Wanganui WELCOMES YOU

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 66, 10 December 1938, Page 5 (Supplement)

Wanganui WELCOMES YOU

FAMOUS tlie world over because of its river scenery, Wanganui offers to the tourist and the summer

visitor unparalleled facilities for enjoyment, as well as countless interests in other directions. The charm of (he Hiver City lies as much in its historical associations as in its beauty. The coming holiday season in Wanganui will provide visitors with every phase of outdoor sport, from surfbathing on the wide sweep of Castlecliff beach, with its breakers rolling in from the Tasman Sea, to lawn tennis, with the New Zealand junior title being fought out on the Wanganui Club’s courts between Christmas and New Year.

hying as it does at the key-point of one' of the most fertile areas iu the Dominion, witli green country unfolding for miles round, Wanganui city abounds with parks and beauty spots as tine as any in the country. Active Interest in local affairs has promoted an extensive improvement programme iu all city parks and playing areas, and as a result Wanganui has now facilities as good as any other city for public recreation and rest.

The unequalled beauty of the Wa-

ngauui Hiver attracts visitors from all parts of tlie world, and during the summer months hundreds of holidaymakers avail themselves of the regular steamer services from Wanganui. A week-end stay at Pipiriki House with its delightful surroundings and modern comfort is as pleasant a holiday experience as it is possible to have in'New Zealand. Moonlight river excursions in tlie week-ends are also a popular feature of river life in Wanganui.

Tlie cultural life of the city is symbolised in its public buildings on Pukenarnu Hili, famous in the early days as a stockade. Here a group of three line buildings, with gently sloping lawns about them, make one of the finest sights of the city. The Alexander Library and Alexander Museum supply comprehensive information for the visitor, and the Sarjeant Gallery, one of the finest art galleries in the Southern Hemisphere, houses an interesting collection of pictures. Every” summer sport is provided for —tennis, swimming, golf, rowing, sailing, bowling, cricket —all have their place in the outdoor life of the city. Summer golfers, particularly, will be

interested to know that Bobby Locke, who played on the Belmont links early in November, considered them to have the finest fairways iu the Dominion. Wanganui is a city of gardens, private and public, and on every side there is an abundance of leafy beauty, native trees and shrubs lending colour and graceful form to every home. Rasmussen’s nurseries at Aramoho a’re known to gardeners throughout , tlie Dominion, and they reward tlie visitor amply with their variety and interest. The city gardens under the lee of St. John’s Hill, are a constant source of admiration, and the rapid completion of laying out thp grounds at the ( side of the road entering Wanganui from the north make yet another pleasant impression on the visiting motorist. This summer nearly all New Zealand will be on wheels, and the popularity of camping among motorists has made the provision of facilities for motorists necessary for all cities. In Wanganui the accommodation and the environment for the motorist camping out is unique in its beauty and convenience.

If sea-shore atmosphere is preferred

by the visiting .motorist, the Castlecliff motor camping site, located a few yards from the sea beach, provides all Hie amenities found-at Aramoho. There is no better surfing to be had on any beach in the Dominion, and an added appeal for families is the extensive children’s playground. Native trees and shrubs from almost every country in tlie world make V irginia Lake a spot of wonder for tlie visitor. The calm expanse of water backed by tlie thick ranks of trees, is closely inhabited by wild ducks, swans and pukeko, and charming glimpses ot the lake through the trees are to be had at every turn of the winding paths. The lake is included in the general improvement scheme now in hand, and, when the work is finished, Virginia Lake will be one of the finest reserves in New Zealand.

Wanganui's reputation for ideal summer weather is good, and for the summer tourist no journey is complete without a visit to Wanganui, the River City, where a modern municipality provides every holiday interest, and the charm of the surrounding country, and tlie city itself is indisputable. -