100-547: The Whanganui Regional Museum in Whanganui , New Zealand, has an extensive collection of natural and human-history objects. The emphasis is on items from the Manawatu-Wanganui region, but the collection also includes objects of national and international significance, such as Pacific tapa , ceramics from Asia and Cyprus , and moa bones from nearby Makirikiri Swamp. Local naturalist and jeweller Samuel Henry Drew
200-546: A glottal stop , but to non-locals the name sounds like "Wanganui" and is hard to reproduce. In 1991 the New Zealand Geographic Board considered demands from some local Māori to change the name of the river to Whanganui. After widespread controversy for many years, in September 2019 the New Zealand Geographic Board announced that from 18 October 2019 the name of the Manawatu-Wanganui region, and
300-545: A chief from up the Whanganui River. The British military arrived on 13 December 1846 to defend the township. Two stockades, the Rutland and York, were built to defend the settlers. Two minor battles were fought on 19 May and 19 July 1847 and after a stalemate the up river iwi returned home. By 1850, Te Mamaku was receiving Christian instruction from Revd Taylor. There were further incidents in 1847 when four members of
400-595: A city council. The governing body of the regional council consists of 12 councillors from 6 constituencies across the region, elected by the public; from the north: Ruapehu (1 councillor), Whanganui (2), Manawatū-Rangitikei (2), Palmerston North (4), Horowhenua (2), Tararua District (1). It sits in Palmerston North. It has the responsibility for managing natural and physical resources, providing flood protection and monitoring environmental problems and fresh air, clean water, productive land and natural eco-systems. It
500-774: A major collection of works by the Whanganui-born Edith Collier . 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 have a long history of working in the area, such as Rick Rudd , Paul Rayner and Ivan Vostinar. Local glass artists include Kathryn Wightman, Lisa Walsh, and Claudia Borella. A repertory group has been active in
600-539: A major producer of energy or minerals. Some new power schemes are operating, including the southern hemisphere's largest collection of wind farms , with 194 installed turbines and more planned. The New Zealand Defence Force maintains three bases in the Manawatū-Whanganui region: Waiouru Military Camp in the Ruapehu district, RNZAF Base Ohakea near Bulls, and Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North. For
700-458: A population of 1,000 or more include: Other towns and settlements include: In the 2023 census, people could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 78.1% European ( Pākehā ); 25.1% Māori ; 5.0% Pasifika ; 7.7% Asian ; 1.0% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
800-824: A population of 251,412 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 12,615 people (5.3%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 28,740 people (12.9%) since the 2013 census . There were 123,594 males, 126,804 females and 1,011 people of other genders in 96,291 dwellings. 3.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age was 39.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 48,645 people (19.3%) aged under 15 years, 46,077 (18.3%) aged 15 to 29, 107,565 (42.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 49,122 (19.5%) aged 65 or older. Religious affiliations were 31.4% Christian , 1.2% Hindu , 0.8% Islam , 2.1% Māori religious beliefs , 0.6% Buddhist , 0.6% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.3%, and 8.0% of people did not answer
900-541: A railway bridge at Aramoho. Wanganui was linked by rail to both New Plymouth and Wellington by 1886. The town was incorporated as a Borough on 1 February 1872, with William Hogg Watt the first Mayor. It was then declared a city on 1 July 1924. As an alternative to the Wanganui chapter of the Women's Christian Temperance Union of New Zealand , Margaret Bullock formed a club for women activists in 1893, originally as
1000-636: A sacred area to Māori, and the Whanganui region is still seen as a focal point for any resentment over land ownership. In 1995, Moutoa Gardens in Wanganui, known to local Māori as Pakaitore , were occupied for 79 days in a mainly peaceful protest by the Whanganui iwi over land claims. Wanganui was the site of the New Zealand Police Law Enforcement System (LES) from 1976 to 1995. An early Sperry mainframe computer -based intelligence and data management system, it
1100-466: A slim majority in favour of keeping the status quo. Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws spoke strongly against the proposed change. A second referendum was held in Wanganui in May 2009, and residents again overwhelmingly rejected changing the city's name, with 22% voting to change it to "Whanganui" and 77% voting to retain the name as "Wanganui". Voter turnout was 61%, the highest in a Wanganui referendum, reflecting
