First safety plan for Whanganui River’s lower stretches set to launch

Paddle Steamer Waimarie manager Jen Britton says she "can only imagine" how wakes from fast-moving motor vessels impact rowboats and waka.

The first official safety plan for the lower stretches of the Whanganui River is set to launch but compliance will be down to the community. It is being led by Sport Whanganui, with Whanganui District Council putting in $40,000, spread over the next two years.

At a recent council meeting, Sport Whanganui active communities manager Jodie Brunger said signage would be added to key access points along the lower river, with information about access points added to an online platform.

“Education and messaging are being developed for the wider community to ensure key messages around safe swimming spots, speed, river rules and risks on the awa [river] are being shared,” she said. “We can all start to encourage [behavioural] change.”

“It’s not about bylaws, it’s about educating people.”

Brunger said the online platform and signage would be launched in January. Members of the public could report incidents and hazards online, she said.

The plan covers the area from Whanganui to Ūpokongaro but does not include the Whanganui Port.

Her report to the council listed several issues to address in and around the river, including old infrastructure, grass along the banks reducing visibility, boats not being required to be registered or named and jet skiers not exceeding five knots within 200m of the embankment.

“The majority are using [the river] within reason and the speeds are within reason, but we are getting an increase in jetskis, fizz boats and the like going at high speeds,” she told councillors. “With most of the crafts being man- or woman-powered, there is significant risk around that.”

Whanganui District Council deputy chief executive Lance Kennedy says the plan came from the community instead of the council trying to enforce its way to safety.

Last October, council chief executive Lance Kennedy said there had been several attempts at putting together a safety plan over many years and the current working group had “decided not to be the next one that starts and fails”. He said this week the plan had come from the community, instead of the council creating “another bylaw and [seeing] if we can’t enforce our way into safety”.

“This is more of a ground-up approach, which we think is the right way to go.”

Kennedy said the district council was responsible for riverbanks and accessways but not “on-water activity”. As well as the district council and Sport Whanganui, which represented sport and recreational groups’ interests, the project’s steering group included Horizons Regional Council, Ngā Tāngata Tiaki, Te Mata Puau and Te Pūwaha. Whanganui iwi leader Gerrard Albert said awa safety had to be led by those who knew the river, used the river and could self-regulate.

“We can look at regulations later on – bylaws and what have you – but we can’t just drive straight there first,” he said.

The motor vessel the Waimarie has had several "close encounters" on the river. Photo / Bevan Conley

Albert, chairman of Te Kōpuka (Te Awa Tupua strategy group), said Maritime New Zealand would only get involved when a serious incident occurred.

“It’s a bit pointless after the event. They are just there to prosecute the parties responsible.

“Obviously, there is a place for that, but we can have a constant, consistent effort over time to try [to] improve behaviours.

“From a hapū and iwi perspective, rather than us complaining all the time about things we see, let’s create a joined-up effort that will allow everybody to leverage off each other, report events as they arise and promote education programmes.”

In a statement, Whanganui District Council said it did not encourage people to jump off the City Bridge into the river, and swimming around vessels – often situated at the Town Wharf and Taupō Quay – was not advised.

“If people are going to [jump from City Bridge], they need to check the water for logs and debris, as well as other river users.

“Swimming at the Castlecliff wharf area is prohibited as it can be very dangerous. Public access is not allowed in the area.”

Most rowing clubs were okay with swimmers using their pontoons as long as they respected rowers getting boats in and out of the water, the council said. Signs will be installed at Mosquito Point and Ūpokongaro urging the public not to swim in the area or across the river, citing dangerous and unpredictable undercurrents.

Whanganui iwi leader Gerrard Albert says awa safety has to be led by those who know the river, use the river and can self-regulate.

Paddle Steamer Waimarie manager Jen Britton said there had been several close encounters with jet skis and wakeboard boats.

“They might be just having a little bit of fun and are unaware of our limited manoeuverability,” she said. “You just have to scoot down the front of our nose and you’ll end up in our paddle wheel, and we don’t want to send all our visitors home with raging nightmares.”

Britton said she supported the plan and travelling aboard the Waimarie gave a different perspective on what was happening on the water.

“If you’re coming up on a vessel, please slow down.

“For us, the wake of a boat going fast is a pain, so I can only imagine what it’s like for someone in a rowboat or waka.”

Brunger said recreational and sport users made it clear they did not want additional bylaws or the river to be “policed in any way, shape or form”.

“The community needs to take ownership of this.

“We can’t make children not jump off the bridge or off pontoons, but we can educate about why it’s not safe and encourage them to go to other areas.”

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.