Whangamōmona is about two-thirds of the way along the Forgotten World Highway, heading to Stratford in Taranaki. It’s just a hamlet, but it has a cool pub and hotel.
The place is also famous for declaring independence over some local government squabble. You can even get a local passport to celebrate this. The pub is the only facility on the road after the Lavender Cafe near Taumarunui and before Stratford, so you’ll probably want to stop. But even if you don’t, you should!
You can also take a self-drive rail cart tour along an otherwise disused railway line linking Taumarunui, Whangamōmona, and Stratford.
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