Introduction to the Forgotten World
State Highway 43 between Stratford in Taranaki north to Taumarunui passes through a range of landscapes over its 148km length. Leaving Stratford it traverses pastoral and agricultural land to then enter rugged grazing and forestry country including climbs over three saddles (Strathmore, Whangamōmona and Tahora) before passing along the deep Tangarakau Gorge 15 km from Taumarunui. Until February 2025 12 km of the Gorge section had a gravel surface, being the last unsealed portion of the State Highway network up to that time. Although its new surface is of the highest quality the road is still very narrow with many “give way” sections on the downhill slopes heading north. Originally a limited travel route with unsealed sections it was considered as being remote and “forgotten”, hence developing the name “Forgotten World Highway”.
Stratford and Taumarunui are also connected by rail with the line joining the main trunk railway at Okahukura 12km west of Taumarunui. This railway was constructed over the period 1901 to 1932 to link Auckland with New Plymouth. Passenger services continued up until 1983, with the freight service ceasing in 2009 when following a serious derailment the line was mothballed. Subsequently in 2012 the adventure tourism company Forgotten World Adventures obtained a 30 year lease to operate self-drive rail carts (modified petrol driven golf carts) over the full length of line between Okahukura and Stratford. The main travel package comprises full-day trips Okahukura to Whangamōmona (Republic 1 trip) two to three days per week with Whangamōmona to Okahukura (Republic 2 trip) on the other two to three days. All travel commences from Taumarunui with bus return from Whangamōmona to Taumarunui in the late afternoon for Republic 1, and bus travel from Taumarunui to Whangamōmona early morning for Republic 2. Forgotten World Adventures also operates occasional two-day special excursions. One comprises the full 140km rail trip Taumarunui to Stratford with an overnight stop in Whangamōmona. Another comprises rail cart to Whangamōmona with overnight stop, then next day helicopter transfer to Pipiriki on the Whanganui River travelling via jet boat 110km up river back to Taumarunui with a 6km return bush walk to the Bridge to Nowhere on the way.
The village of Whangamōmona (population around 160) 61km north of Stratford has designated itself a “Republic” following a 1989 confrontation when the redrawing of regional council boundaries placed the area within the Manawatu-Whanganui Region whereas the locals wanted to retain their association with the Taranaki Region. The NZ Pocket Guide outlines the story of the Republic of Whangamōmona and its declaration of independence and election of a President (1 November 1989). Since 1989 there have been two local residents elected President as well as two animals (a goat and a poodle) and a turtle. The current President is Vikki Pratt, elected in 2015. Although reportedly being elected against her wishes she was picked for President by her “fellow countrymen and women”. Republic Day is now celebrated every second January with a host of rural activities and competitions (such as sheep street racing, gumboot throwing, possum skinning) attracting visitors from all over New Zealand.
The Forgotten World Road Trip
I originally booked the Republic 1 rail cart trip with Forgotten World Adventures (FWA) for Friday 17 October. However on Tuesday that week a huge storm swept across northern Taranaki and the King Country causing extensive flooding and slips and closing both SH43 (the Forgotten World Highway Stratford to Taumarunui) and SH4 between Te Kuiti and Taumarunui. On Thursday 16, as I was driving from Turangi to Taumarunui, FWA phoned me to advise that the Friday’s trip was cancelled (as they could not bus participants back from Whangamōmona at the end of the day) and would I be OK with a shortened version trip 40km toward Whangamōmona with lunch at Tokirima before returning by rail cart back to Okahukura.
On reaching the FWA office in Taumarunui at 11.30am they explained that they were checking the rail line that morning to confirm it was OK for the next day and would let me know if there was any change in plan. At 12.30 I was called to advise the line was blocked with a slip that would take several days to clear, and I would thus need to rebook.
Hence the only photos I could get of my FWA experience so far were the following two.
First, their logo on the back of one of their buses, and second —–
—– one of their rail carts on a stand outside the main office.
I decided to take off for a week in Whanganui and on Monday 20 October managed to get the next available booking with FWA this being for Republic 2, Whangamōmona to Taumarunui on Thursday 30 October. Hence following the stay in Whanganui I needed to travel up the Forgotten World Highway from Stratford (located on SH 3 between Whanganui and New Plymouth) through Whangamōmona to reach Taumarunui by Wednesday 29 October.
