Wanganui: Returns in the river city

Wanganui - or Whanganui - is an urban area and district located on the South Taranaki Bight close to the mouth of the Whanganui River.

Founded in 1840, it is one of New Zealand's oldest towns. The town grew rapidly in the early years but by the mid-1980s a number of government offices moved to Palmerston North and many businesses downsized or closed. Most of the town lies on the river's northwestern bank, although some suburbs are located on the opposite side of the river. Aside from around 3,800 people, most of the 44,000-strong population resides in the city.

A significant proportion of the local economy relates directly to Wanganui's prosperous farming area. The city is also home to various manufacturing and engineering operations, and the Wanganui Port, once the centre of industrial transport but now reduced in traffic. Tourism has become a major growing income stream.

Infometrics estimate that the Wanganui economy contracted 0.60% over the 2009 calendar year compared to a 1.60% contraction nationally. The first time since 1999 that Wanganui had performed more strongly than the national average, this result was driven by some pick-up in the agricultural sector as commodity prices lifted and the region recovered from the 2007/08 drought.