FORGOTTEN WORLD BY RIVER

Before the road and rail links were driven through, The Whanganui River was an essential trade link through this region from the coast to Central North Island.  Passenger boats from Whanganui on the coast came up the river to Pipriki for an overnight stay at the lavish Pipriki House before continuing their journey in smaller tunnel drive boats that would haul themselves up the rapids with steel cables anchored into the limestone gorge.

Whanganui River rapids

Our journey up the Whanganui River also started at Pipriki but there is now little sign of the hotel which burned down in 1959.  Like the tunnel keel boats of the 19th Century, our boat was also optimised for scaling the shallow waters and the rapids.  But the Hamilton jet boats are a 20th Century innovation and are a white knuckle ride with 7 litre American V8 muscle power.

Our 1 hour trip up the Whanganui River to Mangapurua Landing scaled several rapids and passed numerous canoeists making their way downstream.  Our wake causing some anxiety.

From the landing, we then had an enjoyable 40 minutes walk through the bush to our final destination.

Hike from Mangapurua Landing

Sections of land in this remote and difficult landscape were offered to veterans returning from The Great War to establish farms.  But they faced enormous challenges in clearing the bush and getting a foothold in this area.  Even where they managed to make progress the winter rains would often wash the newly seeded areas away.  Many sections were abandoned.  

Those pioneers that remained toiled hard to make a success.  To bring materials and stock across the river, a swing bridge was fashioned to replace the precarious aerial rope way. 

Remains of the swing bridge

But even this was too precarious with heavy losses and the colonial government was persuaded to build a more substantial structure.

The Bridge to Nowhere

Shortly after the bridge was completed the Government decided to cut costs, abandon maintenance of the access road and give notice to the remaining farmers.  As a result the substantial bridge is a total folly and is now known as The Bridge to Nowhere.