Bridge to nowhere

Located deep in the forest of Whanganui National Park, this truly is the 'Bridge to Nowhere'.

This concrete road bridge looks ridiculously out of place. There is no road either side, and no signs of construction or civilisation, leading to nowhere.

Did you know that Whanganui River became the first waterway in the world to get legal personhood?

The bridge was built across the deep Mangapurua Gorge to provide access to an area where the government was opening up land in 1917 for pioneering farmers, mainly soldiers who had returned from World War I.

Did you know that Whanganui River became the first waterway in the world to get legal personhood?

The intention was to build  roads to it later, but the area  proved to be so remote and unsuitable for farming that it was abandoned.

There are two ways to access the  bridge site, either by a comfortable  40 minute walk from the Mangapurua Landing on the Whanganui River, or  by the Mangapurua Track, accessible from either Whakahoro or Ruatiti road end.

Bridge to Nowhere - Manawatu-Whanganui

Bridge to Nowhere 

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