Forgotten World Highway

State Highway 43 runs about 150 kilometres between Stratford and Taumarunui through country that emptied out after the small farms and sawmills failed - hence the name, which is a marketing term but not a dishonest one. The road crosses four saddles, follows river gorges, and passes through the Moki Tunnel, a one-lane bore cut through rock in 1936 and known as the Hobbit's Hole, which was later lowered to let stock trucks through. Twelve kilometres in the middle remain unsealed. Partway along is Whangamomona, a village of a few dozen people that declared itself a republic in 1989 after a local government boundary change put it in a different region against its wishes; it elects a president, sells passports at the hotel and holds Republic Day every two years. There is no fuel between the two ends, mobile coverage is patchy, and the road is winding enough to take longer than the distance suggests.

What you actually see

• The Moki Tunnel - one lane, cut through rock in 1936.
• Whangamomona - the self-declared republic, with a hotel and passports.
• The four saddles - the climbs and gorges along the route.
• The unsealed middle - twelve kilometres of gravel.

When to go

October to April. Allow three to four hours of driving without stops, more with them. Fill the tank at either end - there is no fuel on the route.

Honest expectations

No fuel for 150 kilometres and patchy phone coverage. Twelve kilometres are unsealed and the road is narrow and winding throughout. Some rental agreements restrict the gravel section. Services along the way are minimal.

Nearby

Stratford and Mount Taranaki are west; Taumarunui and the Whanganui River are east.