[4] Until the 1863 invasion of the Waikato, the area lay between the pās of Mangaharakeke and Kirikiriroa on the lands of Ngāti Wairere.

[14] Minogue Park was first bought by Hamilton City Council in 1959, then extended in 1964, 1973 (Waterworld, dog exercise area, luge track and Hamilton Model Engineers Club), 1975 Rotokaeo Lake, 1979 (netball courts, BMX track and car park, and end of Walsh Street, 1992 NZR land west of Rotokaeo and in 2008.

There was a speedway until 1979, now this has been replaced by Minogue Park netball courts, a destination playground and a BMX track.

[4] The Model Engineers Club moved to the park in 1983[15] and now has 1.6 km (0.99 mi) of miniature railway track,[16] a 1953 diesel shunter and the former Frankton signalbox.

It also provided other food, such as koura, kokopu and tuna (eels), and plants such as raupō, mangemange and flax.

[4] There is little submerged vegetation but kahikatea bush has been planted to the north and west, with baumea, kawakawa, mahoe, manuka, swamp millet and Hypolepsis distans, whekī, mata, turutu and silver ferns.

The rest of the lake is surrounded by Carex virgata, kuta and makura sedges, Myriophyllum propinquum, pohuehue, flax, dwarf bog rush and swamp coprosma.

[4] Weeds remaining include alder, arum lily, crack willow, grey willow, gorse, Mercer grass, pampas, reed sweet grass, yellow flag iris, parrot's feather and Japanese honeysuckle.