Paddling the steep-sided Whanganui River near Mangawaiiti Campsite. Photo: Shaun Barnett/Black Robin Photography

Paddling in the past

Features, Great Walks, Whanganui River Journey

A long-time Wilderness contributor and freelance author, Kathy writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation.

By Kathy Ombler

A multi-day river journey that penetrates a wilderness of gorges, waterfalls, rapids and unbroken tracts of lowland forest – all of it steeped in culture and history. So special is the Whanganui River Journey it is rated alongside the country’s premier walks.

In 2017, the Whanganui became the first river in the world to be granted legal personhood. The legal entity, known as Te Awa Tupua, recognises the river as an indivisible and living whole; incorporating the entire catchment from the mountains to the sea, along with the spiritual, intrinsic connection that exists with the iwi. As […]

About the author

Kathy Ombler

Freelance author Kathy Ombler mostly writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation, and has contributed to Wilderness for many years. She has also written and edited for other publications and websites, most recently Federated Mountain Club’s Backcountry, Forest & Bird, and the Backcountry Trust. Books she has authored include Where to Watch Birds in New Zealand, Walking Wellington and New Zealand National Parks and Other Wild Places. She is currently a trustee for Wellington’s Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust.