Galatea (Māori: Kuhawaea) is a settlement in the Whakatāne District in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand.

[3] The forested hills and mountains of the Ikawhenua Range and in particular Mount Tāwhiuau stand guard on the eastern flank of the Galatea Plains or Basin, an area surrounding the village.

A few miles downstream on the western side of this trout-filled river, Fort Galatea was built, where from their lofty lookout the constables living there were able to survey the tracks used by the many Māori who passed by on their way from or to the coast near Whakatāne.

The coastal area of the Bay of Plenty has been occupied by various tribes of Māori arriving in canoes from the islands of Polynesia.

When visits of European trading ships became more common, the Galatea Māori would travel down the river with goods to barter.

Pōmare, chief of the Ngāpuhi from Northland was in the habit of travelling south to fight with the Bay of Plenty tribes and after attacking all the pā on the plains, chased the Tūhoe back into the Urewera hills.

He returned home with his canoes loaded with spoils and heads of the vanquished, only to return a year later The Ngāti Manawa were relieved to see the Ngāpuhi disappear up the Horomanga River to meet up with Pōmare's party who travelled up the Waimana River into the mountainous Urewera lands.

HMS Galatea at that time was visiting the country under the command of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.

Soldiers were stationed at the Fort in readiness to march into the Urewera forests to fight the Hauhau, and with them a renegade by the name of Te Kooti who had been captured after a battle in the Poverty Bay area.

Te Kooti was ruthless and in complete control of the Hauhau, even though he was not one of them, but was a prophet and leader of what was to become the Ringatū religion.