Wanganui

From Rotorua we took the scenic route through Tongariro National Park and down to Wanganui which is located on the west coast (Tasman Sea). The weather was wet and windy but the drive was beautiful. Wanganui is a town centered around the river and upstream is the Whaganui National Park and the “Bridge to Nowhere”. We did not make it that far up the river but did take a few hour tour on the Waimarie, New Zealand’s last paddle steamer. The boat is coal powered so it can get a little sooty at times but they have a covered area at the top and a fully enclosed bottom seating area.

We also went up the Durie Hill Elevator which was built in 1919 and you walk underground about 200m until you get the elevator which takes you up to the top of the hill. Next to it is the Memorial Tower which is 33.5m tall and you can take the steps up to the top. From here we had great views of the surrounding country side and out over the Tasman Sea. We splurged in Wanganui and stayed in a motel which after so many days of campsites was a nice treat. The weather was windy but not wet and so we took time to walk around the beautiful Victorian era downtown.

From here it is back to Palmerston North (or Palmy as the locals calls it). Bree starts school this week and I am going to get set-up at the University. It was great to spend a few weeks to see some of the country first. It has helped me gain a better understanding of the diversity of the area. From an agricultural perspective you can see the differences in the farming in the different regions. Once we were near Palmy the areas opened up and there are more flat areas and more managed grazing but in the hill country it is quite rugged and production per area is lower. I’ll try to keep current on the blog but posts will be further between now. We will still take some weekend trips and I know I have visitors coming later so I’ll get to do some outings with them.