Whanganui District Council offering a range of tours and events for Heritage Month

The Royal Whanganui Opera House will be running three heritage tours in October. Photo / Supplied

Whanganui District Council will be giving people a chance the explore the heritage of a number of council properties as part of Whanganui's Heritage Month.

Sites include the Whanganui Council Chamber, Ward Observatory, Royal Whanganui Opera House, Whanganui Regional Museum, and Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua.

Council's heritage advisor Scott Flutey said there was "something to suit everyone with an interest in heritage" in this year's programme.

"Whanganui was a leading centre for the arts and crafts movement early last century and our arts scene today is, in part, a legacy of that time," Flutey said.

"The arts and crafts style imprinted on our architecture, design and social history landscape and we will be exploring some significant stories and key inner city sites."

The council chamber will open for free guided tours of the 23 stained glass windows which ring it on October 3 and October 10.

The council-owned Ward Observatory will open for free talks on October 6 and October 20, while the Royal Whanganui Opera House will be hosting tours on October 12, October 19, and October 27.

Whanganui District Council heritage advisor Scott Flutey. Photo / Paul Brooks

Whanganui Regional Museum will be offering a free Ngā Wai Honohono tour on October 7 and October 14, led by programmes presenter Lisa Reweti.

Whanganui Regional Museum programmes presenter Lisa Reweti. Photo / Margie Beautrais

Sarjeant Gallery curator Jennifer Taylor Moore will run two free talks during Heritage Month. On October 6 she will repeat her talk on renowned early Whanganui photographer Frank Denton, and on October 31 she will lead a tour of the Collection Store, celebrating the spring theme of Heritage Month by looking at some of the botanical works in the collection.

On October 18 the Sarjeant's relationships officer Jaki Arthur will discuss the life of Reverend Richard Taylor with Huia Kirk, who has completed a post graduate diploma on Taylor and his influence on early Whanganui.

On October 23 a discussion about the "Whanganui Incident', where Whanganui Mayor Charles Mackay shot and wounded poet Walter D'Arcy Cresswe in 1920, will be held between Mayor Hamish McDouall, author and historian Paul Diamond, and playwright David Charteris at the Davis Lecture Theatre on Watt St.

Then on October 24 and October 25 the Sarjeant will host performances of David Charteris' play, One of Them, which looks at how the incident happened and the consequences for all involved.