# Wharite Peak

Wharite Peak is a mountain at the southern end of the Ruahine Range, 9 km (5.6 mi) north of Woodville in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The mountain is home to the main television and FM radio transmitter for the city of Palmerston North and the wider Manawatu region.

## Etymology

Wharite is a corruption of either Whare-Iti ("home of Iti") or Whare-tītī ("nesting place of tītī").
According to Rangitāne o Manawatu, Wharite was inhabited by Iti a Tohunga from the Ruakawa Pa area below. The Tohunga was banished to the peak due to his small stature and disfigurements. However, Rangitāne o Manawatu still consulted him for his knowledge related to environmental matters.

## Transmitter

A 1 kW television transmitter was established atop Wharite in 1963, relaying WNTV1 from Wellington. It was replaced with a 100 kW transmitter in 1966. Today, there are two transmission towers atop Wharite; the main TV/FM tower (Wharite) and a smaller FM-only tower to the south (Wharite South).

### Television frequencies

| Television Station | Freeview | Owner | Channel | Frequency | Power (kW) |
| HGTV | 19 | Warner Bros. Discovery New Zealand | 28 | 530.0 MHz | 32 |
| Al Jazeera | 20 | Al Jazeera Media Network | 28 | 530.0 MHz | 32 |
| Shine TV | 25 | Rhema Media | 28 | 530.0 MHz | 32 |
| Hope Channel | 27 | Seventh-day Adventist Church | 28 | 530.0 MHz | 32 |
| Three | 3 | Warner Bros. Discovery New Zealand | 32 | 562.0 MHz | 32 |
| Bravo | 4 | Warner Bros. Discovery New Zealand | 32 | 562.0 MHz | 32 |
| Eden | 8 | Warner Bros. Discovery New Zealand | 32 | 562.0 MHz | 32 |
| Rush | 14 | Warner Bros. Discovery New Zealand | 32 | 562.0 MHz | 32 |
| TVNZ 1 | 1 | TVNZ | 34 | 578.0 MHz | 32 |
| TVNZ 2 | 2 | TVNZ | 34 | 578.0 MHz | 32 |
| TVNZ Duke | 6 | TVNZ | 34 | 578.0 MHz | 32 |
| Sky Open | 15 | Sky | 36 | 594.0 MHz | 32 |
| Whakaata Māori | 5 | New Zealand Government | 38 | 610.0 MHz | 32 |
| Te Reo | 10 | New Zealand Government | 38 | 610.0 MHz | 32 |

### Radio frequencies

| Radio Station | Owner | Transmit Frequency | Tower | Power (kW) |
| Radio New Zealand Concert | Radio New Zealand | 89.0 MHz | Main | 40 |
| Kia Ora FM | National Māori Radio Network | 89.8 MHz | Main | 1 |
| ZM | New Zealand Media and Entertainment | 90.6 MHz | Main | 40 |
| Radio Rhema | Rhema Media | 91.4 MHz | South | 4 |
| More FM | MediaWorks New Zealand | 92.2 MHz | South | 80 |
| The Edge | MediaWorks New Zealand | 93.0 MHz | South | 5 |
| The Sound | MediaWorks New Zealand | 93.8 MHz | Main | 40 |
| Channel X | MediaWorks New Zealand | 94.6 MHz | South | 5 |
| The Rock | MediaWorks New Zealand | 95.4 MHz | South | 5 |
| Mai FM | MediaWorks New Zealand | 97.0 MHz | South | 5 |
| The Hits | New Zealand Media and Entertainment | 97.8 MHz | Main | 40 |
| The Breeze | MediaWorks New Zealand | 98.6 MHz | South | 8 |
| Newstalk ZB | New Zealand Media and Entertainment | 100.2 MHz | Main | 40 |
| Radio New Zealand National | Radio New Zealand | 101.0 MHz | Main | 8 |
| PMN 531 | Pacific Media Network | 103.4 MHz | South | 8 |
| Magic | MediaWorks New Zealand | 104.2 MHz | South | 5 |
| Coast | New Zealand Media and Entertainment | 105.8 MHz | Main | 12.5 |

### Former analogue television frequencies

The following frequencies were used until 29 September 2013, when Wharite switched off analogue broadcasts (see Digital changeover dates in New Zealand).
| TV Channel | Transmit Channel | Transmit Frequency | Band | Power (kW) |
| TV One | 2V | 55.25 MHz | VHF | 100 |
| TV2 | 4V | 175.25 MHz | VHF | 200 |
| TV3 | 7V | 196.25 MHz | VHF | 100 |
| Four | 11V | 224.25 MHz | VHF | 16 |
| Māori Television | 46V | 671.25 MHz | UHF | 250 |
| Prime | 62V | 799.25 MHz | UHF | 250 |

## Climate

Climate data for Wharite Peak (1971–2000) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 15.3 (59.5) | 15.4 (59.7) | 13.9 (57.0) | 11.0 (51.8) | 8.1 (46.6) | 6.0 (42.8) | 5.2 (41.4) | 5.7 (42.3) | 7.1 (44.8) | 9.4 (48.9) | 11.4 (52.5) | 13.7 (56.7) | 10.2 (50.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.8 (53.2) | 12.0 (53.6) | 10.9 (51.6) | 8.5 (47.3) | 5.9 (42.6) | 4.2 (39.6) | 3.4 (38.1) | 3.5 (38.3) | 4.8 (40.6) | 6.5 (43.7) | 8.3 (46.9) | 10.3 (50.5) | 7.5 (45.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.3 (46.9) | 8.6 (47.5) | 7.9 (46.2) | 6.0 (42.8) | 3.7 (38.7) | 2.5 (36.5) | 1.5 (34.7) | 1.4 (34.5) | 2.4 (36.3) | 3.7 (38.7) | 5.1 (41.2) | 7.0 (44.6) | 4.8 (40.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 151 (5.9) | 149 (5.9) | 202 (8.0) | 188 (7.4) | 187 (7.4) | 173 (6.8) | 182 (7.2) | 194 (7.6) | 170 (6.7) | 193 (7.6) | 169 (6.7) | 207 (8.1) | 2,165 (85.3) |
| Source: NIWA (rainfall 1951–1980) ||||||||||||||