The Whanganui (15 min)
This beautiful river (and historically the only way into our region) is NZ’s longest navigatable river and is of special and great spiritual significance to NZ’s Maori. It was the first river in the world to be granted the same legal status as a person, with all the rights and protections that that entails. From near our Centre, the river flows for 230 kms through dense native forest and spectacular moss-covered ravines, under the Bridge to Nowhere (look it up!) passed Jersualem (a remote Catholic convent) all the way to the ocean. Adventures on the river include kayaking jet boat adventures of up to 3 days on the river are rapidly becoming popular and a local jet boat company offers the longest jet boat ride in the southern hemisphere along this river. Along the way there are plenty of places to stay, including the Tieke Maori Marae.
More info: https://www.whanganuiriveradventures.co.nz/ and https://www.canoewhanganuiriver.com/ and https://www.blazingpaddles.co.nz/page/canoeing/ and https://www.visitwhanganui.nz/whanganui-river/
