Virginia Lake Scenic Reserve

The reserve provides a beautiful setting for theme gardens, a lake and a walk-in aviary. The Lake itself was originally called Roto Kawau (lake of the black shag) and the fountain is named Higginbotthom.

Added to the area in 1978, is bronze statue portraying Tainui, the Maori maiden whose tears of grief for her slain lover, form the lake. It was by Joan Morell

The wintergardens are popular here, as is the 25 minute loop walk around the lake. The Babbage Place carpark is designated ok for overnight camping.

A lost piece of history is the former Canoe tiki memorial to Te Pura Manihera (1855 - 1920), which used to stand near the lake, it raised to honour Mrs (Pura Manihera) Gregor McGregor, the Maori wife of a Whanganui river farmer. Mrs McGregor was a chief of Nga Poutamanui-a-Awa, and had earned a New Zealand Order of Merit for her outstanding community work, especially during and after World War One. Now there is a plaque and a Totara tree in her name, the Waka (Canoe) memorial having fallen over in the 1990s.

Image Credit: Canoe tiki memorial to Te Pura Manihera (Mrs Gregor McGregor) near Virginia Lake, Wanganui (3), 17 March 1941, by Leslie Adkin. Gift of G. L. Adkin family estate, 1964. Te Papa (A.006786)