We are pleased to bring you the following links to enhance your stay in Taranaki and New Zealand

               The Delights of Taranaki

Visitors to Taranaki are captivated and enthralled by this province

Mount Taranaki (2,518m) provides the focal point for this special part of New Zealand - guided tours; tramping, helicopter viewing, limited skiing.

There is a unique botanical experience. During the Rhododendron & Garden Festival in early November there are 60 plus gardens to view stretching from the coast, the hinterland, into foothills and alpine - from city to country, all within a 60km radius.

Taranaki Gardens of Significance

Vibrant art/artisan community

Superb golf courses

World class surf beaches

For more information see http://www.taranaki.info/visit/

(Our son, Ben, on the top of the Mountain in late December with the Taranaki plain in the background)

                                                              The Forgotten World Highway

Take a drive back through time...

The Forgotten World Highway (State Highway 43) takes travellers on an intriguing, history rich tour of New Zealand's Maori and colonial heritage.

Running between Stratford and Taumarunui, this 155 km highway threads its way through pristine sub-tropical rainforests and past more than 30 sites of significant interest. This was the first Heritage Trail created in New Zealand, and each site is signposted and gives descriptive details.

Travellers can drive the Highway in less that 3 hours, or take their time to explore such man-made treasures as riverboat landing sites, two road tunnels, villages that have retained their unique character of last century, and disused coal mines, flour mills and brick kilns.

Natural wonders include Mt Damper Falls, the highest waterfall in the North island, great stands of virgin rain-forest and spectacular saddles with panoramic views.

For experiences in and around Stratford:

Eastern Taranaki Experience to explore the Eastern Taranaki back country - tours and tramping

Taranaki Tours - Daily scenic tours around Mt Taranaki & into the Egmont National Park with a knowledgeable Maori guide. Visit lakes, beaches and rain forests while learning Taranaki history, legends & culture.

Guided summit climbs of Mt Taranaki

Lavender Farm and Products

Puke Ariki Museum An amazing & informative site focussing on the uniqueness of Taranaki & its history.

Adventure tourism in Taranaki

Environmental Products Ltd for environmentally friendly possum clothing & accessories

 Stratford Information Centre

Stratford Golf Club

Tawhiti Museum, a truly unique heritage enterprise, widely acclaimed as the best private museum in the country, using life size exhibits and scale models to capture the past in a series of super realistic displays.

The Percy Thomson Gallery is Stratford's public art gallery providing an active programme of exhibitions and events both internally generated and toured from other art collections.

This was a gift to our three dogs from our friends, Astrid and Rudolph. They create and manufacture wonderful flamework art glass beads and jewellery.

Visit their web site to browse through the continuously updated shop and galleries, which contain a lot of unique art glass bead arrangements, one-of-a-kind jewellery, and photographs of New Zealand landscape.

Askoru Beads