Last updated October 2026
Norfolk is a small rural locality in the New Plymouth District, set on State Highway 3 between Inglewood and the Stratford side of the ring plain. Norfolk Road meets the highway here and continues as separate upper and lower sections through open dairy country that was once dense bush. There is no town centre.
Daily life turns around the school, the local hall and working farms, with Inglewood a short drive away for shops and other services.
Freight trains still use the Marton to New Plymouth line, but the old Norfolk Road station has long gone and little of it remains. For visitors, Norfolk is a quiet stretch of inland Taranaki rather than a destination of its own.
Practical Information
- Ward or local board
- Kōhanga Moa General Ward; Inglewood Community. The district Māori ward is Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa.
- Getting there
- State Highway 3 (Mountain Road), about 5.5 kilometres south-east of Inglewood and about 10.5 kilometres north-west of Midhirst. Norfolk Road leaves the highway on both sides. There is no passenger train stop.
- Main shopping
- No shops in the locality. Inglewood town centre is the nearest place for everyday shopping. New Plymouth has larger supermarkets and services.
- Schools
- Norfolk School (Te Kura o Māketehinu), a state full primary for years 1 to 8, at 4 Norfolk Road, RD 8, Inglewood.
- Nearby landmarks
- Norfolk School, the local hall, the former Norfolk Road railway station site, and Inglewood township.
About Norfolk
Norfolk sits on the inland highway that runs around the eastern side of the mountain, in country surveyed and settled for farms rather than for a township.
When the first surveys were made, W. H. Skinner described the land as covered with dense bush and undergrowth, and waterlogged in parts. Settlers were already arriving in the early 1870s, before the road was properly formed. The road itself was named after the English county of Norfolk.
The locality never grew a main street. Improvements to Mountain Road drew more traffic onto the inland route, and a school followed quickly, but shops, trades and later industry stayed in Inglewood.
What remains is a farming district: paddocks, shelter belts, the school on Norfolk Road, and a hall that took the district many years to build. The school describes itself as the hub of the Norfolk community, close enough to Inglewood for a five-minute drive and to New Plymouth for a longer run of about twenty minutes.
Dairy farming is the long-standing land use. The railway was built to serve that economy, taking farm produce out and giving local people a link to the market towns.
An oil bore was drilled near the station in 1907 by the Inglewood Oil Boring and Prospecting Company. It created local interest and did not lead to lasting production. Today the highway and the freight line still pass through, but the stop itself is only a patch of ground.
People looking for cafes, a supermarket or a weekend market will not find them here. Inglewood is the service town, and New Plymouth is the city for anything larger.
Norfolk is worth a slow drive if you are already on State Highway 3 and want a sense of how this part of the district was opened for farms, with the school still standing at the centre of that story.
History and Heritage
Tenders for the first Norfolk Road school were called in December 1878. The schoolhouse, with a teacher’s residence, was built for £485, and the school opened in 1879 with a roll of 33. It has stayed on the site ever since. A post office ran from the teacher’s residence from 1899 until 1942, after which mail was delivered from Inglewood.
Norfolk Road railway station opened to all traffic on 17 December 1879, as the line was extended from Inglewood toward Stratford. For years it was little more than a flag stop: a shelter shed, a short platform and a crossing loop, later lengthened, with a loading bank for farm goods.
Trains were stopping regularly by 1882. The station closed in 1963. The line is still used by freight trains. Almost nothing marks the stop, which sits as grassland between the school and the rural hall.
A public hall came late. Land was donated in the early 1950s, a small kitchen and supper room went up first, and the hall itself was finished in 1958. Together with the school, it is the built record of a district that organised itself around farming rather than around a commercial centre.
Getting Around and Community Life
Travel in and out of Norfolk is by road. State Highway 3 is the through route; Norfolk Road is the local road, divided by the highway into upper and lower sections. There is no station to board a train.
Anyone relying on a bus should check regional timetables before travelling, because this is not a town with a local public-transport hub. Farm gates, stock and highway traffic are the practical things to watch for. Most side roads serve properties, not visitor parking.
Norfolk School, Te Kura o Māketehinu, is the main community institution. It is a coeducational state full primary, years 1 to 8, and the school says about 150 children attend.
The grounds are attractive, and the school presents itself as rural in character while close to the opportunities in Inglewood and New Plymouth. It is a working school, not a drop-in attraction. Secondary schooling is outside the locality.
The hall is the other long-standing community building. Beyond those two places, Norfolk is private farmland. Walks, swimming holes and picnic reserves in this part of the district are based around Inglewood rather than in Norfolk itself.
If you are passing through, the respectful visit is a drive along the highway, a glance at the school and hall, and a stop in Inglewood for food and supplies.
Where to Learn More
Puke Ariki: Norfolk Road: A short local history of the road name, the first school, the post office and the hall.
Norfolk School: The school website, including its Māori name, address and role as a community hub.
Wikipedia: Norfolk, New Zealand: Location, council ward and community, with links through to census and education notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Norfolk?
Norfolk is a rural locality in the New Plymouth District, on State Highway 3 about 5.5 kilometres south-east of Inglewood and about 10.5 kilometres north-west of Midhirst.
Is Norfolk part of New Plymouth city?
It is in the New Plymouth District, not in the city suburbs. It is an inland farming locality, with Inglewood as the nearest town.
Where does the name come from?
Norfolk Road was named after the county of Norfolk in England. The school also uses the name Te Kura o Māketehinu. A separate Māori name for the locality was not confirmed in the sources used here.
Is there anything to see?
The interest is rural rather than scenic-reserve style. The school, the hall and the unmarked site of the old railway station are the local landmarks. Most of the surrounding land is private farmland.
Does the train still stop?
No. Norfolk Road station closed in 1963. Freight trains still use the Marton to New Plymouth line, but there is no passenger stop.
Where do I shop or eat?
There are no shops in Norfolk. Inglewood town centre is the practical stop for food and everyday supplies. New Plymouth covers larger shopping.
What school serves the area?
Norfolk School, at 4 Norfolk Road, is a state full primary for years 1 to 8 and has been operating since 1879. Older students go to secondary schools outside the locality.
Can I walk or camp here?
Norfolk is not set up as a visitor area. There is no public campground in the locality, and side roads lead to farms. Use Inglewood or New Plymouth as a base, and stay off private land.
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