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Story: Tapa whenua – naming places

Whanganui Inlet

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Whanganui Inlet

This is Whanganui Inlet, at the top of the South Island. Whanganui means ‘large harbour’, and is an example of a name that simply describes a natural feature.

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How to cite this page

Rāwiri Taonui, Tapa whenua – naming places – Events, maps and European influences, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/18651/whanganui-inlet (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Rāwiri Taonui, published 1 March 2009.