Loving the River City _{by Annabella Gamboni}

Whanganui (Winter 2019)

Famous for sitting on the banks of New Zealand’s longest river, Whanganui is home to about 40,000 people. As far as I knew, Whanganui was a city like any other, albeit with ongoing confusion about how to spell its name. However, word has been getting out about the North Island centre’s burgeoning arts scene, its embrace of its rich heritage, and lively community. So I decided to see what all the fuss was about!

I was kindly invited up to Whanganui for the city’s annual Vintage Weekend by Whanganui and Partners, the district’s economic development agency. Since 2012, the citywide party has taken place on Wellington Anniversary Weekend, drawing thousands of people from all over the country.

With festivities due to kick off on a Friday evening, my companion (my father – lucky me!) and I drove up from Wellington that afternoon. We ran into some nasty traffic around Kāpiti, and so were running unfortunately a little late for our first scheduled activity, a cruise on the Waimarie with the Andrew London Trio.

We hurried to check into our accommodation, the Rutland Arms, before driving down to the riverside. My first impression on this admittedly rushed trip through Whanganui’s city centre was that it was very, very pretty. The buildings display original façades, there are trees on almost every corner, and the view of the river in the distance is lovely.

Before I could get carried away admiring The River City, however, it was time to explore the river itself. My dad and I hopped on the Waimarie just in the nick of time, but were still greeted with a complimentary glass of bubbles. Thanks to our tardiness, there were no seats available on the boat, but we actually preferred our little spot on the bow, where we could enjoy the scenery and catch a breeze. It made for a very pleasant way to spend the evening, especially as the band struck up a lively brand of jazz.

The Waimarie is an original paddle steamer that languished at the bottom of Whanganui River for about 50 years before a group of dedicated volunteers restored her to her former glory. I was invited down to the boiler room to see how it all works, and chatted with the two engineers on duty. Basically, they shovel a lot of coal into a fire that they need to keep burning or the steam would run out and our lovely trip along the river would come to a grinding halt.

Relaxed and enchanted by Whanganui already, Dad and I headed back to the Rutland Arms for a bite to eat. It was only upon our return that I had a real chance to check out the hotel. Our room was gorgeous, with high ceilings and sash windows. The pub and dining area downstairs were traditionally decorated (but not outdated), with dried hops, tap badges, and other bits of local memorabilia. We were amongst only a few customers enjoying a late dinner, but the ambiance was friendly. As the night was warm, we took a seat outside in the quiet courtyard with a cold glass of craft beer. Our meals that night were both generous and delicious; I enjoyed a dish of fresh tarakihi, while Dad feasted on lamb and summer vegetables.

We woke up on Saturday to a morning of bright sunlight, and blue sky that promised a scorching day. Our first stop: the Retro Market, hosted by the River Traders and Whanganui Farmers Markets. I have to say, we were mighty impressed – it’s the biggest outdoor market I’ve been to outside of Wellington, with somewhere upwards of 100 stalls. There were heirloom tomato growers, artisan cheesemongers, florists, bric-a-brac, homemade children’s clothing, and of course, vintage goodies.

As the on-street stages were still being set up, we decided to go for a stroll through Whanganui before taking a look at the vintage car display. I fell in love with a pair of earrings that Dad had to drag me away from at a local jewellers, while he fell into a happy retail rabbit hole at The Burrow, a yummy delicatessen. We also poked our noses into the Waimarie Museum to learn more about the vessel we had so enjoyed the previous evening. Inside, there’s a model paddle steamer you can clamber into, as well as photographs galore, videos, and other artefacts.

In just a few minutes of walking, we stumbled into Wheels on Victoria Ave – one of the Vintage Car Club’s major events for the weekend. The mammoth display included over 200 classic cars, including open-top, elevated vehicles from the early 20th century, Australian-made behemoths, and even a Jaguar E-type that had Dad drooling. “It’s a piece of art, that is,” he said, at least three times. I, a newly-licensed driver at the age of 26, was busy wondering how anyone could park those hot rods.

It was a swelteringly hot day, and unbeknownst to us, it was about to get hotter. At 2pm we were scheduled in for a workshop at Whanganui’s famous NZ Glassworks – Te Whare Tūhua o Te Ao, again only a couple minutes’ walk from Victoria Avenue. It’s the centre for glass art in New Zealand, housing a small gallery and open-access studio.

Greeted by the lovely Riley at the door, we were led down to the studio where we would each be making a glass paperweight. After a quick safety briefing, the tutor Brandon helped us choose the colours and styles we wanted within our glass creations.

I went first. Under the calm and clear guidance of Brendon, I had fun making my colourful little blob of glass – the people watching in the gallery even clapped when I was finished! The hardest part, most definitely, was picking up the molten glass with the iron rod. Brandon said to treat it like a spoon in honey, which was definitely useful advice, but harder than you think when standing in front of a 1000°C crucible.

Sweaty but smug, we emerged from NZ Glassworks one cool skill richer. After a quick snifter in the (packed) Rutland Arms, we put on finery fit for a black-tie evening. We were off to two evening affairs; first up was the Majestic Affair @ The Square, a fancy three-course meal catered by Mint Café.

Here, we were seated outside on a long table with about 20 other diners. The atmosphere was lively and convivial, and we were treated to some amateur dramatics while we waited to eat. Unfortunately, our drinks took a long while to come out – we didn’t get them until our mains were nearly finished – and while the food was delicious, it distinctly lacked vegetables. I love meat and potatoes as much as the next gal, but I couldn’t help but think some side dishes could have added some welcome colour and texture to the meal.

Our stomachs nevertheless fit to bursting, we headed off to Saturday’s grand finale: The Dazzle Ball. It was housed in the Whanganui Racecourse, only a few minutes away in the car. Inside, guests were grouped around round tables with a dancefloor and stage at the rear end of the room. The mood was celebratory, and everyone was dressed to the nines. Canapes were circling, drinks were pouring, and the photobooth was popping.

The mood was further enhanced by the first bit of entertainment for the evening: a group lesson on how to dance the Charleston. It was light-hearted, old-fashioned good fun – and something that would rarely happen in Wellington (us city types are much too self-conscious). Later on, there was a parade of costume competitions, amazing swing dancing, and live music. What a night!

Sunday dawned bright and early, thankfully slightly less warm and a little breezier than the day before. Our final stop on our whirlwind Whanganui tour was a trip on the Mainline Steam Train. It departed Taupō Quay with us, plenty of kids, and older people on board. While the steam locomotive in front is a restored original, the carriages were reasonably modern, complete with air-conditioning.

The trip to Kai-Iwi was tranquil and extremely scenic. At times I went out to the dedicated viewing platform for a breath of fresh air. I have to say, travelling by train certainly does seem like the most civilised way to cross the countryside.

Dad and I agreed that we were pleasantly surprised by our weekend in Whanganui. That’s not to say we had low expectations, but that the River City was unusually diverse, artsy, and friendly, with a totally unique atmosphere. It’s at once a country town and a cosmopolitan little place bursting with artisans and artists.

Next time, I would love to enjoy Whanganui at a slightly slower pace – something tells me that the place is best appreciated languidly, as you drift through its pretty streets. I’ll be back, Whanganui, with friends, or perhaps my partner, for a relaxing, sun-soaked holiday.