Whanganui - Unesco City of Design, and Pipiriki

Whanganui is an unique blend of heritage architecture and cutting edge creativity.  Unesco has welcomed Whanganui to its Creative Cities Network, a first for New Zealand.  Congratulations, Whanganui, what a wonderful honour!

On our last full day in Whanganui, we invited Maureen and Russell to join us for a drive to Pipiriki and a picnic lunch.  It was many years since we had driven this road, so long ago that in those days it was a gravel road, although it is now sealed.  Narrow and windy, it took us through tiny settlements with interesting names, rather like those associated with the Grand Overseas Tours taken by young men of the aristoctracy in earlier years.  These interesting little places have now reverted to their Maori names.  Athens, now known as Atane, Corinth, now Koriniti, London, now Ranana, and Jerusalem, now Hiruharama.  We stopped at a lookout point along the way for a lovely view down the river.

The Whanganui River

One of the places we were keen to revisit was the Kawana Mill, in fact, we wondered if in fact it was still there, after all these years.  Luckily it has been well cared for by the NZ Historic Places Trust.  This is the only remaining one of six mills  dotted along the river to mill corn and wheat grown by the Maori people back in the day.

Kawana Mill and Waterwheel

The Miller's Cottage was close by but locked up tight, so we could only peer through the windows.

Miller's Cottage

From here we continued on to Pipiriki and found a nice shady spot in the picnic area to eat our lunch.  This little settlement is the hub for jet boat rides up the river.  We met up with friendly young German tourist who had arrived with her bike off the boat and was planning to cycle to Whanganui - wonder if she realised just how hilly the road was?  She kindly agreed to take our photo for us.  

 Robin, Jenny, Russell and Maureen at Pipiriki

In the grounds was the remains of a totara canoe which used to ply the river, this is just half the remaining length.  And could carry 100 Maori warriors, the sign told us.

Remains of a Maori canoe

Across the road from this rest area was a hotel building which we remembered from our earlier trip all those years ago.  It was never completed, and the story goes that the locals warned that if the building project went ahead it would be razed to the ground.  Why, we are not sure, but there was obviously conflict between the owner/developer and the local population.   So here it sits, still in this condition.

The abandoned hotel project

WE decided that instead of returning the way we came, along the very narrow and windy road, we would take the longer way back through Raetihi and the Paraparas.  There was certainly evidence of the big slips which had come down on the Paraparas a year or so ago, but the damage all seemed to be resolved.  There was another stop along the way, to stop and admire the Raukawa Falls at the lookout.

Raukawa Falls

It was a long day but we eventually arrived back in camp just in time for 4zees.  In fact, Geoff was sitting outside under his awning and had started before us.  We fired up the BBQ to cook our steak, and after dinner gathered outside again in the cool of the evening to enjoy each other's company.  It had been a great day.

Whanganui is an area with a very strong connection to the river.  There is a saying here which sums it up.  "The great River flows from the mountains to the sea.  I am the River, the River is me,"