Whanganui town and its river from above. Photo / Supplied
Whanganui town and its river from above. Photo / Supplied
Today around 200 farmers, growers and tourist operators call the Whanganui River Road home, but the story of this 65km thoroughfare dates back 800 years. Jacqui Gibson takes a ride with rural postie and tour guide Tracy Marshall to learn more.
“It just made perfect sense,” explains Tracy Marshall, hoisting herself into the driver’s seat of the postal van we’ll occupy for the next four hours.
She’s referring to her decision to buy the town’s daily mail run in 2020, which today doubles as a guided tour of Whanganui River Road.
Purchasing the business, Tracy became the first person raised up river to take the reins of Whanganui Tours and Mail Run.
“I know pretty much everyone on the river road – the kaumātuas, the farmers, the tourism operators and the weekenders. I grew up here. My marae is here. I know how the seasons unfold here and I know all the good spots to pull over for the best views of the awa below.”
One of the many sights participants will get to enjoy on the Whanganui river road.
Photo / Supplied
Each day starts early for Tracy.
At 5.30am, she picks up the mail from New Zealand Post, sorting it into piles according to the order of delivery – mail for the Wickhams on top; post for family at Pīpīriki closer to the bottom.
Just before 7.30am, she pulls into Whanganui’s iSite carpark to load guests into the van for the mail run tour.
The morning I join the tour, a thick grey mist blankets Whanganui river, spilling on to the streets nearby.
We’ll follow the moody waterway for much of our journey north to Pīpīriki, stopping at key sites along its flanks as we go.
Journey north to Pīpīriki and stop at key sites along the way. Photo / Supplied
At 7.50am, we make the Whanganui River Road turnoff at State Highway 4.
“In the early days, more than 50,000 Māori lived up here; can you imagine?” says Tracy, her own whakapapa (genealogical) ties extending from Whanganui river to Tūwharetoa near Taupō, to Ngā Puhi in the Far North, and to Pākehā ancestry on her dad’s side.
Pulling over, she points to a weathered pouwhenua (land post) and shiny new signage describing the cultural history of the community we’re about to enter.
Whanganui's daily mail run doubles as a guided tour of Whanganui River Road.
Photo / Supplied
Reading, I’m reminded of the 2017 law that granted the Whanganui river the same rights as a living person and the iwi (tribal) saying that goes, “ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au”. Translated, it means “I am the river, and the river is me”, and is said to express the unbreakable tie between river iwi and the awa.
Ironically, this 65km road, built in 1934, did just that, explains Tracy as we jump back in the van.
“The byway provided much-needed access to remote river villages and farmland. But people left the awa for the city and traditional life changed dramatically after the road went in.”
At Ātene (Athens), Tracy’s aunty Frances greets us in pink slippers, holding a bag of home-grown kūmarafor me to take home to Wellington.
She runs Rivertime campground, a popular overnight stop for cyclists and hikers of the nearby skyline walk, a 42.5km loop track providing views of the awa.
Aunty Frances runs Rivertime campground, a popular overnight stop for cyclists and hikers. Photo / Supplied
“To me, travelling the river road can be as spiritual as being on the water,” says Frances, accepting three letters from Tracy. “It’s the people you meet – many of us descendants of hapū who’ve lived here for more than 800 years.”
Back on the road, we pass Tracy’s family urupa (burial ground) and a regenerating farm that Tracy’s family are returning to manukā.
We stop to feed her cousin’s daughter’s pet deer, Annie, and pop letters into the mailbox.
At Koriniti, we pull up to Tracy’s family marae where guests can tour the historic wharenui and small museum.
Guests can tour the historic wharenui and small museum at Koriniti. Photo / Supplied
“It’s beautiful here eh?” says Tracy, beaming as she hugs whānau (family) who are outside weeding gardens for a tangi (funeral) later that day.
An hour later, Tracy points out macadamia, avocado and nashi pear crops growing beside the road and we stop again so I can buy a tub of local honey from Tracy’s Aunty Marlene at the Matahiwi gallery and cafe.
We visit the heritage-listed Kawana Flour Mill, built in 1854, before parking near the entrance to Hiruhārama (Jerusalem) so I can photograph autumn shadows on the bifurcated river.
Autumn shadows on the bifurcated river with views to Hiruhārama (Jerusalem).
Photo / Supplied
Gesturing to the red spire of the Catholic convent in the distance, Tracy tells me her mum lived with the Sisters of Compassion for three years as a young child.
Later, we’ll walk the convent grounds before dropping off the mail at Pīpīriki and making the return journey home.
“Mum loved the sisters. She was the youngest in a family of 12 and food was a bit scarce. Convent founder Suzanne Aubert was no longer there in those days, but the next generation of sisters were. Our family adored them. They were respectful, generous and such knowledgeable, wonderful teachers.”
A letter box on Whanganui’s river road.
Photo / Supplied
Tracy tells me she also remembers when poet James K. Baxter’s hippie commune was in full swing at Hiruhārama.
But it’s the connection between the river road, the awa and her tīpuna (ancestors) that she’s most keen to share with guests.
“I love the opportunity to paint the picture of those early days when my tīpuna walked this land, lived at these marae dotted along the river and travelled these parts on foot and by waka.”
Checklist
Whanganui
DETAILS
Join the mail run or take a self-guided cycling tour of the Whanganui River Road with Tracy Marshall. Learn more at whanganuitours.co.nz
