Members of Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa, representatives of Te Araroa, landowners and other community members stand by the Whangaehu River and the post marking where one of the bridge’s towers will soon stand.
The Whangaehu River and its people couldn’t have put on a better day for the blessing of what will be one of Te Araroa’s biggest projects to date.
May 6, 2026. Whangaehu River Mouth.
Nearly 50 people from all around New Zealand showed up to the true left of the Whangaehu River early on Wednesday morning. They were there to meet the river and its people and to celebrate a huge milestone for Te Araroa.
Kaumātua from Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa blessed the project with karakia and plenty of smiles.
As the sun shone down on the group and the Whangaehu drifted lazily out to sea, Pahia Turia and Grant Huwyler (Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa), talked of the power of the new bridge to make connections between people and the land we all live in, or pass through.
Bridges are more than just ways to get from A to B. They give us all understanding. There’s a reason we describe meetings as a way to “build bridges”.
The new bridge will sit on the whenua of Ngāti Apa, but it will also be on the farm of Rob and Sarah Craig. As the blessing wrapped up, their smiles were a clear sign of their support for what’s been a long and complex journey. They’ve been huge supporters of Te Araroa, and the new bridge just makes that support more valuable.
They also invited everyone back to the farmhouse for some more speeches and a feed – but not before a select group got a guided tour of the new toilet a few hundred metres from the bridge site. What an awesome wharepaku!
Back at the farmhouse there was more kōrero and a much needed cuppa.
Te Araroa’s big cheese, Matt Claridge thanked everyone who needed thanking – amongst them one of the project’s biggest supporters and fixers Kevin Ross, the Department of Conservation, members and volunteers from the Whanganui and Manawatū trail trusts, and of course Te Araroa’s hosts for the morning – Ngāti Apa and the Craigs. Donors, hikers, and the new Te Araroa registration system were also acknowledged. The bridge, one of Aotearoa’s longest walking bridges, has been largely funded by walkers through donations from their memberships. Absent Trail Manager Dan Radford was also thanked – it’s been a long journey for Dan, but his massive mahi has finally paid off.
“I’d like to emphasise connections. The bridge connects Te Araroa to people and place. Just like the trail connects communities, walkers and mana whenua. The bridge isn’t just a structure, its a symbol of partnership and meaning,” Matt explained with what can only be described as a big smile. A big, and sometimes difficult job, was well on the way to being ticked off.
Whanganui mayor Andrew Tripe talked about the value of bridge building the power of making new, and rekindling old connections – his family farm sits on the banks of the Whangaehu River.
Even Mathew MacDonald, Abseil Access (the bridge builder) addressed the small crowd. His team are excited by the project that will almost unbelievably only take about two months to complete – touch wood.
There’s no doubt the new Whangaehu walking bridge will be a gamechanger for Te Araroa’s hikers. It will safely take them off a dangerous and difficult road, but it will also give them deeper and meaningful connections to the whenua they have chosen to walk.
FYI
The bridge has been funded thanks to the generous support of funders, sponsors, the community and trail contributions from this seasons (2025/26) registered Te Araroa walkers.
