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Location of Taumarunui

Taumarunui Coordinates: 38°53.0′S, 175°15.7′E is a town in the King Country of the central North Island of New Zealand. It is on State Highway 4 and the North Island Main Trunk Railway.

The town is in rugged terrain on the upper reaches of the Whanganui River, 65 km south of Te Kuiti and 55 km west of Turangi. Its population is 5136 (2001 census), making it the largest centre for a considerable distance in any direction.

The name Taumarunui is reported to be the dying words of the Māori chief Pehi Taroa - taumaru meaning screen and nui big, literally translated as Big Screen, being built to shelter him from the sun. There are also references to Taumarunui being known as large sheltered location for growing kumara (a form of sweet potato from South America).

In 1874 Alexander Bell set up a training post, and became the first European settler. The town has a road called Bell Road.

Taumarunui's location at the confluence of the Whanganui and Ongarue Rivers encouraged first the early canoe-borne Māori and then the European (Pākehā) to settle and establish a trading centre. Taumarunui Landing (Image) was the last stop on Alexander Hatrick's steam boat service from Wanganui, moving down to Kirikau in 1927 when the road was opened.

Later Taumarunui gained importance with the construction of the North Island Main Trunk Line (celebrated in a ballad by Peter Cape). The line south of Taumarunui caused considerable problems due to the terrain, and has several high viaducts and the famous Raurimu Spiral. The Stratford-Okahukura Line to Stratford connects just north of Taumarunui. In more recent times, the town's economy has been based on forestry and farming, and more recently it has gained in importance as a tourism centre.

The Ngapuwaiwaha Marae is located on Taumarunui Street.

On State Highway 4 south of Taumarunui are the villages of Manunui, Piriaka, Owhango, Raurimu and then National Park. To the north are the school and truck stop of Mapiu.

• Prof. James L. Beck - Professor of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology.
• Prof. John C. Butcher - Honorary Research Professor, Dept. of Mathematics, University of Auckland.
• Ben Fouhy, World Champion Kayaker.
• Marc and Todd Hunter from the band Dragon.

• Jillian Smith (June 12, 1958), New Zealand field hockey player
• Joe Karam (November 21, 1951), New Zealand Rugby Union player

• The Business
• Local History
• Taumarunui High School
• Taumarunui Airfield (Location of an annual Tiger Moth Fly-in)
• River Boat Landings
• Peter Cape's song Taumarunui on the Main Trunk Line [1]

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