Manawatū-Whanganui

The region

Get to know Manawatū-Whanganui

Manawatū-Whanganui occupies the southwest of the North Island, from the central volcanic plateau to the Tasman Sea coast. It is a region of rivers, forests and farms, cut by the Whanganui and Manawatū rivers. The regional council is based in Palmerston North, a university city in the centre of the Manawatū plain.

In the north of the region lies part of Tongariro National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site for its natural values and the cultural significance of the mountains to Māori. The peaks were gifted to the Crown in 1887 by chief Te Heuheu Tūkino IV of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, creating the country’s first national park. Ruapehu, at 2,797 m, is the highest point on the North Island and has the Whakapapa and Tūroa ski areas.

The village of Whakapapa, on Ruapehu’s northern slope, is the base for the park tracks and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Ohakune, on the southern slope, is the service town for Tūroa and the start of the Old Coach Road, a cycling trail along former railway viaducts.

The Whanganui River flows from the mountains to the town of Whanganui on the coast and runs through Whanganui National Park. The canoe or kayak descent, of three to five days, is the only one of the Department of Conservation’s Great Walks done on water. The river is recognised by law as a legal person, reflecting the relationship of the Whanganui Māori with it.

Whanganui, at the river mouth, has historic houses, museums and galleries. Palmerston North houses the Te Manawa museum and the New Zealand Rugby Museum.