Stratford, a market centre, is important to the traveller as a departure point for the eastern slopes of Egmont National Park for walking, climbing and skiing. It is also the centre of a network of trout streams.
The Patea River runs through the town, originally named 'Stratford-on-Patea' in the manner of Shakespeare's birthplace. Many of the streets are named for characters in his plays. The ancient Maori trail along which General Chute made his famous march in 1866 passed through the area. Eleven years later the town of Stratford was surveyed, and in 1878 the first sections were sold. The settlement began as a sawmilling base in dense bush, but milling continues only on a limited scale.
On a clear day, the peaks of Tongariro National Park may be seen over 100 kilometres to the east, as well as lonely Egmont a short distance to the west.
The branch is home to all our main brands and is strategically placed to support the large number of dairy farmers within the Taranaki region. With its strong links with New Plymouth the branch is well supported to cater for all its customers needs.
The region is a great place to visit all year round and has been the back drop to one of Hollywood's big budget movies within recent months, the Tom Cruise epic "The Last Samurai" was filmed in the region.
Close by is the mountain which on a clear day dominates the skyline with its majestic peak. In the winter the slopes are open for skiing and the resorts are always full of adventure seekers eager to experience the thrill of the slopes.
Road to Taumarunui (State Highway 43: 155 km: driving time 3 hrs): A slow and winding road, not always sealed and threading through scenes of dramatic contrasts, has been developed as a 'heritage trail'.
The road passes through farmland both fertile and marginal, and areas of wilderness, of early Maori trails and of now-derelict townships abandoned by the transient populations who forged the rail link between Stratford and Taumarunui. The 'Whanga pub' at Whangamomona (65 km) has a timeless if antiquated air.
Further on, the 85-metre Mount Dampier Falls (a short detour up Moki Rd at 84 km: turn into Mangapapa Rd; there is then a 300-metre walk to the falls) are well worth a visit.
In the region of the Tangarakau Gorge (at 94 km) the route passes through some of the most rugged and picturesque native bush to be seen from the road in the North Island. The grave of Joshua Morgan, the surveyor who laid the line for the road, lies by the roadside. A 'Heritage Trail' pamphlet is available from Tourism Taranaki, New Plymouth and other Information Centres.
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