In all my travels, I’ve never encountered anything quite like it, particularly given its magnitude. Prising open the mighty King Country, Forgotten World Adventures (FWA) offers remarkable excursions, riding the rails of an abandoned railway line, stretching from the northern tip of the Ruapehu District to heartland Taranaki. It’s not only an enduring totem to our guts-and-glory pioneering heritage but a more modern-day manifestation of gritty Kiwi ingenuity – and repurposing!

Based in Taumarunui, FWA is an incredibly enterprising tourism venture boasting a compelling platter of soft adventure excursions, prising open the legends, heritage and unspoilt scenery of the hinterland. Forgotten World Adventures re-opened 142 kilometres of this decommissioned railway line in 2012, including 24 tunnels and 92 bridges – all built from hand. Founded by Ian Balme, this Waikato farmer dared to dream big, turning a mothballed rusting eyesore into a visionary business. For the past three years, FWA has been owned and operated by Grant Ross and Laura Wackett. They both have a fascinating backstory, principally in international television production, while Grant was also previously a professional rugby player in South Africa and France. 

Originally from Wellington, Grant is revelling in steering a homegrown enterprise, which was quite the baptism of fire given New Zealand was still wrestling with Covid when he purchased the business. He’s very hands-on and highly engaging with guests. It was fascinating to chat to him about the challenges and rewards of the job – like when a massive storm buried the tunnel entrances in a pile of mud! The prohibitive costs of constant track maintenance underpinned KiwiRail’s decision to pull the plug on the line’s operation in 2010.

Taking nearly 32 years to build, the Stratford – Okahukura Line (SOL) finally opened in 1932 and linked up with the main trunk line through Taumarunui to Auckland. Working gangs sawed and blasted their way through the bush-draped hinterland to lay the tracks of this steel artery. It cost 2.5 million pounds to build this line, equating to billions of dollars today – the most expensive rail line in our nation’s history. They even built massive timber-trestle viaducts across the likes of the Mangatatoko Ravine, now overgrown in bush, because it would have been too difficult to maintain such a sky-high bridge. The engineering prowess was extraordinary. The line had been commissioned to transport products from the emerging farming, coal and logging industries.  At its peak, there were 15 stations in operation on this line – now, concrete platforms serve as sobering memorial slabs to a bygone age.

FWA operate six unique guided adventures, whether you’re after a half-day excursion, full day or multi-day adventure. If you want to ride the entire 142km-long line to Stratford, that’s a two-day affair, but I plumped for the full-day rail car ride to the self-declared Republic of Whangamōmona. You can do it one-way in either direction, with a night’s stay in the irrepressible Whangamōmona Hotel. The historic hotel was built in 1912 and the area’s proud history is lustily showcased on the pub walls. But full drama ensued in 1989when  Whangamōmona threw a strop and declared its independence.

It was prompted by local government reforms which carved up the boundaries of the Whangamōmona district, which resulted in half the district ending up in Manawatu-Whanganui, when most folk associate themselves with the Taranaki region. So they declared independence in the pub and continue celebrating Republic Day in January. You can even get your passport stamped at the pub counter. You’ll love the ebullient spirit of the hotel and its patrons, with excellent meals and comfortable accommodation. Arriving into the main street, with its heritage shop facades, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported into a Wild West movie set. It’s utterly enthralling, and home to one of New Zealand’s legendary watering holes.

Meeting up with my FWA guide Ray, we set off from Whangamōmona, under bright blue skies, for our full-day ride back to Okahukura. Ray knows this wild region intimately, guiding since 2016 and prior to that delivering rural mail. He was an exceptional host on the rails, informative and effusively passionate about the region's rich heritage. This is certainly no train ride, but a unique self-drive rail journey in converted golf carts, where you’re in charge of the pedals.

Petrol powered and limited to a top speed of 22km an hour, these souped-up golf carts originate from Arizona, but given the lush and vivid greenness of the surrounding landscape, they certainly don’t look out of place. I was half expecting a vast fairway to appear on the horizon. The weirdest initiation is feeling comfortable not steering the wheel, because you’re firmly affixed to the rails. No turning required! 

