There was a time when the small central North Island town of Taihape was passed through as quickly as possible. Traveling from North to South by State Highway 1, the town couldn't be avoided, but there wasn't much to keep you there any longer than a rest room stop, a quick bite to eat if something was open and a chance to refuel the car. But all that has changed.
Taihape is now a welcome stopping place on the journey from north to south. The town decided to make the most of its isolated location and become more attractive to people passing through. It is a small town, with a population of around 2000. Many families have lived there a long time. The township is the centre of a far reaching farming area and boasts two local sawmills. On the Main trunk Line, passenger trains once stopped there and the railway station was famous for its meat pies and a cup of tea. But as rail passengers dwindled, so did the number of stopping places, and Taihape was no longer seen as a viable station to stop at. The town went into temporary decline, but this is now changing.