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#17327804427641200-783: 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. There are more than 8,000 artworks in
1300-404: A young poet, Walter D'Arcy Cresswell , who had been blackmailing him over his homosexuality. Mackay served seven years in prison and his name was erased from the town's civic monuments, while Cresswell (himself homosexual) was praised as a "wholesome-minded young man". Mackay's name was restored to the foundation stone of the Sarjeant Gallery in 1985. The Whanganui River catchment is seen as
1400-531: Is 4.0 to 7.9 °C (39.2 to 46.2 °F), while inland areas are considerably colder. Waiouru has a minimum mid-winter daily average of 0.1 °C (32.2 °F). Rainfall on the plains is slightly below average, with Palmerston North receiving 960 mm (38 in), while the rest of the region receives the New Zealand average rainfall of 1,000 to 2,000 mm (39 to 79 in). The region contains areas of great ecological significance, reflected in
1500-692: 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, with a population of 42,500 as of June 2024. Whanganui is the ancestral home of Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi and other Whanganui Māori tribes. The New Zealand Company began to settle
1600-536: Is a region in the lower half of the North Island of New Zealand, whose main population centres are the cities of Palmerston North and Whanganui . It is administered by the Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council, which operates under the name Horizons Regional Council . The region takes its name from the two major rivers flowing through it: the Manawatū River and the Whanganui River . In
1700-665: 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. Manawat%C5%AB-Whanganui Manawatū-Whanganui ( [manawaˈtʉː ˈʔwaŋanʉi] ; spelled Manawatu-Wanganui prior to 2019)
1800-527: Is a phrase meaning "big bay" or "big harbour". The first name of the European settlement at Whanganui was Petre (pronounced Peter), after Lord Petre, an officer of the New Zealand Company , but the name was never popular and was officially changed to "Wanganui" in 1854. In the local dialect, Māori pronounce the wh in Whanganui as [ˀw] , a voiced labial–velar approximant combined with
1900-423: Is also a permanent home to 13 species of birds, six species of fish and four plants species, all of which are threatened. It regularly supports about one percent of the world population of wrybills. Manawatū-Whanganui Region covers 22,220.64 km (8,579.44 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 263,300 as of June 2024, with a population density of 12 people per km . Manawatū-Whanganui Region had
2000-523: Is also responsible for public transport. The region is dominated and defined by two significant river catchments, the Whanganui and the Manawatu . The Whanganui River, in the northwest, is the longest navigable river in New Zealand. The river was extremely important to early Māori as it was the southern link in a chain of waterways that spanned almost two-thirds of the North Island. It was one of
2100-605: 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
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#17327804427642200-503: Is located on these plains, and is an important service city for the southern North Island as a whole. This river is unusual, in that it passes from hill country to plains through a gorge cut into much higher country, an indication that the hills have risen since the river formed. To the southeast, a further, more sparsely populated area of the Tararua District lies between the sources of the Manawatū River near Norsewood and
2300-441: Is not a city council but a district, the official name of the urban area as well. On 19 November 2015, the name change was officially gazetted. In September 2019, the region that Whanganui District Council is part of was renamed from Manawatu-Wanganui to Manawatū-Whanganui. The area around the mouth of the Whanganui river was a major site of pre-European Māori settlement. The pā named Pūtiki (a contraction of Pūtikiwharanui )
2400-420: Is of note as having one of the most diverse ranges of wetlands birds to be seen at any one place in New Zealand. A total of 95 species have been identified at the estuary. It is a significant area of salt marsh and mudflat and a valuable feeding ground for many birds including the migratory Eastern bar-tailed Godwit, which flies all the way from Siberia to New Zealand to escape the harsh northern winter. The estuary
2500-496: Is particularly moderate. In 2012, the Federated Farmers Whanganui president, Brian Doughty, said the district's temperate climate meant any type of farming was viable. The Whanganui urban area had a population of 39,720 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 3,078 people (8.4%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 1,992 people (5.3%) since the 2006 census (the population decreased between
2600-512: Is still heavily forested. As late as the 1950s the Whanganui River remained a river of mystery. Since then exploitation of the river's commercial potential has opened up the area, often causing friction with local Māori, who have long-standing grievances. Manawatū-Whanganui as a whole is one of the most important pastoral areas in New Zealand, its status recognised when the government opened the Massey Agricultural College in
2700-531: The Māori language , the name Manawatū is a compound word that originates from an old Māori waiata (song). The waiata "Ka tatū e hine ko Manawatū" describes the search by an early ancestor, Haunui-a-Nanaia, for his wife, during which he named various waterways in the district, and says that his heart ( manawa ) settled or momentarily stopped ( tatū ) when he saw the Manawatu River. Whanga nui
2800-485: The New Zealand Company had settled Wellington it looked for other suitable places for settlers. William Wakefield, younger brother of Edward Gibbon Wakefield , negotiated the sale of 40,000 acres in 1840, and a town named Petre – after Lord Petre , one of the directors of the New Zealand Company – was established four kilometres from the river mouth. The settlement was threatened in 1846 by Te Mamaku ,
2900-515: The Volcanic Plateau are higher and more rugged, often subject to harsh temperatures in winter. The Manawatū District has a much gentler topography, consisting mainly of the flat, tree-studded Manawatū Plains that run between the ranges and the sea. The land was under the sea till about 500,000 years ago and still has a very thick layer of marine sediment , which is about five or six million years old. A block faulting system underneath
3000-484: 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 6,100 people in the Whanganui District live in
3100-440: The 1920s. Much of Manawatu-Wanganui was fertile and bush -covered when Europeans arrived and developed the area as a source of timber . Saw milling and flax milling dominated the 19th century, followed by an influx of sheep farmers who exploited the newly cleared ground. Deforestation , burn-offs of timber and scrub and large scale drainage combined with overgrazing , resulted in considerable environmental degradation . In
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3200-530: The 2006 and 2013 censuses). There were 18,930 males and 20,793 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female. Of the total population, 7,854 people (19.8%) were aged up to 15 years, 6,867 (17.3%) were 15 to 29, 16,551 (41.7%) were 30 to 64, and 8,445 (21.3%) were 65 or older. Ethnicities were 78.0% European/Pākehā, 27.2% Māori, 3.8% Pacific peoples, 4.5% Asian, and 1.7% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). In 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, Whanganui
3300-526: The CMS mission station in 1843. The Revd Mason drowned on 5 January 1843 while crossing the Turakina River. By 1844 the brick church built by Mason was inadequate to meet the needs of the congregation, and it had been damaged in an earthquake. A new church was built under the supervision of Taylor, with the timber supplied by each pā on the river in proportion to its size and number of Christians. After
3400-526: The Gilfillan family were murdered and their house plundered. The name of the city was officially changed to Wanganui on 20 January 1854. The early years of the new city were problematic. Purchase of land from the local tribes had been haphazard and irregular, and as such, many Māori were angered by the influx of Pākehā onto land that they still claimed. It was not until the town had been established for eight years that agreements were finally reached between
3500-694: The Hawke's Bay Region, then flows through a deep gorge to the Manawatu Plains before exiting in the Tasman Sea . The river is also unique in New Zealand (and rare worldwide) in that this gorge (the Manawatū Gorge ) is a water gap through recently uplifted rock, causing the river to flow from relatively low-lying land along an eroded course through higher terrain. The Whanganui District is more rugged, with canyon -like valleys and gorges carved out of
3600-544: The Māori collection was donated by Dr and Mrs Wall in 1933, as a memorial for their son John Barnicoat Wall. John had died in a mountaineering accident and, to mark his interest in the museum, the Walls purchased the late Dr. A.K. Newman's collection of Māori artifacts and donated it to the museum. Whanganui Whanganui ( / ˈ hw ɒ ŋ ən uː i / ; Māori: [ˀwaŋanui] ), also spelt Wanganui ,
