Bridge to Nowhere
The Bridge to Nowhere is a concrete road bridge spanning the Mangapurua Stream in Whanganui National Park, in the Wanganui region of New Zealand.
The bridge was built across the Mangapurua Gorge to provide access to an area where pioneering farmers (mainly soldiers who had returned from World War 1) were trying to scratch a living. The intention was to eventually build a road to the settlement, but the area proved to be so remote and unsuitable for farming that the settlers left and the farms reverted to native bush.
All that remains today is the bridge, which is accessible by boat and then by walking track.
The bridge is managed by the Department of Conservation.
Getting to the Bridge to Nowhere
The Bridge to Nowhere can be reached by jet boating or canoeing down the Whanganui River from either Pipiriki or Whakahoro to the Mangapurua Landing. From there, a gentle 40-minute walk brings you to the bridge site.
Alternatively, a three-day tramp from Whakahoro to the north, via the Kaiwhakauka and Mangapurua valleys, will also bring you to the bridge.
Both the Kaiwhakauka and Mangapurua valleys, and the bridge, form part of the 'Mountain to the Sea' adventure cycle route.
» Wanganui Regional Information