Sights in Wanganui
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A
Durie Hill Elevator
Across City Bridge from the town centre is the Durie Hill Elevator, built with grand visions for Durie Hill’s residential future. A tunnel burrows 200m into the hillside, from where the elevator rattles 65m to the top. There are two viewpoints at the summit: one on top of the lift machinery room, the other up the 176 steps of the War Memorial Tower. Assess the condition of Whanganui’s roof-tiles, or scan the horizon for Mt Taranaki, Mt Ruapehu and even the South Island on a clear day.
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B
Riverboat Centre
The Riverboat Centre has historical displays, but the crowds come for the Waimarie, the last of the Whanganui River’s paddle steamers. In 1900 the Waimarie was shipped in a box from England then reassembled in Whanganui. After paddling the Whanganui for 50 years, she sank ingloriously at her mooring in 1952. Submerged for 41 years, she was finally raised, restored, then relaunched on the first day of the 21st century.
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C
Whanganui Regional Museum
The Whanganui Regional Museum is one of NZ’s better natural-history museums. Maori exhibits include the carved Te Mata o Houroa war canoe and some vicious-looking mere (greenstone clubs). The colonial and wildlife installations are first rate, and there’s plenty of button-pushing and drawer-opening to keep the kids engaged.
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D
Sarjeant Gallery
‘Historical, Contemporary, Unique’ – the elegantly neoclassical Sarjeant Gallery covers all the bases with its extensive permanent art exhibition and frequent special exhibits (including glass from the annual Wanganui Festival of Glass).
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E
Chronicle Glass Studio
The pick of Whanganui’s many glass studios is the Chronicle Glass Studio where you can watch glass-blowers working, check out the gallery, take a weekend glass-blowing courseor a ‘Make a Paperweight’ lesson, or just hang out and warm up on a chilly afternoon.
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F
Wanganui Community Arts Centre
By the river’s edge is the Wanganui Community Arts Centre, which exhibits mostly local artists and musters up a decidedly South Pacific vibe with glass, ceramics, jewellery, photography and painting.
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