Manawatu and Palmerston North
State Highway 1 between Wellington and Auckland passes through Manawatu on
the west coast of the North Island. An increasing number of travellers now
visit the area instead of driving straight through.
The land in Manawatu is mostly used for sheep and dairy farming.
The city of Palmerston North is the main centre and is known for its
cultural and educational focus. Massey University attracts full time
students and many extramural students. Other cultural attractions are the
historic Regent Theatre, Centrepoint Theatre, the City Library and Te
Manawa which includes the Science Centre, Museum and Art Gallery. The
Museum specialises in Maori culture and the gallery in post-1960s art.
--credit: Palmerston North City Council--
Also well worth a visit are some world-renowned private and commercial
gardens and the Tararua Wind Farm.
.
--credit: Destination Manawatu --
Those who choose to visit Manawatu are well catered for with an excellent
range of accommodation, and restaurants offering Indian, Thai, Chinese,
Italian, French, Pacific, Oriental and traditional New Zealand meals. Bars,
nightclubs movie theatres and golf courses offer entertainment for the
adults, and swimming pools, playgrounds, the Science Centre and the
Owlcatraz Educational Park cater for the children. Choose a track suited to
your family's fitness and the whole family can go walking together on one
of the many walks in the district.
To get an idea of farming life in the Manawatu visit the Feilding stock
saleyards which are the largest in the Southern Hemisphere or drop in on
the annual Central District Field Days at Feilding's Manfield Park.
--credit: Palmerston North City Council--
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