Note: this cache is not available from the motorway - you must either walk or cycle to it along the purpose built pathway.
From this viewing platform, you're looking at one of the most impressive engineering feats along the Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway — Parahaki Bridge. Stretching 298 metres across the Manawatū River and rising 35 metres above it, this elegant structure stands on three massive columns, each rooted deep into the earth to withstand the forces of nature and time.
This is a balanced cantilever bridge, a method used when spans are long and terrain is challenging. Instead of building up from the ground like a traditional bridge, balanced cantilever construction extends the bridge outwards in segments from each pier, one side at a time, like two arms reaching out to shake hands in mid-air. The result is a structure that appears to float across the landscape — and in the early morning mist, it often does.
That mist carries with it deeper meaning.
According to Māori tradition, the Manawatū Gorge is home to a taniwha named Whāngaimokopuna — a guardian spirit of the river and valley. While rarely seen, Whāngaimokopuna is often felt in the swirling fog that drifts through the gorge, particularly in the early morning. Some say the mist is the taniwha itself, weaving through the cliffs and trees, watching over the waters and the people passing through.
The name Parahaki references a pā site once located on the ridgeline above, where people once kept watch over the river below — much like you are now.
Take a moment here. Listen to the river. Watch the mist. You may not see the taniwha, but you’ll feel its presence.
Photos from the viewing platform looking upstream into the Gorge would be most appreciated - regardless of the weather.