3700-484: The North Island and the fourth-highest figure in the country behind Canterbury, Southland and Otago . Barley , which is used for the manufacture of stock feed and for malting, is grown. The region produces the largest quantities of barley in the North Island, providing 10% of the national refined crop of 302,804 tonnes in 1995. The region has 4,062 hectares (10,040 acres) of horticultural land, of which 3,647 hectares are used for vegetable growing. While only having 8% of
3800-453: The North Island, falling to −13.6 °C (7.5 °F) on 7 July 1937. In summer the region is warm, with a maximum mid-summer daily average of between 20.1 and 22.9 °C (68.2 and 73.2 °F). Sunshine hours approximate the national average for much of the region (1,800-2,000 hours per annum) but Palmerston North is defined as cloudy with an average of 1,725 sunshine hours. In the winter the minimum mid-winter daily average for coastal areas
3900-515: The North Island. Soils are productive with the addition of nitrogen fertiliser . In the Manawatū and Horowhenua districts there are sandy soils and swampy hollows around the coast with loess -covered terraces and river flats inland. These river flats and swamp areas contain fertile alluvial and organic soils. On the drier terraces inland yellow-grey earths predominate. The flatter more fertile soils suit intensive sheep farming and cropping while
4000-790: The Pacific coast. This area, often historically connected with both the Hawke's Bay Region to the north and the Wairarapa to the south, was historically simply known as Bush, a name which still survives in some businesses and organisations, most notably the Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union . The two river catchments have very different natures. While the open Manawatu Plains became more densely settled by Europeans, inland Ruapehu , Rangitikei , and Whanganui remained more Māori-dominated, remote and independent, and
4100-491: 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
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4200-550: The Roman period right up to the 1920s. It had been collected over 150 years by three generations of the McLachlan family. Other previously displayed exhibits, like the three metre tall moa skeleton, were moved into storage. In 1932, two escaped prisoners hid in the museum, posing as visitors. Their unkempt appearance and lack of interest in the displays, however, aroused suspicion in the director, J. Burnet, who then identified one of
4300-590: The Wanganui Women's Franchise League. Ellen Ballance , the second wife of the former Premier John Ballance was the inaugural president until she left for England. Bullock then served as president when the franchise for women was won and the organisation's name changed to the Women's Political League. The membership rolls reached to nearly 3000 at its height. Monthly meetings focused on feminist scholarly inquiry, and Ellen Ballance donated her husband's library to
4400-423: 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
4500-425: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 28,686 (14.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 112,935 (55.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 52,803 (26.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 36,400, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 15,501 people (7.6%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
4600-429: The chief areas of Māori settlement with its easily fortified cliffs and ample food supplies. Legends emphasise the importance of the river and it remains sacred to Whanganui iwi . Māori along the coast and lowland plains grew kumara and other crops. The Manawatū River runs across the centre of the region, from rolling hill country in the east to the fertile Manawatū Plains in the west. The main city of Palmerston North
4700-524: The city. The suburbs within Whanganui include (clockwise from central Watt Fountain): Whanganui enjoys a temperate climate, with slightly above the national average sunshine (2100 hours per annum), and about 900 mm (35 in) of annual rainfall. Several light frosts are normally experienced in winter. The river is prone to flooding after heavy rain in the catchment, and in June 2015 record flooding occurred with 100 households evacuated. Whanganui's climate
4800-469: The club. Bullock and Jessie Williamson led the club's connections with the National Council of Women of New Zealand . By 1903, a year in which Bullock died and Williamson moved to Christchurch , the club's activities had declined and its library collection was donated to the local public library. Perhaps Wanganui's biggest scandal happened in 1920, when Mayor Charles Mackay shot and wounded
4900-578: The college into animal genetics in the 1930s led to the development of new breeds of sheep, the Drysdale and the Perendale , which became commercially significant after World War II. Agriculture dominates land use although there are areas of forestry and horticulture . Soils and climate favour pastoral farming. There were 6,344 farm holdings on 30 June 1996, which was almost a tenth of all farm holdings in New Zealand. Farming occupied 72.5% of land, which
