Stratford, Taranaki: Glockenspiel, Mountain Walks and the Start of the Forgotten Highway
Stratford is the kind of town most people drive through on the way to somewhere else. That's a mistake. It sits at the foot of Taranaki Maunga, it has the only glockenspiel in New Zealand, its streets are named after Shakespeare characters, and it marks the start (or the end) of the Forgotten World Highway. Give it a night, not a fuel stop.
Stratford at a glance
Where: on State Highway 3, about 40 km south-east of New Plymouth, at the junction with State Highway 43.
Forgotten World Highway: SH43 runs 146 km east from Stratford to Taumarunui. The sign at the start says it plainly: no petrol for 150 km.
Te reo name: Whakaahurangi, meaning to look to the sky.
Size: a rural town of about 6,300 people, with cafés, supermarkets, motels and everything you need before heading into the back country.
The glockenspiel and the Shakespeare streets
Stratford was named Stratford-on-Patea by a settler with a fondness for the bard, and the town never quite got over it. Streets carry names like Juliet, Romeo, Ophelia and Portia, and on Broadway the clock tower glockenspiel performs the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet four times a day, at 10am, 1pm, 3pm and 7pm. The life-size figures were made by Nigel Ogle of the Tawhiti Museum near Hāwera.
It takes about five minutes, it is completely charming, and you will not be the only one standing on the footpath waiting for the chimes.
Walk the heritage trail
Stratford's heritage walk is an easy way to understand the town in an hour.
Malone Memorial Gates: the largest gates in Aotearoa built to honour a single soldier. Lieutenant Colonel William Malone farmed, practised law and served on local councils here before commanding the Wellington Battalion at Gallipoli. He is credited with the army's distinctive "lemon squeezer" hat.
The Queen's kauri: a kauri planted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1954, still growing slowly in a region far from kauri country.
Lone Pine: nearby stands a pine grown from a seedling of Lone Pine Ridge, Gallipoli.
King's Theatre: an early picture palace on the main street, given Category 1 heritage status in 2024. Te Ara notes that the first talking pictures in the southern hemisphere were screened here in 1925.
King Edward Park and the Three Bridges Trail
Right in the town centre, King Edward Park is a proper old-school public park. Spring is the time to visit, when the McCullough Rhododendron Dell is in flower. It holds one of Taranaki's best rhododendron collections outside Pukeiti.
The Three Bridges Trail is a 30-minute loop around the park and along the Pātea River. One of the bridges uses a length of old railway line for its arch, a very Taranaki piece of make-do engineering. Look out for the enclosed Chinese garden, the rose garden and the model boating lake in neighbouring Windsor Park.
Up the mountain: Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki
Stratford is the closest town to the eastern side of the national park, renamed Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki in 2025 (you will still see Egmont National Park on older maps).
Dawson Falls: an 18-metre waterfall on the mountain's south-eastern slopes, a short walk from the car park.
The Goblin Forest: moss-draped kāmahi trees on the Kāmahi Loop, straight out of a fairy tale and the best photo stop on the mountain.
Stratford Plateau and Manganui ski area: the road up Pembroke Road from Stratford takes you high onto the mountain, with skiing on the club field in a good winter and big views in summer.
Mountain weather changes fast. Pack a warm layer even on a sunny day, and check track conditions with DOC before you go.
Pūrangi Reserve and the kiwi forest
East of town, in the hills along the Forgotten Highway, the Pūrangi Reserve and Ōtunahe Scenic Reserve are part of a large predator-controlled area cared for by the East Taranaki Environment Trust. This is western brown kiwi country, and the forest is busy with tūī, korimako (bellbird), kererū, toutouwai (robin) and kārearea (falcon).
The Hidden Valley Walkway is an easy half-hour boardwalk beside a stream. After dark, glow-worms light up the banks on guided night walks. The longer Ōtunahe track is a solid two and a half to three hours, so wear good footwear.
Longer walks around town
Carrington Walkway: a 9 km mix of town bush and farmland edges, starting at the Malone Gates, with big views of the maunga.
Cardiff Centennial Walkway: follows the Waingongoro River about 6 km from Stratford, through farmland and bush, with a picnic area.
Before you drive the Forgotten Highway
Stratford is the last proper town for 150 km if you are heading east, so:
Fill the tank and pick up snacks and water.
Download offline maps. Mobile coverage disappears for long stretches.
Allow a full day. The road is sealed now but slow, winding and full of reasons to stop.
My Forgotten World Highway road trip guide covers the whole route, from the Strathmore Saddle to the Republic of Whangamōmona, and the SH43 tunnels have their own guide. Heading round the coast instead? Stratford is also an easy link to Surf Highway 45.
Best time to visit
Spring (October–November): rhododendrons in flower and the Taranaki Garden Festival.
Summer: long evenings, clear mountain days and the best time for the Forgotten Highway.
Autumn: red and gold trees in the parks.
Winter: snow on the maunga and chilly nights. Bring a jacket.
Where to stay
Browse places to stay in Stratford on Booking.com.
This post includes Booking.com affiliate links. If you book through them, Best Bits Travel may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Plan your trip
Stay: one or two nights, with the mountain on one day and the Forgotten Highway the next.
Pair with: New Plymouth (40 km), Surf Highway 45, and Taumarunui at the far end of SH43.
Check before you go: glockenspiel times, DOC track updates for Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki, and night-walk bookings at Pūrangi.
FAQs
Where does the Forgotten World Highway start?
State Highway 43 starts in Stratford at its junction with State Highway 3 and runs 146 km east to Taumarunui. Fill up with fuel in Stratford, as there is no petrol for about 150 km.
What time does the Stratford glockenspiel play?
The glockenspiel on Broadway performs the Romeo and Juliet balcony scene four times a day, at 10am, 1pm, 3pm and 7pm. Each performance lasts about five minutes.
How far is Stratford from New Plymouth?
About 40 km, or around 35 to 40 minutes south-east on State Highway 3.
Is Stratford a good base for Mount Taranaki?
Yes. Stratford is the closest town to the eastern side of Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki, with Dawson Falls, the Goblin Forest and Stratford Plateau all within a short drive.
