Across City Bridge from downtown Whanganui, this elevator was built with grand visions for Durie Hill鈥檚 residential future. Beyond an entrance lined with M膩ori carvings, a tunnel burrows 213m into the hillside, from where a 1919 elevator rattles 66m to the top.
At the summit you can climb the 176 steps of the 33.5m War Memorial Tower and scan the horizon for Mt Taranaki and Mt Ruapehu. There's another lookout atop the lift machinery housing (just 41 steps).
0.44 MILES
Spend an hour or two in one of NZ鈥檚 better natural history museums. Te Atihaunui-a-P膩p膩range M膩ori exhibits include an amazing waka (canoe), 鈥
0.19 MILES
The elegant old neoclassical Sarjeant Gallery building in Queens Park is closed for earthquake-proofing. In the interim, the gallery's estimable art鈥
0.23 MILES
The pick of Whanganui's many glass studios. Watch glass-blowers working, check out the gallery, take a one-day glass-blowing course ($290, four people max鈥
0.21 MILES
The historical displays here are interesting, but everyone's here for the PS Waimarie, the last of the Whanganui River paddle steamers. In 1900 it was鈥
0.88 MILES
Across the City Bridge from town and 1km towards the sea is the Putiki Church (aka St Paul鈥檚 Memorial Church). It鈥檚 unremarkable externally, but just like鈥
4.4 MILES
Follow the Whanganui River's western riverbank seawards for 8km and you'll arrive in Castlecliff, a wonderfully low-key beach 'burb dominated by a huge鈥
9.13 MILES
Kai Iwi is a wild ocean frontier, strewn with black sand, a ruined WWII gun emplacement and masses of driftwood (you might see locals collecting it for鈥
2.03 MILES
A couple of kilometres northwest of the centre, Virginia Lake is the perfect place for a stroll (around the lake or the woodland walk). Aside from the鈥
1. Lift Machinery Housing Lookout
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High on Durie Hill atop the machinery housing for the Durie Hill Elevator, there's a lookout platform from where the city views are eye-popping. Climb the鈥
0.17 MILES
Ride the ratchety old Durie Hill Elevator up to the top of Durie Hill, then keep climbing skywards up the austere War Memorial Tower. It's 176 steps and鈥
0.19 MILES
The elegant old neoclassical Sarjeant Gallery building in Queens Park is closed for earthquake-proofing. In the interim, the gallery's estimable art鈥
0.21 MILES
The historical displays here are interesting, but everyone's here for the PS Waimarie, the last of the Whanganui River paddle steamers. In 1900 it was鈥
0.23 MILES
The pick of Whanganui's many glass studios. Watch glass-blowers working, check out the gallery, take a one-day glass-blowing course ($290, four people max鈥
0.44 MILES
Spend an hour or two in one of NZ鈥檚 better natural history museums. Te Atihaunui-a-P膩p膩range M膩ori exhibits include an amazing waka (canoe), 鈥
0.54 MILES
Established in 1903, astro-geeks will be delighted to know that this 24cm telescope is the largest unmodified refractor operating in NZ. Roll up on Friday鈥
0.88 MILES
Across the City Bridge from town and 1km towards the sea is the Putiki Church (aka St Paul鈥檚 Memorial Church). It鈥檚 unremarkable externally, but just like鈥