So on Monday 27 October, following a night at the Stratford Holiday Park, I began my trip up the Forgotten World Highway toward Whangamōmona, first stop to visit ——-
—– the Douglas brickworks, a Category 1 Historic Place. These brickworks operated over 60 years from 1920 with 20 staff producing bricks and field drainage tiles using locally sourced blue papa clay. It is one of the very few remaining brickworks in the country, and the only one in Taranaki.
The rural area surrounding the village of Douglas ——-
—— consists of lush dairy pastures.
After Douglas I travelled over the Strathmore Saddle into what was considered the “Back Country” where dairying gives way to sheep and beef cattle farming on steep land.
At Strathmore village I took a side trip to visit——
—– the Makahu Tunnel some 3.6km up the Kiral Saddle Road.
The tunnel, built 1907, provides access to farmland, the Te Wera Forest, and the “Bridge to Somewhere”**. In 1998 the floor of the tunnel was lowered 1.4m to enable three-deck sheep trucks to pass through.
[**The “Bridge to Somewhere” label on the nearby active road bridge serving local farmland was a tongue-in-cheek response to the “Bridge to Nowhere” on the Whanganui River. There is also a “Bridge to Somewhere Else” in the region.]
Rain set in as I travelled over the Whangamōmona Saddle to reach the village ——
—– and take the back-street behind the hotel to ——-
—– the really quirky Whangamōmona campground
That night a huge storm passed through the area surrounding Whangamōmona with thunder and lightning waking me at midnight and strong winds bringing down trees across SH43 to the north. NZTA issued a road closure advisory for SH43 north of Whangamōmona but given that I still had 2 days to reach Taumarunui I presumed the road would be cleared in time.
However, as there was partial blue sky at 9am Tuesday I decided to travel north and chance getting through, or if necessary just wait out any obstruction until it was cleared. There were trees across the road in three places along the “closed road” area shown on the NZTA website, but someone had been through the road early and chain-sawed a gap in each obstruction wide enough to let me through.
I did not strike any traffic until —–
—– the Moki Tunnel when the first of several maintenance contracting trucks from Taumarunui came by. The second to last truck stopped to say it would be good for me to go once the last vehicle (a transporter carrying a digger) —–
—– passed me.
The 180m long Moki Tunnel was constructed in 1936 and ——-
—– in 1985 the floor was lowered to allow three-deck sheep trucks to pass through. It has had a locally bestowed nickname for many years.
After the tunnel I had intended to divert some 15km west up Mangapapa Road to visit the Damper Falls, but the rain was so heavy it was likely I would get really soaked on the 1 hour return walk to the falls. So I continued north through the Tangarakau Gorge in the pouring rain that had set in for the rest of the day, following the road alongside the railway tracks through to Ohura.
I did visit the Damper Falls on a dry day, Wednesday 6 November, when I cut across country from Mount Messenger on SH 4 (New Plymouth to Te Kuiti) to drive up to the Mount Damper plateau then continue east after my walk into the Falls down Mangapapa Road to join the Forgotten World Highway through the Tangarakau Gorge to Taumarunui.
The Damper Falls were discovered in 1909 by an early settler farmer whose pig hunting dog was killed while holding onto a wild boar when the two of them fell into the stream leading over the 74m high falls.
The 30 minute walk to the two viewing platforms was first across farm land then into forest.
The full height of the falls is fairly impressive ——
—— with this photo showing how far the top viewing platform is away from ——-
—– the plunge pool at the foot of the falls.
Forgotten World Adventures (FWA) —–
—— had one rail cart group out on the line on Tuesday (two of about 10 carts shown here) ——
—– but with rain and hail persisting throughout the day travelers were having to shelter behind plastic screens as they journeyed.
I freedom camped Tuesday night at Ohura township (population 90) which was totally derelict, the only active building on the main street being the Cosmopolitan Club. I was told when we passed through on Thursday in our rail cart convoy that with no shop or fuel station the only thing you could purchase in Ohura was a beer at the Club.
