Photo: Supplied
Construction is set to begin this month on the urgent renewal of Wharf 3 at Whanganui Port.
Replacement of the wharf is a significant milestone for Te Pūwaha - the $87.35 million Whanganui Port revitalisation project.
- Te Pūwaha is the first major infrastructure project recognising Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River) as a living entity with legal rights.
- The total investment in Te Pūwaha is over $87.35 million.
- Includes a $31.8 million government investment.
The work was scheduled to be complete in April 2026, and includes the demolition the existing Wharf 3, a complete rebuild and stabilisation of the riverbank protect the long-term health and wellbeing of the Whanganui River.
Disruption to recreational boat operators was expected with the Wharf Street boat ramp being closed from time to time to accommodate cranes working on the water's edge.
Te Pūwaha project director Hayden Turoa said the deterioration of Wharf 3 and the land behind it had lead to ongoing erosion which had accelerated during the construction of the new mobile boat hoist lifting bay and hardstand area at the end of Tod Street.
Left unaddressed, the erosion posed a growing risk of long-buried industrial contaminants entering the awa, he said.
Turoa said in alignment with Tupua te Kawa - the intrinsic values of the Whanganui River as Te Awa Tupua, a living and indivisible whole - project partners had prioritised the restoration and stabilisation of this critical section of the port, under ongoing leadership and guidance of hapū.
"As a project group, our commitment is to honour Tupua te Kawa in every decision we make.
"The urgent works at Wharf 3 are not just about infrastructure, they are also about upholding our shared responsibility to the awa and ensuring the whenua and wai are protected for future generations."
The works would include the demolition of the existing Wharf 3 structure, followed by installation of new sheet piling and a rock revetment to secure the riverbank.
A new reinforced concrete wharf structure would then be constructed to support future port operations.
Whanganui Port general manager said a plan was being put together to prevent disruption to boaties.
"We are working with Coastguard Whanganui and the Whanganui Manawatū Sea Fishing Club to communicate updates. Plus we will have staff onsite to speak directly with boat operators and provide guidance."
Turoa said Te Pūwaha was a community-led initiative to revitalise the Whanganui Port and surrounding area, and as the first project to operate under the Te Awa Tupua framework, hapū had a leadership role and were working alongside the community and project partners: Whanganui District Council, Whanganui Port, Horizons Regional Council, Q-West Boat Builders, the Port Employment Precinct and central government.
This approach would ensure a more successful, integrated and mindful approach to conducting the necessary work, he said.
"The completion of Te Pūwaha will create a platform for unlocking further investment in the port and Whanganui.
"We will see a modern marine precinct and community asset for the next 50 years, one in which Whanganui is retaining and creating high value jobs in the marine, engineering and coastal freight sector."
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