Stratford

Covering approximately 2,170 square kilometres, the Stratford District encompasses a remarkably diverse landscape, from the alpine and native bush environment of Taranaki Maunga, through the fertile dairy farming country of the ring plain, to the rolling and steeper eastern hill country traditionally used for sheep and beef farming.

Stratford is uniquely positioned as the gateway to two national parks. To the west lies Egmont National Park and Taranaki Maunga, with more than 140km of walking tracks through native forest, wetlands and sub-alpine landscapes, as well as the mountain’s ski field. To the east, the famous Forgotten World Highway winds through spectacular hill country towards Whanganui National Park.

In the centre of town you’ll find one of Stratford’s best-known attractions, New Zealand’s only glockenspiel clock tower, where characters emerge to perform the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet several times each day, a nod to the town’s Shakespearean street names.
Stratford has a strong sporting and events culture, with TET Stadium & Events Centre at its heart, alongside popular motorsport and equestrian activities. The town is also well served by education from preschool through to Year 13, complemented by a wide range of community and recreational facilities.

A highlight on the local calendar is the Stratford A&P Show, traditionally held each November. The popular two-day event attracts thousands of visitors and celebrates the district’s strong agricultural and rural heritage.

History: Stratford was established on the Patea River in 1877–78 and named after William Shakespeare’s birthplace Stratford-on-Avon. Many of the streets are named after Shakespearean characters, including Oberon, Cordelia, Titania, Juliet and Hamlet. The town is central Taranaki’s main rural servicing centre, and the administrative base of the Stratford District Council and the Taranaki Regional Council.

The first talking movies in the southern hemisphere were shown at the King’s Theatre in 1925. Stratford has seven war memorials; a hall of remembrance at the old municipal buildings displays framed photos of all of the district’s First World War dead.

The Waihapa oil and gas field, discovered in 1988, and its production station are 6 km south-east. The Stratford Mountain House and Dawson Falls Lodge in Taranaki Maunga (Mount Taranaki/Egmont) National Park can be accessed from the town.