The Forgotten World Highway

A self-declared ‘republic,’ a one-lane tunnel, and some of New Zealand’s most remote back-country driving — the Forgotten World Highway lives up to its name.

Region: Taranaki / Central North Island

Suggested Duration: 1 day (or 2 with stops)

Distance: Approx. 150km one way

Best For: Adventurous drivers, history enthusiasts, and anyone wanting a genuinely off-the-beaten-path North Island route

Overview

There aren’t many roads left in New Zealand where you can drive for an hour without seeing another car, pass through a self-declared independent republic, and emerge through a hand-carved one-lane tunnel — but State Highway 43, better known as the Forgotten World Highway, delivers all three. Running roughly 150 kilometres between Taumarunui and Stratford, this is one of the country’s oldest state highways and, by most measures, its most remote.

The road follows a route originally used by Māori and early European settlers through the rugged hill country between the central North Island and Taranaki. It’s unsealed in short sections, narrow throughout, and genuinely isolated — which is precisely why locals who’ve driven it tend to talk about it with a kind of quiet reverence.

Taumarunui to Whangamōmona

Leaving Taumarunui, the highway climbs almost immediately into dense, folded hill country, following the old route of the Stratford-Okahukura railway line for much of its length — a line that was never fully completed for through traffic and now lies abandoned alongside the road, its old tunnels and bridges visible from several points.

The drive to Whangamōmona, roughly the halfway point, takes about ninety minutes without stops, though almost nobody does it without stops. The Tahora Saddle offers sweeping views back over the hill country, and several roadside lookouts make natural breaks on a route with very little traffic to worry about.

The Republic of Whangamōmona

Whangamōmona is the highway’s centrepiece and its strangest claim to fame. In 1989, following a boundary change that moved the town from Taranaki into Manawatū-Whanganui without consultation, locals responded by declaring the town an independent republic — complete with its own (mostly tongue-in-cheek) president, passport stamps, and currency at the local pub.

The Whangamōmona Hotel remains the social and practical centre of the settlement — pub, accommodation, and unofficial visitor centre rolled into one. Every two years, Republic Day draws crowds from across the country for a celebration that’s become a genuine fixture of New Zealand’s eccentric small-town calendar. Even outside Republic Day, the hotel is worth the stop for a meal and a look at the framed newspaper clippings documenting the town’s unusual history.

Whangamōmona to Stratford — The Moki Tunnel

The second half of the drive continues the isolated, winding character of the first, passing through the Tangarakau Gorge before reaching the Moki Tunnel — a narrow, unlined, single-lane tunnel carved through solid rock in 1936 and barely widened since. Driving through it, headlights catching the raw rock walls, is one of the more memorable few minutes of road in the country.

From the tunnel, the highway begins its descent toward Stratford and the Taranaki region, with Mount Taranaki itself gradually coming into view on clear days — a striking visual reward after the enclosed, forested drive that precedes it.

Practical Notes

• Fuel up in Taumarunui or Stratford — there are no reliable fuel stops along the route itself, though Whangamōmona occasionally has limited supply
• Mobile coverage is minimal to non-existent for most of the drive
• Sections of the highway are unsealed (metal road) — drive to conditions and allow extra time
• The Moki Tunnel is single-lane with no traffic lights — approach with caution and be prepared to give way
• The Whangamōmona Hotel gets very busy during Republic Day (held every two years, typically in January) — book ahead if visiting then

Best Time to Go

Spring through autumn offers the most reliable driving conditions, since the unsealed sections can become difficult after heavy rain and the route sees minimal traffic to help if you get stuck. The drive is achievable in a day, but splitting it with a night in Whangamōmona allows time to properly absorb its odd, memorable character.