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

Long-time fan of Bushy Park will drive visitors to special day on September 14

Laurel Stowell
By Laurel Stowell
Reporter·Whanganui Chronicle·
10 Sep, 2019 05:00 PM2 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

Farmer Ian Brown drives Whanganui's Tranzit buses in his retirement. Photo / Bevan Conley

Farmer Ian Brown drives Whanganui's Tranzit buses in his retirement. Photo / Bevan Conley

Who better to drive a busload of people to Bushy Park Tarapuruhi on its special day than a man with a lifetime connection to the place?

On September 14 Ian Brown will be the volunteer driving a Tranzit bus to the forest sanctuary for the opening of its new visitor centre. The bus will leave the Whanganui War Memorial Centre at 10.30am and get back at 3.30pm. The return fare is $5.

It will park close to the action, saving its passengers a walk, and Brown will help people in and stow away equipment.

Entry is free and the visitor centre will be officially opened at 2pm. But visitors on this "take a fresh look" occasion will also be able to tour the forest and homestead, buy lunch or a Devonshire tea or have a picnic in the grounds.

Brown was happy to volunteer his services because he likes to keep busy - and also because he has a lifelong connection with the place.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He was born on the property where the park's donor, GF Moore, was born. It's in nearby Bushy Park Rd. His father farmed that property and Brown spent the first 30 years of his life there.

"I used to go [to Bushy Park] with Dad to do a few jobs for Mr Moore," he said.

Later he bought his own farm in nearby Pukerimu Rd. Then, starting around the early 2000s, Brown served on the Bushy Park Trust for 14 years and has chaired it several times.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He's not on the trust now, but still looks after the cattle on the unforested part of the property. They earn the sanctuary $16,000 to $18,000 a year, he said.

Some are donated and others bought. Fertiliser companies, fertiliser spreader Sanford and weed spraying contractor Peko donate their goods and services or give discounts.

Brown also likes the place, now known as Bushy Park Tarapuruhi.

"I like the historic connection. I like the bush and I like the birds. With the money that's been spent on the homestead and stables and a lot of improvements done, it's a pretty sharp spot," he said.

Discover more

Bushy Park nurtures 41 fledgling hihi

20 May 04:59 PM

Conservation Minister to open Bushy Park's new visitor centre

06 Aug 05:00 PM

Environmental artists show works at heritage cottage

16 Aug 05:00 PM

You beauty! Whanganui a finalist in Keep NZ Beautiful Awards

15 Aug 11:45 PM

++ The bus trip can be booked online at the @BushyParkTarapuruhi Facebook page, or by emailing nicola@nicolapatrick.com or ringing 027 871 6459.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

11 Jul 05:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

11 Jul 06:00 PM

Former members are 'more than welcome' to return, RSA Welfare Trust president says.

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Shelley Loader: How we can all get a share of the apples

Shelley Loader: How we can all get a share of the apples

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

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