Durie Hill, on the southeast side of the Whanganui River, is Whanganui's top viewpoint. The large Memorial Tower on the hilltop is also the most noticeable city landmark.
If you are walking from downtown, cross the river on the Whanganui City Bridge from the end of Victoria Ave. On the other side of the river, you will see the Durie Hill Tunnel and Elevator. You can take this to the top of the hill or hike up the walkway (350 or so steps). You can also drive to the top of the hill.
A small reserve at the top is dominated by the 33-metre, 100-year-old Memorial Tower commemorating WWI. If the viewpoint is open, you can walk up an internal staircase. It is tagged as an earthquake risk.
You can get almost as good a view from the smaller orange building at the top of the elevator. Climb up the rather narrow winding steps to the viewpoint on the top. On a clear day, you can see both Mt Taranaki and Ruapehu.
