Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Surge in cycle tourists

By Laurel Stowell
Whanganui Chronicle·
6 Jan, 2013 05:34 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The Whanganui River Rd has more tourists than last year, including an increasing number of cyclists.

The isolated and scenic road is one of the top four attractions for visitors to Wanganui, according to Bronnie Crow at the city's information centre.

The co-owner of The Flying Fox, Annette Main, said her boutique accommodation business on River Rd at Koriniti was sleeping six to eight people a night, and bookings were still coming in steadily. She's heard other providers are equally busy.

She's also seeing eight to 10 cyclists on the road each day, and at least three campervans at the Department of Conservation campsite at Atene every night.

The 79km road to Pipiriki has bush and river scenery, several marae and the picturesque convent and church at Jerusalem/Hiruharama.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

At Pipiriki travellers get off or on to the river in jetboats and canoes. There are at least six places offering accommodation along the road, ranging from camping spots to self-contained cottages.

The Operiki homestay and Ranana campground were closed at present, Ms Main said, but there were two new accommodation options. In Pipiriki the Haworths had turned the former school into a campground with cabins, and Tracey Marshall opened Te Punga Homestead at Koriniti last summer.

Several operators run guided and unguided canoe tours, and jetboat trips.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

There's a day walk at Atene, and the entire road is part of the new Mountains to Sea/Nga Ara Tuhono Cycle Trail.

Most people are deciding to do the trail in sections, rather than end-to-end, and the sections in the Ruapehu District have been the most popular so far.

Ms Main has done the trail herself, twice. She said the River Rd end was attracting a few big organised groups, and a scattering of independent cyclists.

"They're mostly the kind of people who have already done the Otago cycle trail. They're looking for something new and they're delighted by the River Rd."

There was still about 12km of road needing sealing, from Ranana to near Pipiriki. It was graded in December but was still a bit rough for cyclists.

"It puts off quite a number of people. I've tried to bike through it and it's not easy," Ms Main said.

Many of the tourist operators on the road have banded together to market it, with a website called Journeys on the Whanganui.

They take its attractions to travel shows and share the cost of advertising, and they pass bookings to each other.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Ngāti Ruanui files urgent Waitangi Tribunal claim over mining project

02 Jul 10:42 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Why Whanganui is in for a warmer than normal winter

02 Jul 09:14 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

How a white picket fence symbolises a significant Whanganui family

02 Jul 06:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Ngāti Ruanui files urgent Waitangi Tribunal claim over mining project

Ngāti Ruanui files urgent Waitangi Tribunal claim over mining project

02 Jul 10:42 PM

The claim alleges breaches of Treaty principles in fast-track approvals process.

Why Whanganui is in for a warmer than normal winter

Why Whanganui is in for a warmer than normal winter

02 Jul 09:14 PM
How a white picket fence symbolises a significant Whanganui family

How a white picket fence symbolises a significant Whanganui family

02 Jul 06:00 PM
Rangitīkei fencer regains Golden Pliers title

Rangitīkei fencer regains Golden Pliers title

02 Jul 06:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP