State Highway 43

The Stratford to Taumarunui Heritage Trail was established in 1990 to give travellers an awareness of the rich and unique history along the route linking these important Taranaki and Central North Island centres.

The highway is also called the ‘Forgotten World Highway’ as it threads 155km through pristine sub-tropical rain forests and unspoilt scenery, just as they were thousands of years in the past - including the beech ridge-tops of Whangamomona Saddle and the awesome Tangarakau Gorge.

After it leaves the Taranaki volcanic ring plain, the trail drops into the rolling and then steeper inland landscape.

The highway threads through valleys and over saddles, through countryside made up of grasslands, virgin rainforest and regenerating bush.

At about twenty sites there are descriptive reminders of the area's heritage - It follows the floor of the spectacular Tangarakau Gorge and for 20km follows the scenic Wanganui River.

The Stratford and Taumarunui Information Centres have extensive information on the Heritage Trail.