Te Araroa Trail: Public fundraising campaign begins for Whangaehu bridge

A visualisation of the swing bridge that could cross the Whangaehu River by the end of the 2025/26 summer. Photo / Frame Group

Rangitīkei could soon be home to the longest swing bridge in New Zealand, but the group behind it still needs $200,000.

The Te Araroa Trail Trust, which oversees a 3000km walk from Cape Rēinga to Bluff, plans to build the bridge over the Whangaehu River.

The river runs through the 243ha Whitiau Scientific Reserve. Once completed, the trail will follow the coast from South Beach to Turakina Beach.

Walkers currently have to use about 32km of roads, including State Highway 3, between Whanganui and Turakina.

Trail chief executive Matt Claridge said the trust would like to raise $150,000 from the public, with the rest coming from grants and other fundraising.

It has already raised $556,000.

“People can buy a metre on the bridge or go [to a] higher level, which might be small to medium-sized local businesses,” he said.

A resource consent is before the Rangitīkei District Council.

“We also need approval from DoC [the Department of Conservation], which is effectively a resource consent,” Claridge said.

“Everything will be out for tender before it’s all approved so we’ve got a contractor secured and can have a construction window.

“We want walkers on this bridge next season – no later than April [2026].”

Claridge said he was confident DoC and the council would give the project the green light.

The department is taking public submissions on it until 5pm on March 3 and a form is available via the department’s website.

Matt Claridge says a second bridge, across the Turakina River, is part of long-term plans.

Submitters are also invited to speak, with a hearing likely to take place in the week starting March 25.

Claridge said about 10% of the entire trail was on roads but it was not essential to bring that down to zero.

The trust only had capacity for one big project at a time, he said.

“Not all of it [the roading] is bad. Quite a bit is on farm road.

“There are just some parts we’d prefer chomped out.

“After this, we’ll look to find a solution for Russell Road up north, because we can’t go through Russell Forest.”

A second bridge, over the Turakina River, was part of the trust’s long-term plans, he said.

“The Whangaehu [bridge] is the necessary one for [getting] the trail off the road,” he said.

“Walkers traverse the Turakina at the river mouth at a low to medium tide.

“A bridge there would add value, but it’s not critical for safety or reducing road walking.”

The Whangaehu bridge will be 120m long, pipping the 110m Buller Gorge swing bridge.

Donations for the bridge can be made at whangaehu-bridge.raiselysite.com.

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.