Whakahoro (39°6.65′S 175°3.98′E / 39.11083°S 175.06633°E / -39.11083; 175.06633) is a small (now mostly empty) settlement located on the junction of the Retaruke and Whanganui Rivers. It had several streets, notable Lover's Lane, and Dempsey Ave. Here still stands the old Whakahoro School (Image) building. This has been converted into a stop over hostel for down river canoeists. Here the current Lacy's Bridge crosses the Retaruke River. (Built in 1932, to replace an earlier bridge built 1915/16.)
Historically, Whakahoro's Wade's Landing was a stopover point for the riverboats steaming up and down the Whanganui River. This landing was located just below at the confluence with the Retaruke River. It was here that wool from the Retaruke valley's sheep farms was originally freighted to Wanganui for eventual export.
Just above the confluence still stands Lacy's hotel, which is now a farm house. It had its own separate landing, tennis courts, and on occasion (in the 1920s) locals would meet (come out of the bush) for a friendly game of Rugby union in their hobnail boots.
Over the Whanganui River was the site of a Māori community, the land was subsequently leased to the Rusling family for sheep farming, but now has reverted to regrowth. (The Roadway and Camp Road from here to the Republic of Whangamomona are nolonger maintained by the New Zealand Government.)
At one point there was a river boat (Image) semi-permanently anchored at the junction. This river boat served alcohol beverages. As the King Country was a dry area, such beverages were actually banned; the boat was considered "offshore" from the King Country.
Interestingly, Wade's Landing has made itself into various modern hand-held GPS databases, probably due to its historical nautical significance. Today a Jetboat can be chartered locally to take passengers up river to Taumarunui or down river to Pipiriki and Jerusalem.
Read more about this topic: Retaruke River