1 Whanganui River

By steam Two paddle steamers ply the river, the Wairua and the Waimarie. The Wairua was originally launched in 1904 and put to work along 80km of the river carrying passengers, mail and cargo for 34 years. Decommissioned in 1938, she was neglected and sank in the mud. In 1987, a group of local men brought her to the surface and spent almost two decades restoring her. Now she cruises the river on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11am with a 90-minute stopover at Upokongaro, the site of the district’s oldest church on its original site. whanganuiriverboat.co.nz

The Waimarie also languished on the muddy river bottom for almost half a century before her restoration became Whanganui’s millennium project. On 1 January 2000, after 7 years of hard work and passion, she was recommissioned for her new life. There are a range of cruises on offer, including a 2-hour cruise that runs 6 days a week over summer, and a Friday night cruise with live music. waimarie.co.nz