Foxton

Foxton township was once an important deep river port serving the Manawatu region’s flax industry (New Zealand’s native flax is known as harakeke). In the late 1800s, there were 50 flax mills operating within a 16 kilometre radius of Foxton. Today, one of the town’s key attractions is the Flax Stripper Museum.

Another major attraction is the De Molen Windmill – an exact working replica of a traditional 17th century Dutch flourmill. The nearby Manawatu River estuary and wetland is of international ornithological significance and has RAMSAR status – see if you can spot a royal spoonbill or one of the other 37 species of migratory birds that spend time here.

Foxton Beach is popular for swimming, surfing and fishing, and is often full of holidaymakers from Wellington over the Christmas holidays.