entrance at 9:30am on Saturday 9th November.
🎺 Also on Saturday 9th November, at midday Brass Whanganui will be celebrating with a hīkoi from the river to the gallery. Their journey will start at the markets and move up Drews Ave.
🎨 Creative activities and storytelling sessions will be available for whanau across the weekend. Storytime sessions for tamariki are 11:00am on Saturday 9th November. And, drop-in activity sessions, called Whānau Fun in the Classroom, run at 11:00am and 2:30pm on Sunday 10th November.
🎵 You can look forward to a whole lot of amazing live music at Pukenamu, next door to the gallery. Keep your ears peeled for Anthonie Tonnon, Alphabethead, Rob Thorne, and Motte!
💡 After-dark the gallery will be illuminated with light projections from Whanganui visual and moving image artists, setting the scene for a captivating night-time experience.

Be sure to check out everything that's on offer with Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery by exploring their Facebook events page linked below.
https://www.facebook.com/SarjeantGallery/events

18/10/2024

Whanganui Heritage Festival starts today! 🥳🥳🥳

18/10/2024

If you're making a weekend trip to Whanganui, your first port of call on Saturday morning needs to be our iconic river side markets! Between the stunning heritage buildings and awa you will find delicious food, drinks, crafts, plants, vintage goods, art, and so much more. It's a trove of treasures and a special, unforgettable experience.
Whanganui River Markets run every Saturday between 8:30am and 1:00pm.

17/10/2024

There's so much to look forward to when Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery reopens on Saturday 9th of November!

15/10/2024

The unbeatable Castlecliff sunsets are always worth making time for when you visit Whanganui. 😍 😍 Can you spot Mount Taranaki in the distance?
📷 Rodney Donaldson Photography

13/10/2024

Discover a 12ft Mola mola, also known as an Ocean sunfish, at our Whanganui Regional Museum. 🐟 Caught in Napier Harbour in 1895 the Mola mola was purchased by Samuel Drew, a taxidermist and the founder of Whanganui's Museum. Normally these huge fish are found in the open sea using the ocean currents to direction their journey, but this one has pride of place by the staircase at the Whanganui Regional Museum. It's well worth visiting the museum to see the Mola mola in person. It's a surreal and awe inspiring experience to see a fish so large in size!

10/10/2024

Moments on the awa with Whanganui Scenic Experience Jet 😍

09/10/2024

In case you missed it in print, read all about what makes us The Little City Of Cool in Cuisine Magazine's online article. There's plenty to keep you fed and watered in Whanganui!

Already a drawcard for art lovers, Alexia Santamaria discovers that Whanganui has plenty to keep you fed and watered, too.

08/10/2024

Book your flights and accommodation. There's only one month to go until Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery reopens and their Summer of Art begins. 🌞🌞🌞 The countdown is on! 🕒

08/10/2024

Did you know we have penguins in Whanganui? 🐧 It's true... they just come in the form of a larger than life mural! 😄 Located at 25 Drews Ave, this fun artwork by Amok Island celebrates Aotearoa's endemic crested penguin species. It's a playful, vibrant, and stunning sight. And, well worth tracking down for a photo! Discover more about the piece, where to find it, plus all the other public art around Whanganui through the Coastal Arts Trail website.
https://coastalartstrail.nz/gallery/untitled-by-amok-island-2019/

06/10/2024

A walking tour of Whanganui's CBD never fails to impress. 😍 We have undeniably beautiful heritage architecture everywhere! While you are in town be sure to take time to explore the main streets by foot so you can pause and appreciate all our stunning buildings.

02/10/2024

Our museum is the place to be! Packed full of exciting events, here's everything that's on at Whanganui Regional Museum over the next few weeks.

🖼️ Curated by the National Library, Whanganui Museum's latest exhibition, Cast in Light, is now open! It reveals a snippet of what life was like in the South Island mining town of Waiuta. Stunning black and white photography by Joseph Divis captures beautiful, everyday moments in the small and remote town during its heyday.

📷 School holidays are the perfect time for fun learning. Explore creativity and science by building a camera obscura this Thursday, 3rd October between 10:00am and 12:00pm.

