As far as living history goes, Whanganui’s paddle steamer Waimarie is as good as it gets. It is the pride of the city, the last of its kind in New Zealand, and has been a fixture on the Whanganui River for more than 100 years.
When launched in 1900, Waimarie was the first registered boat in the country for the new century. In its first year of operation, it carried more than 25,000 passengers up to Pipiriki and back.
Today, Waimarie is as active as ever, introducing sightseers and private parties to the pace of life — and technology — of yesteryear, when our waterways were the highways and the Whanganui River was considered the ‘Rhine of the South Pacific’.
Peaceful waters
The word ‘waimarie’ means good fortune or peaceful waters, yet fate haslocals donating time, money, skills, and the return of many of the boat’s original artefacts.
