The small settlement of Whangamomona, buried in the hills of eastern Taranaki, declared itself a republic in 1989 and has since attained a sort of cult celebrity status. For Republic Day celebrations—held in summer every second year—thousands of visitors flock to the town, and are required to hand over $3 for a passport at border control points. Even those who arrive on the several special trains are required to fork out.
Were it not for the Poet's Bridge, you might think that Simon Hadlow was rowing his daughter and dog into the backblocks. Yet this arcadian vista lies just a few minutes' stroll from downtown New Plymouth, in a park which provides forest, laws, sports-ground, gardens, performance facilities and a peaceful retreat in the centre of the city.
3
Unlimited access to every NZGeo story ever written and hundreds of hours of natural history documentaries on all your devices.
$1 trial for two weeks, thereafter $8.50 every two months, cancel any time
Already a subscriber? Sign in
Signed in as . Sign out
Thanks, you're good to go!
Thanks, you're good to go!
Ask your librarian to subscribe to this service next year. Alternatively, use a home network and buy a digital subscription—just $1/week...
Subscribe to our free newsletter for news and prizes