5000-493: The colonials and local tribes, and some resentment continued (and still filters through to the present day). Wanganui grew rapidly after this time, with land being cleared for pasture. The town was a major military centre during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s, although local Māori at Pūtiki led by Te Keepa Te Rangihiwinui remained friendly to settlers. In 1871, a town bridge was built, followed six years later by
5100-628: 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
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#17327804427645200-404: The country's 45,000-hectare vegetable-growing land, the Manawatū-Whanganui region grows 26% of New Zealand's asparagus , 20% of its lettuce , 19% of its brassicas ( broccoli , cabbage and cauliflower ), and 10% of its carrots and potatoes . The region is one of the most significant forestry areas in the southern North Island. The predominant soil type, yellow-brown earths, when enhanced by
5300-452: The designation of approximately a seventh of its land area as part of the nation's conservation estate. Tongariro National Park is the largest park in the region (795.98 km [307.33 sq mi]) and is the oldest national park in the country, established in 1887. The volcanoes Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe are sacred to Māori and were given to the nation by Te Heuheu Tukino IV , paramount chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa . They form
5400-466: The early 1900s authorities realised that careful management was needed to maintain this important agricultural area. Manawatū-Whanganui takes up a large proportion of the lower half of the North Island. It is the second-largest local government region in the North Island and the sixth-largest in New Zealand, totalling 22,215 km (8,577 sq mi) (8.1% of New Zealand's land area). The region stretches from north of Taumarunui to south of Levin on
5500-403: The economy. A higher than average proportion of businesses were engaged in the agriculture , forestry and fishing industries, 6.3% compared with 4.4% nationally. Businesses engaged in retail trade were dominant numerically. In 1997 there were 2,300 businesses, employing a total of 10,380 full-time equivalents (FTEs). The percentage of businesses engaged in manufacturing was slightly higher than
5600-519: The eight quarters between September 1996 and June 1998 the region averaged 4.1% of total guest nights in New Zealand. This was close behind Wellington at 6.7% and greater than Hawke's Bay, which averaged 3.1%. Occupancy rates, at 20.1%, were the fourth-lowest in the country for the June 1998 quarter. Rates for the city of Palmerston North were significantly higher than the national average (39.5% compared with 25.8%) whereas districts such as Ruapehu are far more seasonal with fairly low occupancy rates except in
5700-759: 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
5800-612: 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
5900-413: The hill country of Rangitikei favours semi-intensive sheep and beef farming. Areas close to the volcanic plateau consist largely of pumice soils which lack some essential trace elements but within the region much of this land is occupied by national parks. The region has a comparatively mild climate with greater climatic extremes inland. Chateau Tongariro experienced the lowest temperature recorded in
6000-611: The inhabitants. The first European traders arrived in 1831, followed in 1840 by missionaries Octavius Hadfield and Henry Williams who collected signatures for the Treaty of Waitangi . On 20 June 1840, the Revd John Mason, Mrs Mason, Mr Richard Matthews (a lay catechist) and his wife Johanna arrived to establish a mission station of the Church Missionary Society (CMS). The Revd Richard Taylor joined
6100-496: The junction of State Highways 3 and 4. Most of the city lies on the river's northwestern bank, because of the greater extent of flat land. The river is crossed by five bridges: Cobham Bridge, City Bridge, Dublin Street Bridge and Aramoho Railway Bridge (rail and pedestrians only) and a Cycle bridge which was opened in 2020. Both Mount Ruapehu and Mount Taranaki can be seen from Durie Hill and other vantage points around
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#17327804427646200-503: The local dialect, Māori pronounce the wh in Whanganui as [ˀw] , a voiced labial–velar approximant combined with a glottal stop , but to non-locals the name sounds like "Wanganui" and is hard to reproduce. In 1991, the New Zealand Geographic Board considered demands from some local Māori to change the name of the river to Whanganui . During a three-month consultation period, the Wanganui District Council
6300-517: 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
