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NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi logo

How do you improve one of New Zealand’s most beautiful roads?

  • 1 Jun 2022

Journeys along State Highway 43, the Forgotten World Highway, are now safer and easier. The first stage of sealing work through the Tāngarākau Gorge is complete. That means safer journeys for locals and encourage many more people to experience the beauty of SH43. The project, funded by Kānoa – Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit, is replacing the unsealed section of State Highway 43 with chip-seal to make the road safer and more reliable. Better, safer, more reliable journeys along one of New Zealand's most stunning roads.

Video transcript

Timestamp Visual information Audio information
00:00:00 Aerial vision of State Highway 43 and native bush
00:00:00 [Text] The Forgotten World Highway - State Highway 43 - is one of New Zealand's most iconic and stunning journeys.
[Text] The road, which winds between Taranaki and King Country, is a lifeline for local farms, businesses, communities and visitors.
00:00:14 Road weaving through native bush
00:00:14 [Text] It's also home to one of the last unsealed bits of state highway in Aotearoa, which hasn't made for easy journeys.
00:00:21 Neil Volzke, Stratford Mayor being interviewed Successive mayors have been calling for this road to be sealed for the last 60 years
00:00:24 Truck sealing the road with cloud of steam billowing behind it
00:00:24 [Text] Now, the section of highway running through the picturesque Tangarakau Gorge is getting its first seal, to make it safer and easier for people to travel on.
00:00:29 [Text] Neil Volzke, Stratford Mayor being interviewed So naturally I was delighted to get the green light for this project, and even more delighted when the work started.
00:00:37 Aerial shot of workers on the highway, with river running next to it.
00:00:37 [Text] Unsealed roads are generally off-limits for rental cars, so this project will open new territory for tourists, and make everyday journeys better for locals.
00:00:45 Anaru Marshall, Pou Whakahaere, Ngāti Maru being interviewed Travellers are coming through there more and more. Making it much more safer for travellers to get on that road and come to Taranaki is important. For our own people it's significant because our access to other parts of our rohe, our tribal area, is much more accessible and safer for us.
00:01:00 Calvin Rorke, Waka Kotahi Sernior Project Manager. It will bring more visitors to the area, to the Forgotten World Highway. Obviously with the new upgraded road it will make it easier for people to explore and see the area.
00:01:11 Truck sealing road with steam billowing behind it
00:01:14 [Text] With the first 2km done, work on the remaining 10km will continue in the next sealing season, during warmer weather.
00:01:16 Aerial shot of workers on the highway, with river running next to it.
00:01:16 [Text] It makes for a beautiful work environment, but the road's famed seclusion has also bene challenging.
00:01:20 Anaru Waru, Inframax Construction manager being interviewed. The biggest challenge primarily has been the location. We are about an hour and a half from Stratford, about an hour 15 from Taumarunui, smack bang in the middle
00:01:28 Aerial shot of workers on the highway, with river running next to it.
00:01:28 [Text] And there's a fragile environment to consider.
00:01:33 Calvin Rorke, Waka Kotahi Senior Project Manager So Waka Kotahi have worked very closely with their iwi partners in ensuring that the natural environment's not disturbed too much.
00:01:39 Shots of the road and Whangamomona Hotel
00:01:49 [Text] stunning scenery, friendly locals, an authentic kiwi experience.
00:01:46 Richard and Vicki Pratt, Whangamomona Hotel owners being interviewed. Definitely a game changer for Taranaki in terms of people and volume. Yeah, for us it's a plus because there's more people that will come in and stay and do different thigs in the area. There's great walks and cycles and we have a lot of motorbikes now.
00:01:57 Roller going over new surface on the road
00:01:57 [Text] Together we're making people safer, and bringing communities, businesses and whanau closer together.
00:02:04 Truck delivering chip to be laid on road surface.
00:02:13 Truck driving down road next to river as camera tilts up onto native bush
00:02:13 [Text] And we're inviting more people to experience one of New Zealand's most exciting, and beautiful, journeys.
00:02:18 Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit
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Traffic and travel information
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Walking, cycling and public transport
Planning and investment