The mining and milling heyday of the Forgotten World region may have long faded but the wrap-around scenery is deliriously drool-worthy, a blend of the bucolic, wistful, lonely and rustic. Animals vastly outnumber people in these parts, as we tootled by goats, deer, alpacas and happy herds of cows on elevated pastures, while a vast flock of freshly-sheared sheep skipped alongside the line, under the watchful eye of crowd-wrangling sheepdogs. Clattering along the tracks in our carts, curling through valleys and creased hills, we traversed lichen covered bridges spanning rivers, while more lichen streamed down from trees like confetti.

We threaded our way through magnificent native forest, particularly around Tangarakau, where kiwi are being re-introduced to the bush. Towering papa cliffs rose up beside the railway line adding to the natural splendour. Reaching out on the eastern horizon, I snatched the occasional view of mighty Mt Ruapehu, piercing the skyline, by Tahora Saddle. The King Country’s tightly folded steep-sided hills and starkly contrasting curvaceous hummocks, created by lahars from Taupo and Ruapehu eruptions, make for riveting topography. The Egyptians would be suitably impressed, because of all the pyramidal shapes that sharply point at the sky.

The verdant countryside is sprinkled with clutches of ramshackle houses and dilapidated farm buildings, strutting the skyline as reminders of the region’s boom times, when primary industries like timber-milling and coal-mining thrived. When in season, you can even pick wild blackberries, blueberries and apples from the railway line. It’s sobering to reflect on how dramatically the population has changed in some of these settlements. A delicious buffet lunch awaited us in Tokirima, which FWA staff had prepared in advance of our arrival. 

We also stopped for scrumptious home-made snacks and a hot cuppa in the sleepy village of Matiere. It’s still home to around 40 residents – and a thriving Cossie Club. At its peak, 85 years ago, Matiere had a population of 750, built on saw-milling and farmers breaking in land. This pioneering town once included a dairy factory, three general stores, two butchers, two drapers, a tailor, bank and post office.

Information posts along the route, complete with historical photographs, illustrate how bustling many of these lineside communities used to be. But the undeniable highlight of riding these storied rails are the brick-lined tunnels laid by hand and the longest tunnel on the line, spanning 1500 metres. Apparently it comprises 3.5 million bricks and took eight years to build! Boring through these tunnels on our carts was absolutely thrilling. It certainly pays to wrap up warm. They can be bone-chillingly cold. 

The 1500 metre tunnel, known as the Okahukura Tunnel, is actually New Zealand’s seventh longest rail tunnel. Adding to its ethereal theatre, a thick mist draped the middle of the tunnel, before we re-emerged from the darkness into spectacularly sunlit native bush.  Rail travel has always exuded romanticism. The supreme sense of scenic intimacy is unmatched by road travel and the novelty of piloting your own passage along the tracks is an undeniable winner with the Kiwi DIY love affair.

While in Taumarunui, my head hit the pillow at the Forgotten World Motel. My well-appointed unit was clean, quiet and toasty, the beds are cloud-comfortable and there’s free Wi-Fi. The rail excursion season rolls on until May 10, before resuming again on October. Make tracks! For full details on the FWA product range, head to www.fwa.co.nz

I romped my way around the Ruapehu region in a trusty hybrid Ford Puma, courtesy of Ezi Car Rental. I thoroughly enjoyed the Ezi experience, where excellent vehicles, super sharp prices and fast & friendly service are all part of the package. Ezi Car Rental operates an extensive network from 24 locations across the country. They’re everywhere you want to be with vehicles to suit your specific needs. Head to www.ezicarrental.co.nz

The drama and grandeur of Ruapehu is power-packed as a year-round wonderland for outdoorsy adventure. Crowned by the triple volcanoes of the central plateau and the majestic Tongariro National Park, make tracks to the wide open spaces and hospitality charms of Ruapehu. www.visitruapehu.com

Mike Yardley is our Travel Correspondent on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.