👗 The next Outfit of the Month is this Friday, 4th October at 12:15pm. This month's piece will be a handmade dress made in 1944.

🎥 This Saturday, 5th October at 4:00pm, a short documentary will be screened sharing the fascinating life of Joseph Divis, a gold miner, photographer, and world traveller. This takes a deeper dive into the Cast in Light – Life in a Mining Town exhibition celebrating Joseph Divis photography.

🐻 Kids aren't the only ones who will be having fun over the school holidays. The museum is hosting a teddy bear sleepover next week on Wednesday 9th October. Be sure to stay tuned on social to see all that they will get up to during their night out!

🎹 Jazz lovers will be delighted to see musician and songwriter, Rick Baum, perform on the esteemed Steinway Grand Piano on Saturday 12th October between 1:00pm and 2:00pm.

Visit the museum's website, linked below, to find out more about the events they have on!
https://wrm.org.nz/

01/10/2024

Almost a month to go! ⌛⌛⌛ Whanganui's iconic Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery opens on Saturday 9th of November. 🤩

25/09/2024

It's not long until daily Bridge To Nowhere Tours recommence! 🚤 An unforgettable experience, visiting the Bridge To Nowhere reveals stunning natural scenes and history that will leave you admiring the grit and determination in humanity. Every second is magic. 🤩 Tuesday the 1st of October marks the kick off for Whanganui River Adventures and Sunday the 6th of October for Bridge to Nowhere Lodge and Tours. Pop along to the Whanganui isite Visitor Centre down by the awa at 31 Taupo Quay to organise your trip. You won't regret it.

19/09/2024

Intricate details at Koriniti Marae. 💚 Deeply steeped in cultural history, this is a place of great beauty, peace and quiet. 😌 Whanganui is incredibly fortunate to have Koriniti and many other precious marae running along its awa. You can visit and learn more about it from locals on the NZ Post Mail Tour with the wonderful Whanganui Tours.

18/09/2024

We're counting down the days until the iconic architectual magazine, Here arrives to town for their first Open Home tour of Whanganui. Celebrating the best of Aotearoa's residential architecture and design, Here has uncovered some special gems in town worth sharing. Join them on Saturday, 28 September, to explore this architecutal beauty, the Payne House by Michael Payne, and also the The Dog Box by Patchwork Architecture. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity—learn more and grab your tickets through the link below!

https://www.thisishere.nz/here-and-now/open-home-whanganui

15/09/2024

Would you believe our beautiful awa is hiding amongst these misty valleys and rolling hills? 🌄 Sunrise, sunset, and anytime in between, Aramoana Lookout never disappoints. Be sure to put this beautiful place on your to-visit list.

12/09/2024

Springtime looks good on you, Bason Botanic Gardens, Whanganui. 😍

11/09/2024

And just like that, Paddle Steamer Waimarie's sailing season is almost here. 🙌 A limited number of tickets for their first cruise, this Saturday, are still available. Get in quick! Book yours via the link below.
https://www.waimarie.co.nz/

10/09/2024

What a way to see Whanganui! 😍 If you're a keen runner or walker, The Awa Adventure Run on Saturday 28 September is for you! Reserve your place now. Spaces are limited, so get in quick! 🏃
https://theawa.co.nz/

08/09/2024

Views of Bastia Hill and it's beautiful water tower from the War Memorial Tower in Durie Hill. 😍 Elavated on the southern end of Whanganui, Durie Hill has exceptional views of our district. Climb the War Memorial Tower and Elavator Tower for the best sights and to add some extra steps to your day! 🏃

06/09/2024

What a write up! We were thrilled to welcome Cuisine Magazine to town a few months ago to experience the incredible delights on offer in our local hospitality scene. Safe to say, they had a great time. Big, big thank you to the many businesses who contributed to Cuisine's visit. Without you we wouldn't be the little city of cool! 😎

Pick up your copy from all the local magazine retailers; any supermarket, Whitcoulls, and Paper Plus.

05/09/2024

We're excited! Are you excited!? ⌛️⌛️⌛️