6400-434: The major animal pest since they damage native forests and endanger cattle production through the spread of bovine tuberculosis . Eradication programmes also concentrate on rabbits , rooks and feral goats , while other exotic species such as Parma wallaby ( Macropus parma ), wasps , ferrets , stoats and weasels are a source of concern. The internationally recognised Ramsar estuarine wetlands site at Foxton Beach
6500-538: 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,
6600-542: The men from a newspaper photograph. A bequest from the Davis Trust funded the rear extension in 1968, which included a Māori Court, Davis Lecture Theatre, classroom, and a 2,000m multi-storied car park. In 1997, the carpark was converted into storage facilities for the museum and Wanganui District Council's archive department. In September 2016 the museum was closed to the public for earthquake strengthening, reconstruction and refurbishment, with exhibitions continuing at
6700-422: The most of any region. In descending order of land area the territorial authority districts are Ruapehu , the major parts of Tararua District and Rangitikei , Manawatū , Whanganui , Horowhenua , and small parts of Stratford , Waitomo , and Taupō . The largest city is Palmerston North , with a population of 85,300 (June 2012 estimate). It is the only territorial authority in the region to be administered by
6800-399: The museum, with a £1200 excavation budget, launched an excavation using a crane, bucket and sluice. About two thousand moa bones were found by hand-sorting through hundreds of cubic yards of mud. Curator George Shepherd assembled ten skeletons from the bones and these were put on display. As the museum's Curator of Natural History noted: The Whanganui collection is one of the most important in
6900-458: The national average and manufacturing employed the greatest number of people (12,830 FTEs). The region is known for its strong agricultural base, which prompted the establishment of an agricultural college there in the 1920s. The government wanted to promote scientific farming and established colleges in two of the most important farming areas, Canterbury and the Manawatū. Research by members of
7000-467: The nucleus of the park, which is designated a World Heritage Site . Whanganui National Park is slightly smaller (742.31 km [286.61 sq mi]) and was established 99 years later when a series of reserves were incorporated into one area and given national park status. There are two state forest parks in the rugged, bush-clad Ruahine Range and Tararua Range. The four parks offer skiing , tramping , jetboating and white-water rafting and
7100-479: The old Post Office building at 62 Ridgway Street. The $ 2.6 million project was initially scheduled to take 18 months, but the reopening date was subsequently pushed forward to October 2018 and January 2019; it reopened in March 2019. The museum has an internationally notable collection of moa bones, as many were found in the local area and not traded or dispersed as happened in other localities. The moa collection
7200-533: The opportunity to appreciate the environment. The regional council, responsible for managing natural and physical resources, provides flood protection and monitors environmental problems such as pest infestation and pollution. Invasive plant pests such as African feathergrass , goats rue and nodding thistle pose a threat to pastureland in this heavily agricultural-dependent region, and the council has instituted control campaigns. The council has also instituted animal pest control programmes. Possums are perceived as
7300-770: The peak ski season. Key cultural institutions in the region include Te Manawa in Palmerston North, the Whanganui Regional Museum , the Sarjeant Gallery and the Quartz Museum of Studio Ceramics in Whanganui, the National Army Museum in Waiouru, and the multi-cultural Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom in Foxton . State Highway 1 , the main highway, and the North Island Main Trunk railway, which both link Auckland and Wellington , run through
7400-599: The region. The Palmerston North–Gisborne Line and State Highway 3 follow the Manawatū Gorge , linking the region with Hawke's Bay. The Marton–New Plymouth Line provides a railway link with Taranaki, and from this line the short Wanganui Branch runs to Whanganui . Road and rail transport give the region's exporters easy access to ports. The region has approximately 16% of the North Island's road length. There are 8,732 km (5,426 mi) of road, of which two-thirds are sealed. Approximately 12% of roads are classified as urban and three-quarters as rural, with almost half of
7500-414: The region: the Whanganui (290 km [180 mi]), Manawatū (182 km [113 mi])), and Rangitīkei (241 km [150 mi]). The Whanganui is the second-longest river and has the second-largest catchment in the North Island, draining most of the inland region west of Lake Taupō . There are few roads in this area, which contains some of the largest surviving areas of native bush in
