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Story: Canoeing and rafting

Map of the Whanganui River

John T. Stewart surveyed the Whanganui River in 1885 so that channels could be deepened to allow large vessels to pass. After that, maps of the river were published, with rapids named and numbered. This one dates from 1903. They were useful for canoeists who wanted to take trips down the river from Taumarunui.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: MapColl 832.41cdc 1903 3683

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Canoeing and rafting – Early canoeing, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/13078/map-of-the-whanganui-river (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 2 March 2009, updated 18 July 2016.