From Ohura on Wednesday I followed the railway through to the FWA depot at Okahukura on SH4 some 10km north of Taumarunui, getting shots from the road ——
—– of a tunnel entrance and —–
—– a rail bridge over a river in flood.
The railway junction with the main trunk line was originally connected at Okahukura via a ——-
—— combined road-rail bridge on a side road over the Ongarue River. This river had flooded up to road level the past week with flood water across SH 4 closing that highway for several days from 17 October. As can be seen here the river had dropped considerably by 29 October.
The Forgotten World Rail Trip
I camped overnight before the 30 October Whangamōmona to Taumarunui rail cart trip with Forgotten World Adventures (FWA) at ——-
—— the Cosmopolitan Club in Taumarunui who offer overnight parking to NZMCA (NZ Motor Caravan Association) members for $5. The carpark is right next door to the FWA Office and workshop so I was bright and early for the 7am check-in on the Thursday.
This drone picture-wall shot at reception indicated what we hoped would be good conditions for the day’s 82km trip, including crossing 90 bridges and passing through 21 tunnels.
I joined 10 other trippers for the day to head away via mini-bus at 7.40 south on SH43 to Whangamōmona, passing the maintenance crews on the way at places where fallen trees were still being removed from the roadside.
Arriving at 9.00 we were given a safety briefing by Jade, —–
—– tour leader for the day. I was assigned, as a solo rider, to go with tour guide Maddie in the rear rail cart.
After settling everyone into their carts and explaining operational features ——-
—– Jade then led the convoy away at 50m to 100m spacing between carts —–
—– with 18 year old Maddie (short for Madeline) and me bringing up the rear. Maddie lived on a farm outside Taumarunui and was an accomplished horse-woman as well as an experienced pig and deer hunter.
On Tuesday I got a photo from the road over the Tahora Saddle —
—
—– looking down on the short section of line between the first two tunnels we went through after leaving Whangamōmona.
This shot shows the cart in front of us exiting the first tunnel and —–
—– this one shows the just visible red tail light of that cart inside the second tunnel as we are about to enter. You can see branches on the right and rocks on the left, a common indication of the after-effects of recent storm damage along the whole of the line.
At morning tea time Jade gave us the history of the Tangarakau coal mining community while Maddie organized hot drinks and home baking.
We were warned before we left Whangamōmona that there were no flush toilets at stops on the way, and long drops would be the order of the day.
Wandering stock on the line included sheep and lambs —–
—– and this baby wild goat sprinting after its mum who had disappeared into the bush on the left.
Maddie proved her worth before lunch when ——
—– the rail cart in front of us broke down in a tunnel due to a fuel line blockage. She strapped the cart to the front of ours and we pushed it out of the tunnel and down the line to —-
—– the Tokirima lunch stop where the fuel line blockage was cleared.
The ploughman’s lunch involved us making our own sandwiches followed by cakes, drinks and fruit. At the rear (top left of this photo) of the lunch area you can see ——
—— the FWA souvenir shop with its huge range of items.
During lunch a half-day tour group arrived by bus —–
—– to have their lunch at separate tables from us —–
—- while their rail carts, which had been towed down from Taumarunui, ——
—– were turned around and readied for them to get away before us.
Then it was off again (this time me in the front cart with Jade) through Ohura —–
—– and on to Matiere for afternoon tea before the final leg into the longest tunnel (1.5km) —–
—– where under the rail cart lights Jade gave us information on tunnel construction.
While in the tunnel I chatted to ——
—– these two young ladies, one from Greenland, the other from Denmark. The Danish traveler was half way through several months walking the 3,000km Te Araroa Trail so was enjoying a break from the walk to tour with her Greenland friend who had flown out to join her on a several week trip around NZ. They laughed “no way” when I raised the topic of Trump wanting to purchase Greenland.
So, an excellent day out with a great group of people and hosted by two knowledgeable guides. I was lucky to have travelled with both Maddie then Jade as I got loads of information from our continuous chatting while we travelled. In addition, as a passenger, I was free to take photos as I wanted (safety rules mean cart drivers cannot use cameras).
This thus brings to a conclusion my fascinating experiences in travelling both the road and rail journeys within the Forgotten World.