The Royal Whanganui Opera House, Heritage House and The Grand Hotel line St Hill Street instilling an image of the days of carriages and the early motor vehicle. The Grand Hotel was a whistle stop for the Duchess of York during the 1927 Royal Tour of New Zealand. The Grand Hotel, sitting elegantly in the modern age, has conference facilities, accommodation and dining options for conferences. Heritage House, built in 1914 to house the already existing Wanganui Gentleman’s Club, exudes the relaxed feeling of comradery, lively conversation and the image of dapper gentleman blowing cue chalk into the atmosphere before engaging in a round of billiards. Newspapers waxed lyrical about its luxuries, and words like “ornate”, “spacious” and “ornamental” were used liberally.

The Whanganui War Memorial Centre offers a more modernist building that has a grand presence in the heart of the city. It’s a building that says “I am here”, a message your business will want to share with New Zealand and the world. With a large catering kitchen on the premises the by day conference venue can also be seamlessly set up for an evening banquet. For another modern venue of similar capacity and still central, Wanganui Function Centre is based at the oldest Jockey Club in New Zealand, the Wanganui Racecourse. The venue has grand views over the course, abundant parking and great catering and bar facilities.

The Wanganui Jockey Club is not alone in its rich sporting history, Whanganui also has a national and international reputation in the sports arena that stretches back in time. The first athlete in the world to break the sub-minute mile, Peter Snell, did so at Cooks Gardens, Whanganui. The Cook Gardens Event Centre, a modern facility, has magnificent views over this historic running track and field. What a great place for developing an aspirational approach to your business. Sport Whanganui can work in conjunction with the Cooks Gardens Event Centre to provide fun team building games on the track and field. A full kitchen and bar facilities are available.

For conference venues that combine accommodation and dining facilities look no further than the Kingsgate Hotel, and the Quality Inn Collegiate. For the smaller boutique and unique conference choose Bushy Park Homestead set in one hundred hectares of native bird sanctuary – you will have a difference sense of space and time just from entering the estate. Imagine the tree lined driveway absorbing the dust from Model T Tourers wending their way to the sweeping entrance of a grand Edwardian property. Expansive views look over the surrounding countryside. A sense of “having arrived” is clear at Bushy Park Homestead and is ideal for a boutique conference or business meeting.

These options are simply a taste of what can be offered for your next conference venue. There is so much more. Quality accommodation is available to suit those who choose a venue only. Whanganui is an easy city to travel around, and Whanganui’s Conference Bureau is on hand to help assist with all accommodation needs and budgets. You may be travelling as a group but we will treat you as an individual.
What else is there to do in Whanganui? Arts tours, trips on the famous Whanganui River by paddle steamer, jet boat or waka. How about a round of golf on two nationally recognised courses? Horse riding on the beach to tours of the most highly regarded regional Museums and Art Galleries in New Zealand: The Whanganui Regional Museum and the Sarjeant Gallery.

Contact the Conference Bureau to get the answers to all your questions and Whanganui can provide a unique and relevant location for your next conference.