The Whanganui River Adventures crew includes Josephine Haworth (left), Shineal Hohepa, Teresa Treanor and Teresa Hohepa. Photo / Bevan Conley
The Whanganui River Adventures crew includes Josephine Haworth (left), Shineal Hohepa, Teresa Treanor and Teresa Hohepa. Photo / Bevan Conley
With so many exploration opportunities in the middle reaches of the Whanganui River, experienced guidance is essential.
It can be found at Pipiriki, where the hosts have lengthy whakapapa and intergenerational tourism operation experience to offer their visitors.
Josephine Haworth and her husband Ken are the owners of Whanganui River Adventures & Camping Ground located at the former Pipiriki School site on the Pipiriki Raetihi Rd.
The location is breathtaking - with surrounding bush-clad hills, it offers a sheltered camping area on the former school playing fields.
“We offer three powered cabins now,” Josephine said.
“It provides another option for visitors who want that level of comfort.”
The Haworths came into the business with a shared love of jetboating going back three generations, and Josephine and Ken had been racing jetboats since the 1970s. His parents were the original owners of Bridge to Nowhere Jet Boat Tours & Lodge.
In 2003, the younger couple purchased Riverspirit Jet Boat Tours and combined it with Pipiriki Jet Boat Tours to establish their current business, which now includes a cafe, camping facilities and a range of experiences designed to suit all visitor needs.
There are jetboat or canoe tour options that can take from 3.5 hours to six or seven hours as well as guided walks.
The Bridge to Nowhere Tour includes a 55-minute jetboat journey upriver to the Mangapurua Landing through deep river gorges and lush native vegetation, followed by a guided walk to the Bridge to Nowhere.
“We offer dine-in or takeaway options at the cafe so some people might just stop in for coffee and a chat when driving through,” Josephine said.
“Everyone is welcome to stop by for as long as they want to.”
The camping ground at Pipiriki now has powered cabins and bathroom facilities. Photo / Bevan Conley
In 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, Whanganui River Adventures had a 20 per cent increase in visitor numbers and purchased a new 20-seat twin commercial jetboat to meet the demand.
“Covid didn’t have a huge impact on us,” Josephine said.
“We were able to manage things quite well and it helped that our workforce is local. We’re a whānau business so everyone knows how we run things and they all have the knowledge to provide good visitor experiences.”
Things were busy last week, with three schools and several family groups out on adventures.
Josephine took time out from a gardening day at home to talk to the Chronicle while her sister Teresa Treanor and daughters Shineal and Teresa Hohepa were competently running the show.
“We can usually call in other whānau members at short notice if we need them and everyone knows what to do.”
Shineal and Teresa said they had spent time away gaining valuable qualifications in running the catering and hospitality aspects of the business and were happy to be back on their home ground.
“We all like to get away for a break in the winter but it’s always nice to come home again,” Josephine said.
More information can be found at whanganuiriveradventures.co.nz.
* The Whanganui Chronicle thanks Visit Ruapehu for its sponsorship.
Liz Wylie is a multimedia journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle. She joined the editorial team in 2014 and regularly covers stories from Whanganui and the wider region. She also writes features and profile stories.
