A mystery tour turned to delight for a group of monthly diners on a brilliantly fine Wanganui Wednesday evening.
The only brief that organisers Bruce and Jenny Ardell gave their Cosmopolitan Club monthly diners was to dress in 1930s garb before they were transported to Wanganui riverboat Wairua's jetty.
The dozen people included a Dunedin couple who were in the River City for the New Zealand Masters Games. They initially thought they were up for a gentle cruise on the majestic Whanganui River.
In fact, they made history and became the first group to be shipped to Caroline's Boat Shed pub in Aramoho for a meal and an evening of conviviality.
On arrival at the Aramoho Wanganui Rowing Club's jetty, the group were greeted by a karakia from the Reverend Jack Tepu, then taken to the pub in Wanganui Heritage Coachlines' 1952 Bedford school bus.