7600-485: The regional council, would incorporate both the letter "h" and a macron, becoming "Manawatū-Whanganui". This became the official spelling of the name on 18 October, although the Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council would continue to use the trading name of Horizons Regional Council. See: Controversy over Wanganui/Whanganui spelling . The region covers all or part of ten territorial authority areas. Parts of five of these are covered by five other regions of New Zealand ,
7700-584: The soft rock by rivers and ocean waves. The region includes a series of mountain ranges, notably the Tararua Range and the Ruahine Range and the three major active volcanoes of the North Island. Mount Ruapehu at 2,797 m is the tallest mountain in the North Island, Ngauruhoe 2,291 m and Tongariro 1,968 m. During the last 100 years Ruapehu has experienced six significant eruptions, and last erupted in 1995 and 1996. Three major rivers divide
7800-498: The soils. Forestry largely disappeared until the early twentieth century. In an attempt to combat erosion problems in sandy soils the government planted forests in the Foxton/Levin area in the early twentieth century. Inland forests were planted later. Some private native forest has been set aside for sustainable logging but most forestry depends on exotic plantings. Unlike its neighbour Taranaki , Manawatū-Whanganui has not been
7900-517: The thick sediment has raised a series of domes and gentle depressions. These structures can provide natural storage areas for oil and some of the Manawatu domes have been drilled. The domes have shaped the course of the Manawatū River, giving it a meandering path which, uniquely among New Zealand rivers, begins close to the east coast and exits on the west coast. The Manawatū River begins just inside
8000-520: The town since 1933. Since 1994, The New Zealand Opera School has been hosted at Whanganui Collegiate School . 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
8100-412: 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. Whanganui has
8200-427: The use of fertilisers, is very suitable for forestry. Forestry has a long history in the Manawatū since Palmerston North developed as a saw-milling town, and the region's initial prosperity depended on heavy exploitation of native timbers. But land use practices inhibited the long term viability of this indigenous forestry industry. Severe burn-offs destroyed large areas of native forest and subsequent overgrazing affected
8300-476: The west coast, and across to the east coast from Cape Turnagain to Owhanga. It borders the Waikato , Taranaki , Hawke's Bay and Wellington regions and includes river catchment areas that run from the volcanic plateau to the sea. The Pacific Ocean is the eastern boundary and the Ruahine Range forms a natural boundary with Hawke's Bay. The area includes a variety of landscape formations. Districts close to
8400-525: The widespread controversy. Recognising that the decision was ultimately political in nature, not linguistic, in September 2009 the Geographic Board handed the decision to the Minister for Land Information. Despite the referendum results, the Geographic Board recommended to the Minister that the name should be spelt "Whanganui". In December 2009, the government decided that while either spelling
8500-405: The world because it has stayed almost completely intact, which lets scientists study an entire community of moa trapped in the swamp over thousands of years: their age, growth rate, size and male/female ratio. The museum also holds a complete and intact moa egg, found in 1931 by workmen excavating a cliff at Waitotara . It is one of the few intact and complete moa eggs known in the world. Part of
8600-661: Was 55.4%. Despite the clear results, the spelling of the name continued to be surrounded by significant controversy. Iwi group Te Rūnanga o Tupoho applied to the New Zealand Geographic Board to change the city's name to "Whanganui" in February 2009, and in late March the Board found there were grounds for the change. The public was given three months to comment on the proposed change, beginning in mid-May. The public submissions were relatively equal, with
8700-530: 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. The Whanganui District covers 2,337 km (902 sq mi),
8800-483: Was acceptable, Crown agencies would use the spelling "Whanganui", amending the act to allow other official documents to use "Wanganui", as an alternative official name, if desired. On 17 November 2015 Land Information New Zealand Toitū te whenua (LINZ) announced that Wanganui District would be renamed to Whanganui District. This changed the official name of the District Council, and, because Whanganui
8900-535: Was and is home to the Ngāti Tupoho hapū of the iwi Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi . It took its name from the legendary explorer Tamatea Pōkai Whenua , who sent a servant ashore to find flax for tying up his topknot ( pūtiki ). In the 1820s, coastal tribes in the area assaulted the Kapiti Island stronghold of Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha . Te Rauparaha retaliated in 1830, sacking Pūtiki and slaughtering
9000-400: Was asked for its views and advised the Board that it opposed the change. Letters of both support and opposition were received during this time. After some deliberation, the Board decided to change the spelling of the river's name from "Wanganui" to "Whanganui". A non-binding referendum was held in Wanganui in 2006, where 82% voted to retain the city's name "Wanganui" without an 'h'. Turnout
9100-504: Was documented and analysed in 1989 by palaeontologist Trevor Worthy, who was able to group the bones statistically into age and species classes. At the end of the 1890s, J. Burnet found a headless moa skeleton in Wanganui East, which was acquired by the museum and assembled by R. Murdoch. Twenty years later, a skull was acquired that fit the skeleton. In 1933, a large collection of bones were discovered at Makirikiri. Five years later
9200-465: Was estimated at NZ$ 11.60 billion in the year to March 2019, 3.8% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per capita was estimated at $ 46,764 in the same period. In the year to March 2018, primary industries contributed $ 1.26 billion (11.5%) to the regional GDP, goods-producing industries contributed $ 2.01 billion (18.3%), service industries contributed $ 6.76 billion (61.6%), and taxes and duties contributed $ 942 million (8.6%). Agriculture dominates
9300-579: 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
9400-419: Was instrumental in establishing the museum; his private collection was sold to the town, and he was honorary curator when the then-Wanganui Public Museum opened on 24 March 1895. The original building was on the site of the present Savage Club Hall. A new building on Watt Street near Queen's Park was constructed in 1928. Designed by architect Robert Talboys, the building had two stories and a basement. The museum
9500-565: Was known colloquially as the "Wanganui Computer". The data centre housing it was subject to New Zealand's highest-profile suicide bombing on 18 November 1982 when anarchist Neil Roberts detonated a gelignite bomb in the entry foyer. Roberts was the only casualty of the bombing. Whanganui is on the South Taranaki Bight , close to the mouth of the Whanganui River . It is 200 km (120 mi) north of Wellington and 75 km (47 mi) northwest of Palmerston North , at
9600-415: Was much higher than the national average of 60.1%. Approximately 80% of this land was used for agricultural purposes (grazing, arable, fodder and fallow land). In the Manawatū, Rangitikei and Tararua Districts this percentage rose to over 90% of total land. The region is one of the most important areas of pastoral farming in New Zealand. It had 7,216,177 sheep (at 30 June 1996), the largest number of sheep in
9700-427: Was officially designated a city until an administrative reorganisation in 1989, and is now run by Whanganui District Council . Whanga nui is a Māori language phrase meaning "big bay" or "big harbour". The first name of the European settlement was Petre (pronounced Peter), after Lord Petre, an officer of the New Zealand Company , but it was never popular and was officially changed to "Wanganui" in 1854. In
9800-483: Was renamed the 'Alexander Museum', after Henry Alexander as the new build was funded with monies from his estate. The move to the new museum brought about a change in exhibit. Previously stored collections were displayed, such as the McLachlan collection of coins. A newspaper article at the time reported that the collection of British coins was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and included coins from
9900-565: Was spoken by 96.6%, Māori language by 6.0%, Samoan by 1.0% and other languages by 8.5%. No language could be spoken by 2.1% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.8%. The percentage of people born overseas was 15.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.Ethnicities in the 2018 census were 79.4% European/Pākehā, 22.9% Māori, 4.2% Pacific peoples, 6.4% Asian, and 2.2% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). The subnational gross domestic product (GDP) of Manawatū-Whanganui
10000-485: Was that 97,110 (47.9%) people were employed full-time, 27,678 (13.7%) were part-time, and 6,198 (3.1%) were unemployed. There are two major urban areas. Palmerston North , with a resident population of 83,100 (June 2024 estimate), expanded as an educational centre and a supply centre for the surrounding rural hinterland. It became a city in 1930. The other major urban area is Whanganui , with an estimated resident population of 42,500 as of June 2024. Urban areas with
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